Merrimack men's hockey coach Scott Borek, men's basketball coach Joe Gallo, football coach Mike Gennetti, women's hockey coach Courtney Kennedy and women's basketball coach Missy Traversi are hitting the road this summer for three meet-and-greet events. The first event is Wednesday (June 24) at The Autograph Tavern in Andover.

"We are extremely excited to launch the Merrimack Roadshow," Merrimack athletic director Joe Foley said. "We believe this modern initiative will help strengthen relationships and generate excitement around Merrimack Athletics, which will directly benefit our student-athletes and programs."

The Merrimack Roadshow Schedule

June 24: The Autograph Tavern (Andover, MA), 6-8 p.m.
July 15: Legal Seafood (Boston, MA), Time TBD
TBD: Cape Cod Location

Registration is required prior to the event, and you can purchase tickets for $10 by clicking here.

Former Merrimack captain Michael Babcock was named the new head coach of the Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) on Friday. Babcock spent last season as an assistant coach with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

At 31 years old, Babcock becomes the youngest head coach in Brantford franchise history and just the sixth head coach the organization has employed.

After a stint playing professionally in Europe following his graduation from Merrimack, Babcock began his coaching career in 2021 at the University of Saskatchewan, where he also earned his MBA. In 2023, he served as a development coach for the Ottawa Senators and later spent two seasons as a skills coach with the St. Louis Blues before heading to San Diego last season.

“From the moment we began this search, our focus was finding the right leader to guide our players and our organization into the future,” said Brantford general manager Spencer Hyman. “Mike is a relentless competitor, an elite communicator, a gifted teacher, and most importantly, a tremendous human being. His passion for the game is infectious, his commitment to player development is unwavering, and his ability to connect with people is special. Mike embodies everything we believe a Bulldog should be. He will challenge our players, he will push our players, and most importantly he will care for our players. He will help them become the best versions of themselves both on and off the ice.”

Babcock will coach Merrimack commit Jack Good next season. Good played in the BCHL this past season but was traded to the Bulldogs earlier this week. His OHL rights had previously been held by the Erie Otters.

In the midst of the NCAA rejecting hockey’s counterproposal for implementation of the age-based eligibility model, it appears the NCAA may be moving closer to securing the congressional support it needs to enforce some of its rules.

On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) announced an agreement on a bipartisan bill that would codify several NCAA rules into federal law. Senators Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) also signed on as co-sponsors.

The legislation has been named the Protect College Sports Act. It follows months of negotiations between Cruz and Cantwell, who at one point appeared far apart on several key issues.

If the bill passes both houses of Congress, the NCAA would receive limited antitrust protection.

The legislation contains several major components, but here are some of the most significant potential impacts on college athletics:

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The Warriors completed their roster last week with the addition of transfer guard Jeremiah Anderson for the upcoming season.

Anderson will be a senior guard after transferring from Felician University (Division II). He was named the CACC Player of the Year this past season and also earned All-CACC First Team honors. Anderson averaged 20.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game last season.

Anderson helped lead the Golden Falcons to a 28-4 record. They lost to St. Anselm in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Analysis: At least on the surface, it appears the Warriors will have plenty of guards in the rotation. I wouldn’t be surprised to see stretches where they roll out four guards on the floor at once.

We’ll see.

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The NCAA ice hockey rules committee has officially released its recommendations for the 2026–27 season.

Several significant rule changes for the men’s game are included in the committee’s proposal. The package now heads to the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Oversight Committee for review, with a meeting scheduled for later this summer to review the proposals and vote on potential implementation.

Here is the breakdown of what is on the table:

Cut-Resistant Equipment Mandated for 2027–28

This mandate will blanket all levels of men’s and women’s ice hockey. Under the proposal, players will be required to wear cut-resistant material protecting their necks, wrists, and ankles starting in the 2027–28 season.

The rules committee plans to meet with equipment manufacturers this summer to iron out implementation details. Meanwhile, D-III programs could receive an exemption, delaying implementation until 2028–29 due to potential budget constraints.

“Some other levels of hockey have moved to mandate equipment intended to enhance student-athlete safety,” said Trevor Large, chair of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Rules Subcommittee and head coach at Canisius. “The committees at all levels believe this is an important step forward as our sport evolves.”

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Incoming Merrimack recruit Linards Feldbergs has the Sioux Falls Stampede just one win away from hoisting the USHL’s Clark Cup.

Feldbergs has been absolute money in the postseason for the Stampede. After posting a 2.51 GAA and .910 save percentage in 49 regular-season games—good for fifth-best in the league—the future Warrior has dialed it up to an elite 1.79/.941 split across 12 playoff starts.

