Two area Division 1 college programs secured commitments from several players this week. Holy Cross continued its momentum on the recruiting trail with the commitment of Northfield Mount Hermon and Junior Bruins forward Joe Solimine. Solimine, from Middleton, Mass., has shown significant progress over the past 12 months. Always a smart, hard-nosed forward with skill,...
Two area Division 1 college programs secured commitments from several players this week.
Holy Cross continued its momentum on the recruiting trail with the commitment of Northfield Mount Hermon and Junior Bruins forward Joe Solimine.
Solimine, from Middleton, Mass., has shown significant progress over the past 12 months. Always a smart, hard-nosed forward with skill, he has elevated his game as he has become a more dynamic skater.
Solimine’s stock started to soar this past month with stellar performances at the Next Gen Uncommitted Showcase and the Battle of Boston Spring Tier 1. After the Next Gen Uncommitted Showcase, I had Solimine as the second rated player at the event.
NMH didn’t play during the 2020-21 season, but he appeared in 14 games for the Junior Bruins in the NCDC. He posted three goals and two assists while playing for the Little Bruins 18-U, the organization’s split-season entry. In 2019-20, Solimine scored 21 goals and 21 assists in 28 games for NMH.
Solimine is expected to play the 2021-22 season with Mike Anderson’s Junior Bruins before matriculating to Holy Cross for either the 2022-23 or 2023-24 season.
In other Holy Cross commitment news, Phillips Exeter defenseman Sylas Oberting will be a recruited walk-on for the Crusaders. The former Big Red captain is a terrific student and will play junior hockey before heading to HC. Oberting is a '02 who played 13 games for the NCDC’s New Hampshire Junior Monarchs this winter.
Newly appointed head coach Bill Riga has committed four players over the past month. In addition to Solimine and Oberting, Holy Cross has added Coleman Jenkins (Mansfield, Mass.) and Dom Murphy (Westboro, Mass.).
Big defenseman for Huskies
Former Proctor Academy defenseman Joe Fleming has committed to Northeastern for the 2023-24 season. It is the first commitment for the Huskies since news broke that Jerry Keefe would be promoted from associate head coach to the head coach. The '03 from Wellesley, Mass., also has spent time playing split season for the Junior Eagles.
Fleming isn’t much of an offensive threat, but he’ll provide depth to the Northeastern blue line. He can bring a physical element and is a good character player in the locker room. Fleming will play for the Merritt Centennials in the BCHL for the 2021-22 season.
