Minot defenseman Mickel makes NCAA DI commitment

The Minot Minotauros of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) are proud to announce that defenseman and captain Cole Mickel has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey for Niagara University. 

The 5’11/191 lbs. native of Wheatridge, CO, becomes the Tauros 76th all-time NCAA DI commit and will become the second Tauro captain to play for Niagara following fellow defenseman Jared Brandt.

With 22 points already this season Mickel, 19, is on pace for 37 points, just one behind the Tauro record for defensemen set by Sam Skinner who posted 38 points in 2019-20.  With nine goals already on the year Mickel is just one off of the Tauros’ defenseman all-time mark of 10 which former captain Jon Lizotte did twice in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and was matched by James LaDouce in 2015-16.

Tauros Head Coach and General Manager Cody Campbell however knows that is not just Mickel’s on ice statistics that led to the defenseman reaching this goal. “Niagara is getting a dynamic defenseman who has the ability to make an impact immediately when he arrives on campus but more importantly, they are getting a person who will have a seamless transition into Niagara’s culture,” said Campbell. “We are thrilled for Cole. He has grown immensely as a player and a person this season and has become a someone our staff and his teammates know they can count on day in and day out.  We look forward to helping Cole continue to develop prior to heading to Niagara.”

Mickel, who plans to study sports management at Niagara, explained that hockey was only part of the equation when choosing a school. “The school offers the major that I want to go into and has multiple alumni in positions within the hockey world that I hope to be able to work for in the future,” said Mickel. “Being a Tauro has helped me develop not only as a player but even more as a person. That development allowed me to put myself in a position to go Division 1 and continue my athletic and academic career. I want to thank the entire Tauros family as well as my family for supporting me through this journey. I also want to thank all of my past coaches and teammates, past and present, for making me who I am today and pushing me to be the best I can be.”

Click here for an updated NAHL to NCAA commitment list