On Saturday night, he put on a clinic, turning away 39 shots in a 3-0 shutout victory in Game 2 of the Clark Cup Finals. The Stampede now hold a commanding 2-0 series lead, with a chance to skate away with the hardware in Game 3 on Friday night at Muskegon.

Sioux Falls bench boss Ryan Cruthers hasn’t been shy about praising his netminder, telling local media all season that he believes Feldbergs isn’t just the best goalie in the USHL, but the best player in the league, period.

“That’s what he does,” Cruthers said on Saturday. “There were some point-blankers, too. We had a couple good chances out there, and then they come down and had some point-blank shots. And he makes them look easy.

“I think what’s been really impressive is the way he’s fought through traffic, especially on the penalty kill. He’s been our best PK guy. Even the Fargo series was tough. They had big bodies, too, and I think that’s what’s unique about Linny is his ability to get better from last series to this series. And the only way he really could was to fight through traffic on the PK, and he’s done it. It’s been impressive what he’s done all year.”

The Stampede can lock up the championship with a victory on Friday night. If Muskegon rallies to take Game 3, Game 4 is slated for Saturday night (May 23), with a winner-take-all Game 5 lingering next week (May 26) if necessary.

Elsewhere on the junior circuit, Mavrick Lachance and Gryphon Bucci are punching their tickets to the prestigious Memorial Cup after Chicoutimi dispatched Moncton in the QMJHL finals.

Lachance has been a monster on this playoff run for the Saguenéens, racking up 23 points (10g, 13a) in 20 postseason contests. It’s been a perfect marriage for the forward, who was acquired by Chicoutimi via a mid-season trade.

The Memorial Cup tournament drops the puck this Friday in Kelowna. Chicoutimi opens its round-robin schedule against the Everett Silvertips on Saturday (May 23), follows that up against the host Kelowna Rockets on Sunday (May 24), and wraps up against the Kitchener Rangers next Tuesday (May 26) before the knockout round begins on May 28.

Here is the latest Merrimack recruit report, with all stats for committed players:

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The Warriors added another 2008-born prospect to their pipeline on Wednesday night with the commitment of defenseman Sean Matthew Goyette.

Goyette is from Hawkesbury, Ontario, and split time between the Brampton Steelheads (OHL) and Burlington Cougars (OJHL) this season. Neutral Zone rates Goyette as a 3.75-star prospect and praised his ability to move the puck out of his own zone.

In 29 games with Brampton, Goyette recorded eight points (1g, 7a). He added 16 points (7g, 9a) in 27 games with the Cougars.

Originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection by Brampton, Goyette also has his USHL rights held by the Madison Capitols.

He was teammates this past season with David Green, a 2006-born Merrimack prospect who is also a defenseman.

The Warriors received another commitment out of the transfer portal on Tuesday, picking up A.J. Lesburt from Brown University.

Lesburt did not play in the 2025-26 season. Brown announced in a press release last November that he stepped away from the program to preserve his final season of eligibility. In 2024-25, he appeared in 22 games (starting 17) for the Bears, averaging 10.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

Lesburt is a 6-foot-5 guard from Derry, N.H.

Before Brown, Lesburt played for Bradford Christian Academy and the Mass Rivals AAU program. He holds the single-game scoring record at Cardigan Mountain School with 56 points.

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Mailbag submissions can be sent via email by clicking here.

Q. Hey Mike, great job covering the Warriors this year. Watching Merrimack win Hockey East this year, I couldn’t help but think about how long Merrimack will be able to keep [Scott] Borek? I think within the next five years, he’ll get poached by a bigger school with more resources. What are your general thoughts on that? Thanks.

A. I genuinely believe Scott Borek wants to be at Merrimack. The school last announced a contract extension for Borek in 2022. They are a private institution, so they aren’t required to disclose the details, but most extensions commonly run four to five years — which means his deal likely expires in either 2027 or 2028.

Coming off a Hockey East title, he’s due for a new extension. That should be a priority for the school this summer, especially if his deal ends in 2027. But even if it runs through 2028, I wouldn’t leave anything to chance when the program has something this good going. Not only did they win Hockey East, they were able to retain a significant chunk of that roster — no easy feat in today’s college athletics landscape.

The Warriors could be in jeopardy of losing Dan Jewell, which from a Merrimack standpoint would concern me. Jewell has been the architect of some of Merrimack’s best Division I teams, serving as the primary evaluator and recruiter over the last several years. Ryan Durocher is more involved in that role now, but he’s only one season into the job. Going back to 2022, I believe Jewell has handled the bulk of that work himself. He could be in line for a head coaching job or a higher-paying assistant position elsewhere.

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Former Merrimack defenseman Declan Carlile will play for the United States at the upcoming IIHF World Championships. The tournament is scheduled to begin this Friday and run through May 31.

