Canisius hockey head coach Trevor Large announced the addition of seven transfers to the roster.
Alex Ambrosio (Burnaby, British Columbia), Daniel DiGrande (Macomb, Mich.), John Hawthorne (Chemainus, British Columbia), Randy Hernandez (Miami, Fla.), Joey Matthews(Columbia, Ill.), Cory Thomas (St. Brieux, Saskatchewan) and Jake Witkowski (Melrose, Mass.) will all join the program for the 2021-22 season.
“We are excited to welcome these transfer students to Canisius College and our hockey program,” Large said. “All of these players bring college hockey experience to Buffalo and our expectations are high for them to have an immediate impact to our culture and on the ice. This group is made up of driven, hard-working and skilled hockey players who will provide depth in all areas. We bring in these players to a gifted, determined and focused hockey team. Our goal is to always improve and these players will help us accomplish our goals this season.”
Biographical information for all seven student-athletes can be found below.
Alex Ambrosio | Gr. | F | 5-10 | 175 | Burnaby, British Columbia/Coquitlam Express (BCHL)/Lake Superior State (CCHA)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played four seasons at Lake Superior State (2017-21)
• Appeared in 99 games for the Lakers, tallying five goals and seven assists
• Helped LSSU capture program’s first WCHA championship and make first NCAA Tournament appearance in more than 25 years as a senior
• Posted career highs of three goals and three assists during junior campaign
• Two-time WHCA All-Academic Team and WCHA Scholar Athlete (2018-19, 2019-20)
• Played parts of three seasons for the Coquitlam Express in the BCHL (2015-2017)
• Recorded 30 goals and 42 assists in 134 games played
• Finished with 18 total points (8 goals/10 assists) during his first season with the Express (2015-16)
• Ranked second on the team in scoring during his second season in Coquitlam with 29 points on 13 goals and 16 assists
• Began the 2017-18 season with the Express where he notched a league leading 25 points in just 33 games before joining the Lakers for the second half of the season
Daniel DiGrande | Sr. | F | 5-11 | 180 | Macomb, Mich./Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)/RPI (ECAC)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played three seasons at RPI (2018-21)
• Appeared in 29 games for the Engineers, compiling three goals and one assist
• Two-time ECAC Hockey All-Academic selection (2019-20)
• Played parts of three seasons in USHL
• Split time between the Waterloo Black Hawks and Green Bay Gamblers during the 2017-18 season
• Tallied 11 points on four goals and seven assists in 48 games
John Hawthorne | Jr. | G | 6-2 | 190 | Chemainus, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)/Northern Michigan (CCHA)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played two seasons at Northern Michigan (2019-21)
• Appeared in 21 games during his time with the Wildcats, compiling a 3.31 goals against average and a .880 save percentage to go along with a 5-6-3 record
• Named to All-WCHA Rookie Team in 2019-20
• Made his collegiate debut against Michigan State, making 15 saves in a 2-0 shutout of the Spartans (Oct. 12, 2019)
• Spent two seasons with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL (2017-19)
• Registered a .918 save percentage in 2018-19 in 46 games played with the Bulldogs
• Averaged 2.95 goals against in his second season in the BCHL
• Junior teammate with fellow Canisius teammates Keaton Mastrodonato and Ryan Miotto
Randy Hernandez | So. | F | 6-0 | 185 | Miami, Fla./Brooks Bandits (AJHL)/Robert Morris (AHA)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played 2020-21 season with Robert Morris
• Named AHA Western Pod Rookie of the Year
• All-AHA Western Pod Second Team and AHA Western Pod All-Rookie Team selection
• Appeared in 24 games with the Colonials, recording 11 goals and 14 assists
• Played two seasons with the Brooks Bandits (2018-19, 2019-20), recording 52 goals and 68 assists in 86 games played.
• Led Brooks in scoring during the 2019-20 campaign, recording 95 points (42g, 53a) in 57 games played
• Helped guide Bandits to Enerflex Cup, Doyle Cup and National Junior A Championship during 2018-19 campaign
• Teammates at Brooks with current Canisius forward Simon Gravel
• Played 61 games over two seasons with Sioux City Musketeers and Lincoln Stars of the USHL (2017-19), registering 12 points in those games (3g, 9a)
• Spent parts of two seasons (2016-17, 2017-18) with the US NTDP U-17 squad, appearing in 59 games and recording 12 points on six goals and six assists
Joey Matthews | Gr. | D | 5-10 | 190 | Columbia, Ill./Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)/Darmouth (ECAC)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played four seasons at Dartmouth (2017-21)
• Appeared in 82 games, recording one goal and 18 assists from his blueline position
• Scored his first career goal and had his second career multi-point game (1-2-2) in a 5-2 win over Army (Dec. 29, 2018)
• Spent two seasons in the USHL, splitting time between Tri-City and Sioux City (2015-17)
• Part of Musketeers (Sioux City) squad that captured the Anderson Cup, awarded to the regular-season champion of the USHL
• Served as an alternate captain with the Storm prior to being traded to Sioux City prior to the playoffs
• Played for the St. Louis Jr. Blues AAA program in the T1EHL for three years — captaining his U16 team — and competed in two USA Hockey National
• Chosen to represent the Central District at the 2014 USA Select 17 Festival
Cory Thomas | Gr. | D | 6-5 | 215 | St. Brieux, Saskatchewan/Flin Flon Bombers (SJHL)/Vermont (HEA)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played four seasons at Vermont (2017-21)
• Appeared in 100 games with the Catamounts, recording two goals, four assists and 65 blocked shots from his blueline position
• Named to 2019-20 Hockey East All-Academic Team
• Netted the first goal of his career 12 seconds into overtime in Game 2 of the Hockey East First Round series at UMass (March 2, 2018)
• Finished with 15 points in 86 career games as a member of the Flin Flon Bombers in Saskatchewan (2015-17)
• Skated in 30 playoff games with Flin Flon and led the Bombers to two straight SJHL Finals appearances
• Selected to compete for Canada West at the 2016 Junior A Challenge
Jake Witkowski | Gr. | F | 5-10 | 180 | Melrose, Mass./Alberni Valley Bullodgs (BCHL)/Boston University (HEA)
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played four seasons at Boston University (2017-21), recording six assists in 39 career games played
• Spent 2016-17 season with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL, finishing second on the team in scoring with 40 points (23g, 17a) in 58 games
• Named BCHL Player of the Week on Jan. 30
• Played one season at Avon Old Farms (2015-16), putting up 40 points on 13 goals and 27 assists
• Played four years at Malden Catholic, capped by a senior year in which he scored 23 points on 10 goals and 13 assists
• Won three straight Super 8 titles (2012, 2013, 2014) with Malden Catholic
(Canisius Hockey Photo)
