Antonio Fernandez Commits to College of the Holy Cross
December 1, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
Stars defenseman Antonio Fernandez has announced his commitment to the College of the Holy Cross, an NCAA Division I program playing in the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA).
The San Jose, CA native is expected to join the Crusaders in 2022-23.
"It was kind of a little bit of everything [that made me want to go there]," Fernandez said. "First of all, it's outside of Boston, so it's a great location in Massachusetts. It's a great school academically and I thought that was really important when deciding where to go. Having Bill Riga as the coach there ... he knows how to establish an elite division I hockey program. That's really exciting."
Fernandez, 18, has registered five points (three goals, two assists) in 17 games during his first USHL season. Stars head coach Rocky Russo first coached Fernandez last season in the North American Hockey League with the Amarillo Bulls, but his work ethic continues to impress him.
"He's an unbelievable human, a great teammate and he has a really fun personality," Russo said. "His development from his first taste of junior hockey back in early November [of 2020] to where he's at now is excellent. I'm really proud of him and the steps he's taken to push himself to become an NCAA student-athlete."
Fernandez is usually one of the first players at the Ice Box in the morning and the last to leave the ice after practice. The extra hours spent refining his game during the week have earned him the moniker "rink rat."
"I look at it as having fun," Fernandez said. "I enjoy being out there and doing it. I enjoy doing the extra work and it's fun for me, so that helps."
"The kid loves to play hockey and he loves to surf and there's no ocean around here," Russo said. "When he's not playing hockey, he's working out or watching hockey. He's a pro when it comes to his approach on a day-to-day basis and you can see it with the way he's continued to improve."
The right-handed defenseman has had the luxury of suiting up with a Stars defensive core loaded with experience from the 2020-21 season. Fernandez isn't shy about asking his teammates questions on how to improve his own game.
"I've learned so much from Dalton [Norris], Jo [Lemay] and other older players on our team," Fernandez said. "We're all close like a family; that includes the staff, too. It's really easy to talk to everyone about everything."
Russo has also taken notice of how cohesion amongst the club has served Fernandez well in the early stages of his USHL career.
"It's put him in a low-pressure situation," Russo said. "He's been able to play well, succeed, get reps on our power play. His 5-on-5 play has improved game-by-game from the beginning of the year to now. He's become another guy in that group that's dangerous in all situations."
Looking ahead, the College of Holy Cross is searching for its first berth in the NCAA National Tournament since 2006. First-year head coach Bill Riga led Quinnipiac University to a pair of championship appearances as an associate head coach before joining the Crusaders over the summer.
"I'm really happy he's going to play for a guy like Bill Riga," Russo said. "Bill was a huge part of the success at Quinnipiac for a very long time. He's an experienced coach. He knows how to recruit and how to develop players. That's what was so intriguing of a situation for Antonio. Holy Cross checked a lot of boxes academically, athletically and socially for him, so I think it's a great fit."
Before he dons the royal purple in Worcester, Fernandez's focus is aimed at becoming more comfortable in Lincoln, a sentiment showcased by his last nine appearances (four points, plus-3 rating).
"I think it's just confidence," Fernandez explained. "I'm reading plays a little bit earlier before they happen, joining the rush and trying to be an offensive threat. But at the same time, I'm focusing on my defensive game and preventing goals against."
• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...
United States Hockey League Stories from December 1, 2021
- Antonio Fernandez Commits to College of the Holy Cross - Lincoln Stars
- Lumberjacks Announce Exclusive Partnership with Rair - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Hawks Announce Promotional Alteration - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Muskegon Accommodates Cedar Rapids for a Trio of Contests - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Phantoms Acquire Centrella and Clark from Omaha - Youngstown Phantoms
- Jake Braccini Commits to St. Thomas - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- First Place Steel Slow to a Crawl for Turtle Races this Friday - Chicago Steel
- Holiday Help for Cedar Valley Vets - Waterloo Black Hawks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
