U of D Jesuit

 

University of Detroit Jesuit Cubs

U of D Jesuit Hockey

Mission and Tradition

University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy is committed to providing the highest quality of Jesuit college preparatory education to young men in southeast Michigan.

U of D Jesuit, in collaboration with parents, will challenge its students to go beyond academic excellence, to be reflective, to be committed to the service of personal faith and the promotion of justice: to be "Men for Others."

U of D Jesuit will provide an atmosphere of learning and individual spiritual development that reaches into the larger community.

 
Since 1877,the Jesuits have been educating some of the finest young men in the Southeastern Michigan area. More than a century ago, the Jesuits established their college preparatory school on Jefferson Avenue in a small, yet growing city not far from Lake St. Clair.
 
The high school moved to its present location in 1930, and the school address of 8400 South Cambridge has been synonymous with academic excellence ever since. For over 140 years, U of D Jesuit has provided young men an outstanding high school education and since 1973, junior high students have had the same academic opportunities.
 
In 1995-96, hockey was reinstated at The High as a varsity sport after a 58 year absence. In 1998-99, a Junior Varsity team was added and and now plays in the MJVHL. The hockey program offers an average of 44 young men the opportunity to continue their hockey careers at the high school level. In 2014-15, the Cubs moved to the Hazel Park Viking Arena following the closing of City Sport Center in downtown Detroit which was the home of Cub hockey for the first 19 years.
 
The JV team is coached by Sean Johnson '95, Nick Popovski and Rick Bennetts with Mike Evans serving as the GM.  The JV Cubs program play in the very competitive MJVHL.
 
The hockey team at U of D Jesuit was a member of the Michigan Prep Hockey League for the first seven seasons and has been a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League, since the 2002-03 season. The league is made up of Catholic Central, Brother Rice, Cranbrook, Port Huron Nothern, Grosse Pointe North, Grosse Pointe South, De La Salle, Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Trenton and U of D Jesuit.
 
The hockey program strives to develop the whole person, incorporating the “magis”, doing more for Christ and a “cura personalis”, care of the person, approach. To help fulfill that, the team does several community service projects each year and attends a pre-school Mass once each week. They participated in the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade for seven consecutive years, have adopted a section of 8 Mile through the MDOT Adopt a Highway Program and participate in the monthly summer Focus Hope food deliveries along with at least 2 in season service projects.
 
The hockey team prides itself in having been an Academic All-State team all 25 seasons and in 1997, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016  and 2017 were the #1 academic team in the state. The Cubs also advanced to the state final four in 2005. 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.  The hockey team has graduated 11 valedictorians, over 100 players have gone on to play College Club Hockey, eight have played Division I college hockey with Tommy Apap serving as the current Captain at Michigan State and Sam Knoblauch is playing at UMass Lowell.  Several players have gone on to play Division III college hockey with Matt Meininger '14 playing Division III at Lawrence University.  Ben Charboneau and Owen Przybylo are playing junior hockey in Maine and Joe McEwen is playing junior hockey in Massachusetts.
 
The Cub Varsity Coaching Staff is comprised of Head Coach, Jeff Stempin '01, (ACHA, Grand Valley State University), Dom Recchia '05 (Johnson and Wales and ECHL) and Cole Luken '19.
 
Lastly, the hockey program would not have advanced beyond the first season, much less to the point where it is now, if it were not for the support it has received from the school administration, faculty, staff, alumni and students as well as from the players and their parents who took a chance and played for their school 24 years ago. Each year the hockey program has enjoyed tremendous support from its players and parents and this year is no exception, which makes the job of coaching much easier and very enjoyable.
 
Thank you for your support and “Here’s to U of D High School”.
A.M.D.G.

MHSHCA Academic All State

Minimum Requirement - Seniors with a 3.50 Cumulative GPA

 
 