Carlile was promoted to the NHL roster by the Tampa Bay Lightning early this season and appeared in 42 games, with an additional two playoff games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Carlile began the year with the Syracuse Crunch, where he had 11 points (2g, 9a) in 16 games before being called up.

Carlile becomes only the second former Merrimack player to suit up in the World Championships. Stéphane Da Costa represented France in both the IIHF World Championships and the Olympics.

Da Costa’s World Championship résumé is extensive: he played for France at the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, and 2024 tournaments, and memorably scored two goals in a 2014 upset of Canada in the tournament opener. That 2014 run was particularly special — Da Costa scored twice again in a win over Denmark, marking France’s first appearance in the World Championship quarterfinals since 1995.

Carlile played three seasons at Merrimack before signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an undrafted free agent in 2022. With Carlile’s inclusion, Merrimack College is one of 15 universities represented on the 2026 U.S. Men’s National Team roster.

The Warriors received their first 2009-born commitment over the weekend when forward Nathan Kydd committed to the program.

Kydd is from Nova Scotia and played U18 hockey in the province this past season, but he finished the year in the BCHL with the Sherwood Park Crusaders, appearing in two regular-season games and nine playoff games.

In 29 games for the Weeks Major Midgets U18 team this season (as a 16-year-old), he had 42 points, including 27 goals and 15 assists. He added another 11 points in 14 playoff games.

Kydd played U18 last season as a 15-year-old with the March and Mill Co. Hunters, where he had 27 points in 36 games.

Kydd was drafted last summer by the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL Entry Draft.

The NCAA announced last week that the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will expand to 76 teams, adding eight more teams to the field.

On the surface, that seems great, right? The more, the merrier.

But looking through the details, it seems like an awful idea for programs like Merrimack, the rest of the MAAC, and other low-to mid-majors.

What the NCAA is really doing here is expanding the play-in round. Right now, 68 teams make the NCAA Tournament, and eight teams play four games in the “First Four,” which has traditionally taken place in Dayton, Ohio.

That’s the round that’s expanding. Those mid-week games that take place before the Big Dance starts on Thursday. So they aren’t really expanding the tournament as much as they’re expanding the play-in round.

The “First Four” now becomes the “First 12.”

The NCAA didn’t do this so more mid-majors could make the NCAA Tournament. This decision — mostly brokered by the Power 4 schools — was made so that more Power 4 schools on the bubble will make the NCAA Tournament.

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The Warriors dipped into the transfer portal over the weekend to fill out their goalie room.

Max Beckford will join the returning Ryan Keyes and incoming freshman Linards Feldbergs as the Warriors’ three goaltenders next season.

Beckford, 23, just finished his sophomore season at Minnesota State, where he backed up Alex Tracy. As a freshman in 2024–25, Beckford backed up Connor Hasley at Bentley (who later transferred to Arizona State). Beckford posted a 1.84 GAA and .902 save percentage in his four appearances as a freshman.

Beckford’s junior numbers jump off the page. He posted a 1.83 GAA and .940 save percentage in 24 NAHL games with the Wisconsin Windigo in 2023–24. He appeared in 13 games for the Brooks Bandits in 2021–22 and recorded a 1.90 GAA and .911 save percentage. Beckford was teammates with former Warrior Zach Bookman on that Bandits team.

In 54 career NAHL games, Beckford posted a 2.26 GAA and .930 save percentage, and he recorded a 2.05 GAA and .937 save percentage in 13 career NAHL playoff games.

Beckford was a finalist for the 2024 NAHL Goalie of the Year.

—— Analysis ——

Beckford has flown under the radar, but his numbers in juniors and early in his college career are solid. He gives the Warriors what they were looking for at the position, given what was left in the transfer portal.

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Merrimack received a commitment from Aram Soqui Urbano out of the transfer portal on Thursday. Urbano just completed his freshman season at Fresno State.

The Warriors recruited Soqui Urbano last season out of high school. He played at Veritas Academy, which competes in the Nike EYBL Scholastic League — widely regarded as the top high school league in the country. He led the league in three-point field goals at Veritas two years ago, shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc.

Soqui Urbano also led the EYBL in three-point makes per game and finished second in three-point percentage.

That league features some of the top programs in the country, including IMG Academy, Oak Hill, and Montverde Academy (where Cooper Flagg played), among others.

He averaged more three-point makes than Ethan Mgbako (Vanderbilt) and Aidan Chronister (Missouri), and posted a higher three-point percentage than Isiah Harwell (Houston/Gonzaga).

Soqui Urbano played a limited role as a freshman at Fresno State, but shot 27.3 percent from three-point range. He operated as a combo guard at Veritas Academy and was selected as one of 64 players to participate in the 2022 NBA Basketball Without Borders event.

