Roche Returns to Roanoke
September 4, 2024 - SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release
ROANOKE, VA. - The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Wednesday that defenseman Billy Roche has signed a contract for the upcoming 2024-2025 season.
Roche will return to Roanoke for his second full professional season after a solid rookie campaign for the Dawgs last year. Roche notched seven goals, 10 assists, a plus-nine rating, and just 14 penalty minutes in 53 regular season games, then added one goal and one assist in six games during the 2024 President's Cup Playoffs. Roche also played three games for the Dawgs during the 2022-2023 regular season, and even scored the game-winning goal in his pro debut against the Fayetteville Marksmen. The six-foot-two defenseman played his first four years collegiately at Suffolk University, where he had eight goals, 22 assists, and 48 penalty minutes in 65 total games. He served as team captain in the 2021-2022 season and served as alternate captain during the prior season. After transferring to Curry College for his final year of college hockey, Roche recorded six goals, four assists, six penalty minutes, and a plus-seven rating in 29 games for the Colonels two years ago. The Braintree, Massachusetts native also played two seasons of junior hockey, primarily in the EHL and NCDC.
"Last season, Bill really made his prescence known on the Dawgs blue line," said Roanoke head coach Dan Bremner when asked about Roche. "He consistently brings high energy and compete to everything he does. Bill was always looking to join the rush while still showing the skating ability to be one of the first back in our D zone. We believe that Billy, with his experience from last season, will be one of the leagues top blue liners this season."
Training camp is set to start October 8, 2024 at Berglund Center Coliseum. Times of sessions open to the public will be released at a later date. The Rail Yard Dawgs open the 2024-2025 season at home on Friday, October 18 against the Fayetteville Marksmen. Opening Night is sponsored by Haley Toyota with K92.3. Single game tickets for the season go on sale online and at the box office on Wednesday, September 18 at 10:00 A.M.
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