Alvaro Montoya
- Paul Wong
- Incoming freshman Al Montoya is the frontrunner at the goalie position heading into the fall according to Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers.
COURTESY OF USA HOCKEY
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Glenview, Ill.
Highlights: Hopes to be the fourth-straight goalie to start for the maize-and-blue as a freshman. The 17-year-old played for the U.S. National Development Program Under-17 Team last season, compiling a 3.23 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
Michigan associate-head coach Mel Pearson: “(Montoya) is going to be given every chance to be the number-one guy. He is very athletic, he’s played in some high pressure situations this year and done very well.”
Brandon Kaleniecki
Position: Forward
Hometown: Livonia, Mich.
Highlights: Lead the North American Hockey League with 52 goals and 89 points while playing for the Cleveland Barons. His eight game-winning goals led the team. Those efforts garnered Kaleniecki the NAHL Most Valuable Player award for the 2002 season.
Michigan associate-head coach Mel Pearson: “Kaleniecki hopefully will bring us some goals. We expect him to come in here and compete for a job, mainly (because of) his goal scoring ability.”
Noah Ruden
Position: Goalie
Hometown: West Bloomfield, Mich.
Highlights: Played for the Tri-City (Neb.) Storm of the United States Hockey League last season and became the team’s all-time wins leader with 20. He holds the single-season shutout mark with four and had a goals-against average of 2.95 and a .903 save percentage.
Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers: “He’s gotten better and better each season. He’s a kid that’s going to surprise some people. He really wanted to be here, and he’s got a passion to be at Michigan.”
Chris Gartman
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Baldwin, N. Y.
Highlights: Left Cornell after one season to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers. Gartman posted a 3.02 goals-against average in 49 games and had a .900 save percentage.
Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers: “All three guys are going to get a shot. To be honest with you, we’ve made it clear to them that everyone’s coming in fresh. I don’t know if someone’s going to be way behind or someone’s going to be way ahead. Does Al Montoya have an advantage? Absolutely. A guarantee? Absolutely not.