Budd Clark commits to Ole Miss

In other Merrimack basketball news, former guard Budd Clark entered the transfer portal for a second time after one season at Seton Hall. Clark has since committed to Ole Miss for his senior season.

K.C. Ugwuakazi remains uncommitted in the portal.

—— Analysis ——

Soqui Urbano is a significant addition for the Warriors.

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The Warriors have found their big man for next season. Eli Wilborn, who spent last season at James Madison, committed to the program out of the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-8 Wilborn appeared in 31 games for JMU last season and averaged 2.4 points and 2.9 rebounds. He led the team with an 8.0 percent block percentage. K.C. Ugwuakazi led the Warriors in block percentage last season (12.4 percent). Block percentage measures the percentage of two-point shot attempts a player blocks while on the floor.

Before JMU, Wilborn played at Duquesne and Saint Francis. He started 27 games at Saint Francis during his freshman season and earned NEC All-Rookie honors, averaging 10.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game with 47 total blocks.

—— Analysis ——

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The Warriors have been quiet in the men’s hockey transfer portal through the first week—and that comes as little surprise. Last week, it was announced that Merrimack will return 18 players from this past season’s Hockey East championship team.

As noted earlier this week, seven Warriors entered the transfer portal, but only one of those players — Filip Nordberg — was in the lineup during the stretch run.

Here’s how it breaks down: Green indicates a returning player, while red denotes a player departing via the transfer portal, graduation, or an NHL signing.

Which brings us to the next logical question: How many spots do the Warriors actually have to fill?

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Merrimack landed its first addition from the transfer portal on Thursday, as guard Denver Anglin committed to the Warriors from Iona.

Anglin, who will be a senior next season, averaged 9.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while recording 29 steals for the Gaels this past year. In 2024–25, he played at Rice University, where he made 11 starts across 32 appearances and averaged 8.5 points per game.

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Former Merrimack guard Ernest Shelton is headed to Boston College via the transfer portal, where he’ll suit up for new Eagles head coach Luke Murray.

The move comes on the heels of another Merrimack departure earlier this week, as Shelton’s former teammate Kevair Kennedy landed in the ACC at Wake Forest.

Shelton made an immediate impact in North Andover after transferring from Division II Gannon University, averaging 15.9 points per game this past season. A dynamic perimeter threat, he earned All-MAAC First Team honors and established himself as Merrimack’s most reliable three-point shooter.

Filip Nordberg is headed to Arizona State after entering the transfer portal, marking the first departure (in the portal) from Merrimack’s postseason lineup this spring.

Nordberg, a freshman defenseman, appeared in 38 games for the Warriors this past season and recorded seven assists while carving out a steady role on the blue line.

Eight Merrimack players entered the portal this week. Still, Nordberg stands alone as the only departure who dressed during the Warriors’ playoff run..

Merrimack announced the return of 18 players for the 2026–27 season last week, all of whom appeared in the postseason. With Nordberg now bound for Arizona State, the only postseason contributors not returning are Nordberg (transfer), Mark Hillier (graduation), and Max Lundgren (signed with Boston).

The list of portal entrants extends beyond Nordberg. Goaltender Nils Wallstrom is among those exploring options, along with defensemen Matthew Campbell and Trent Ballentyne. Up front, Riley Bassen — who left midseason for the WHL — has entered the portal, joined by Ben Yurchuk, Joey Henneberry, and Jack Richard.

Richard, I’m told, is expected to return to Niagara, where he began his NCAA career before transferring to Merrimack two years ago.

I’ll have more to come on where Merrimack’s roster stands in the wake of the portal’s opening — and what the next moves could look like for the Warriors.

Former Merrimack guard Kevair Kennedy has found his next home, committing to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons out of the transfer portal earlier this week.

Kennedy arrives in Winston-Salem after a historic freshman campaign, one that saw him unanimously named the MAAC Player of the Year. Logging nearly 37 minutes per night, he averaged 18.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.9 steals.

“The guards that Coach [Steve] Forbes has had,” Kennedy told 247Sports on why he committed to Wake. “The way how they develop their players. If you see their numbers, how a player is when they come to them and how they leave, it’s a big jump. And you could tell they’re tight-knit. A tight-knit staff leads to a tight-knit group. I like that about them.

“They want me to push the pace, get guys going, be the leader that they’re going to need. Touch the paint, shoot my shots, and be confident.”

Wake Forest is coming off an 18–17 season, including a 7–11 mark in the ACC. The Demon Deacons saw their postseason run cut short with a loss to Clemson in the ACC Tournament before falling to Illinois State in the second round of the NIT.

Brendan Johnson is the only other Warrior who has committed to a new team out of the portal, finding a home at Coppin State.

Other Warriors in the portal include Malik Edmead, Brandon Legris, Ernest Shelton, and K.C. Ugwuakazi.