  1996   Steve Sharp Jim Khoury Jason Dryja Mike Herskovic
  1997   Andrew Goodman Brad Higgins    
  1998   David Spurlock Nick Bayma David Larabell Brian Mooney
      Andrew Cadotte Andrew Shipton Steve Dekovich Pat Harte
      Davis Siemion John Pacini    
  1999   Vinnie Abatemarco Jeff Burton Chris Mellon Tony Miller
      Chris Karwacki      
  2000   Greg McLennan Mike Cooper Jason White  
  2001   Ryan Anderson Matt Hammer Richard Siemion Peter Gariepy
  2002   Mike Kazmierski      
  2003   Kevin Vincent Will Ryan Chris Granger David Stahl
  2004   Chris Kenney Dan Rieckoff    
  2005   Brian Burke Tim MacLean Mike Van Tiem  
  2006   Scott Granger Grayson Heenan David Kelly Mike Fontichiaro
      Cam Peralta Dante Hargis Kyle Gorka Mike Paletta
  2007   Blake Karapuz Mike Raymond Dan Reddy Stephen Yackley
      Stephen Harnadeck      
  2008   Chris Eng Tom Zelinski    
  2009   Mike Costello Joseph Fazzio Muchael Makowski Dan McAree
      Mike Yanis      
  2010   Adam Bradley Michael Eng Justin Evans Brian Gardner
      Patrick Riedy Jacob Siegrist Alex Van Tiem  
  2011   David Mannino Peter Riedy Christopher Peltola Michael Hatty
      Alex Kucken Nicholas Jackson    
  2012   John Lauro      
  2013   Joey Brisson Ryan Keast Kyle Lee Bryan Masopust
      Alex Von Mach Joey Zelinski    
  2014   Lorenzo Bongiovani Brian Hubbard Tim Hoffman Andy Stefani
      Jake Knoblauch      
  2015   Shane Neary Peter Hunt Neil Hodgins Matt Morgan
  2016   Keagan Flynn Sam Knoblauch Lucca Paletta Teddy Apap
      Nathan Lee Chris Kaffel Josh Piepszowski Nick Gadowski
      John Downey

Dean Henderson

   
  2017   Ian Mulhern Michael Coletti Jeremiah Casterline Patrick Di Rita
      Maxim Denomme      
             
  2018   Grant Gardella Brendan Gumbel Joe Hanania John Jeannotte
      Michael Lafata Richie Metz Oliver Nasr

Brendan Neary

  2019   Eli Cate Collin Harvey Cole Luken Brian Brown
      Marl Lauro     Owen Przybylo Jackon Vyletel

Julius Spognardi

  2020   Alex Chapie Alec Evans Jake Gumbel    

Henry Mansky

      Jack Miller Griffin Neary    

Hockey Valedictorians

 
    Steve Dekovich 1998   Professor Spokane,Washington
    Mike Cooper 2000   Investment Accountant Chicago, IL
    Greg McLennan 2000   Surgeon St. Louis, MO
    Dave Stahl 2003   CPA Novi, MI
    Grayson Heenan 2006   Priest Boston
    Mike Fontichiaro 2006   US Army/Grad School Washington, DC
    Stephen Yackley 2007   Teacher/Coach Indiana
    Dan McAree 2009   Medical Doctor Michigan State Univ
    Lucca Paletta 2016   Student Washington University
    Jackson Vyletel 2019   Student Notre Dame
 

U of D Jesuit Hockey

Academic All State Team

Minimum Requirement - 3.00 Team GPA

      1996 3.25   1997 3.47*   1998 3.35
      1999 3.33   2000 3.56   2001 3.44
      2002 3.32   2003 3.23   2004 3.42
      2005 3.54   2006 3.34*   2007 3.67*
      2008 3.75*   2009 3.62*   2010 3.68*
      2011 3.30   2012 3.68*   2013 3.61*
      2014 3.68   2015 3.68   2016 3.83*
      2017 3.69   2018 3.67   2019 3.64
      2020 3.54   * #1 in the      
            State        
 

MHSHCA All State Selections

  2000   Ryan Anderson Dave Gumbel Greg McLennan  
  2001   Ryan Anderson      
  2002   Matt Cebula Mikel Faccini Will Ryan   
  2003   Scott Anderson Sean Mitera Will Ryan   
  2004   Scott Anderson Sean Mitera Teddy Theodoroff  
  2005   Tim MacLean Bryan Murphy Mike Van Tiem  
  2006   Grayson Heenan      
  2007   Pat Moran      
  2008   Mac Olson Alec Van Tiem    
  2009   Justin Evans Mac Olson Mike Yanis  
  2010   Patrick Reidy Ryan Walker Evan Moore  
  2011   David Mannino Timmy Moore Anthony Stempin  
  2012   John Lauro Craig Pefley Tommy Apap  
  2013   Tommy Apap Joey Brisson Pete McMahon  
      Craig Pefley Chris Morgan    
  2014   Tommy Apap Matt Meininger Jack Deines  
      Brian Hubbard      
  2015   Jack Deines Christian Karbler Drew Meininger  
      Steve Lauro Peter Hunt    
  2016   Sam Knoblauch Teddy Apap Lorenzo D'Agostini  
      Jake Robinson Andrew Nasr Nick Gadowski  
  2017   Maxim Denomme Ben Charboneau Chris Meininger  
      Lorenzo D'Agostini Brendan Gilhooley    
  2018   Ben Charboneau Chris Meininger    
  2019   Ben Charboneau Owen Przybylo Cole Luken Jake Gumbel
      Alex Chapie      
  2020   Alec Chapie Brendan Zemke Max Marquette  
             

MHSHCA Dream Team Selections

2009   Mac Olson    Mike Yanis