Magicians defenseman Simonson makes NCAA DI commitment
July 1, 2015
The Minnesota Magicians of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) are excited to announce that defenseman Curtis Simonson has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at the University of Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are members of the Big 10 hockey conference.
A Grand Rapids, Minnesota native, Simonson was a veteran leader for the Magicians during his final season of junior hockey eligibility. He provided a hard-nosed, stabilizing presence on the Magicians blue line throughout the year, playing in 54 games through the regular season and playoffs. In 79 career NAHL games, Simonson registered eight points.
In addition to his accomplishments on the ice, Simonson was also very active in the local community and was a frequent visitor at the local elementary schools as part of the Magicians’ Lively Lifestyles program.
Speaking about his commitment, Simonson said, “It has always been a dream of mine to play NCAA Division I hockey, let alone for the Gophers. During my junior hockey experience with the Coulee Region Chill and the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL, I feel I have developed as a person and as a player. I can’t thank my parents, coaches and teammates enough for pushing me to get better each day. The overall experience, my teammates, and coaches will be something I cherish for a long time.”
Magicians Head Coach Tom Upton said, “The entire Magicians organization is extremely proud and excited for Curtis to commit to the Gophers. Anytime a player from your team can commit to a top Division I program in the country especially the University of Minnesota is a great day. Curtis was an important part of us building our culture and setting our expectation this past season and his impact on our program is enormous. He earned himself this great opportunity to live his dream and achieve his goal of a Division I commitment not just from his attributes on the ice as a player but more importantly by what he brings to a team and a locker room as a person. HIs character and leadership can impact a program’s culture and get the best out of his teammates every single day. We could not be happier for him.”
Simonson was acquired by the Magicians prior to the 2014-2015 season in a trade with the Coulee Region Chill. As a member of the Chill in 2013-2014 he played in 28 games. Prior to his junior hockey career, he played 3 years of varsity hockey at Grand Rapids High School of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).
