NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Fighting Irish head coach Jeff Jackson has announced the hockey team’s captains for the upcoming 2020-21 season, with junior defenseman Nate Clurman set to wear the ‘“C” and seniors Pierce Crawford, Matt Hellickson and Colin Theisen serving as alternate captains.
“I am proud to announce Colin Theisen, Pierce Crawford and Matt Hellickson as alternate captains and Nate Clurman as the captain for the 2020-21 Irish hockey team,” Jackson stated. “During these unusual times, our captains and leadership group will be challenged in many different ways. I am confident that our team has selected the right individuals to lead us through any adversity we may encounter. These young men are ready for the challenge and will hold our team accountable to our standards and our culture.”
Each of the four players will be wearing a letter for the first times in their Irish careers. Clurman, a 2016 Colorado Avalanche draft pick, will be the second junior defenseman in the last three seasons to captain the Irish following current Columbus blue liner Andrew Peeke, who was the captain for the 2018-19 season.
Nate Clurman | Junior | D | Boulder, Colorado
- A 2019-20 Academic All-Big Ten selection, Clurman has played in 76 career games while registering 12 assists.
- He recorded nine assists and +8 rating in 37 games last season and his +8 rating ranked second on the team.
- In last season’s 5-4 overtime road victory against #15 Wisconsin (Nov. 16) he posted a career-high two assists.
- Clurman recorded three assists and a +3 rating in 39 games played as a freshman.
- He notched his first career point with the primary assist on Alex Steeves’ opening goal in Notre Dame’s 5-1 win over RPI (Nov. 30, 2018).
- Clurman was selected in the sixth round, 161st overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Pierce Crawford | Senior | F | Park Ridge, Illinois
- Crawford has played in 79 career games, including career-high 37 last season as a junior, while scoring three goals and adding five assists for eight career points.
- A 2018-19 and 2019-20 Academic All-Big Ten selection, he scored the game winner with 1:01 left in overtime to secure last season’s 3-2 victory against #8/9 Ohio State (Nov. 8).
- Crawford was named Notre Dame’s Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award winner following his junior campaign.
- As a sophomore, he scored the game-winning goal early in the first period of Notre Dame’s 2-0 win over Michigan State in game two of the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals (March 9) to help the Irish complete the series sweep.
Matt Hellickson | Senior | D | Rogers, Minnesota
- An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection as a junior, Hellickson has skated in 117 games with the Irish while totaling 12 goals and adding 32 assists for 44 points.
- His 117 games played represent a consecutive games played streak, as he has not missed a game in his Irish career.
- A 2018-19 and 2019-20 Academic All-Big Ten selection, he scored five goals as a junior and added 11 assists in 37 games.
- His five goals were tied with Nick Leivermann for the team lead among defensemen and he led the Irish with three game-winning goals.
- Hellickson also blocked 81 shots last season to lead the Irish and rank fourth in the NCAA.
- As a freshman, he recorded points in both B1G playoff games, an assist against Penn State (March 10) and a goal versus Ohio State (March 18) as Notre Dame captured the 2018 Big Ten Championship.
- He was selected in the seventh round, 214th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Colin Theisen | Senior | F | Monroe, Michigan
- Theisen has also skated in 117 consecutive games in his three seasons with the Irish while not missing a game, scoring 25 goals and adding 34 assists for 59 points.
- As a junior last season, he scored eight goals and recorded 12 assists in 37 games.
- A 2018-19 and 2019-20 Academic All-Big Ten selection, he was also named an ACHA All-American Scholar following the 2017-18 season.
- As a sophomore, he tied for second on the team with a career-high 11 goals and he has notched at least 19 points in each of his three seasons with the Irish.
- As a freshman, he scored a goal in his first career game, Notre Dame’s 5-3 season-opening win over Alabama Huntsville.
- Also during his freshman season, he assisted on Joe Wegwerth’s goal in a 4-3 victory over Michigan Tech in the NCAA Regional Semifinal.
Notre Dame Captains Under Jeff Jackson
T.J. Jindra (2005-06, 2006-07)
Mark Van Guilder (2007-08)
Erik Condra (2008-09)
Ryan Thang (2009-10)
Joe Lavin (2010-11)
Sean Lorenz (2011-12)
Billy Maday (2011-12)
Anders Lee (2012-13)
Jeff Costello (2013-14)
Robbie Russo (2014-15)
Steven Fogarty (2014-15, 2015-16)
Cal Petersen (2016-17)
Jake Evans (2017-18)
Andrew Peeke (2018-19)
Cal Burke (2019-20)
Nate Clurman (2020-21)
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