Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Irish Add Four For Class of 2024

NOTRE DAME, Ind. University of Notre Dame hockey head coach Jeff Jackson has announced the incoming class of four freshmen for the 2020-21 season, including forwards Ryder Rolston, Grant Silianoff and Landon Slaggert as well as defenseman Zach Plucinski.

“This year’s freshman class may be small in number but it is talented and diverse in ability,” Jackson stated. “I fully expect each player will contribute to our team this year; they each bring different strengths that will combine to make us a better team.” 

Ryder Rolston | Forward | Birmingham, Michigan | Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL) 

  • Rolston joins the Irish after playing the 2019-20 season with Waterloo (USHL), where he played in 42 games and scored 16 goals and added 17 assists for 33 points.
  • His 16 goals ranked fourth on the team, while his 33 points ranked fifth. 
  • Three of his 16 goals proved to be game winners.
  • Ranked No. 102 among North American Skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting Rankings (April 8, 2020).
  • Named to the 2019 U.S. Junior Select Team for the World Junior A Challenge where he helped Team USA earn bronze.
  • Named to the 2020 BioSteel All-American Game (Dec. 27, 2019) 
  • Prior to joining Waterloo, Rolston skated with the USNTDP for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
  • In 2017-18, he played 52 games for the U17 program, scoring 26 goals and notching 11 assists for 37 points.
  • Then in 2018-19, he played the majority of the season with the U18 team, skating in 54 games and totaling 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points. 
  • Played with the Little Caesars program before joining the USNTDP.
  • Rolston is the son of former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion Brian Rolston.
  • Brian helped Lake Superior State win the 1992 NCAA National Championship under current Irish head coach Jeff Jackson.

Grant Silianoff | Forward | Edina, Minnesota | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) 

  • Silianoff joins the Irish after playing the past two seasons with Cedar Rapids (USHL).
  • In 100 career USHL games, he totaled 75 points on 33 goals and 42 assists.
  • Last season he played in 43 games and scored 14 goals and added 18 assists for 32 points. 
  • His 18 assists led the team, while his 14 goals and 32 points each ranked second.
  • Finished the shortened season with one game-winning goal and two power-play tallies.
  • In 2018-19, his first full season with Cedar Rapids, he played in 55 games and scored 18 goals to go along with 23 assists for 41 points.
  • Skated in six playoff games in 2019, netting two goals and adding an assist. 
  • Earned USHL All-Rookie Second Team honors following the 2018-19 season. 
  • Named to the 2018 U.S. Junior Select Team for the World Junior A Challenge and won gold with Team USA (Dec. 16, 2018).
  • Named to the 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and notched an assist (Jan. 8, 2019).
  • Ranked 60th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings (April 15, 2019).
  • Skated with Shattuck St. Mary’s before joining Cedar Rapids (2014-18).
  • In his final season with Shattuck in 2017-18 (USHS-Prep), he scored 35 goals and added 32 assists for 67 points in 55 games en route to being named to the High School All-USA Hockey Second Team. 

Landon Slaggert | Forward | South Bend, Indiana | USNTDP

  • Slaggert played for the USNTDP for the past two seasons. 
  • For the 2019-20 season playing with the U18’s, he skated in all 47 games and scored 13 goals and added 11 assists for 24 points.
  • In 19 USHL games, he totaled 10 points on six goals and four assists.
  • Also played in the 2020 Biosteel All-American Game where he recorded an assist. 
  • Helped Team USA win the Five Nations Tournament in Sundsvall, Sweden (November 2019).
  • In 2018-19, he skated in 48 games with the U17 team, scoring 10 goals and adding 14 assists for 24 points.
  • Also in 2018-19, he skated for Team USA in the U17 Four Nations Tournament (second) and the World U17 Hockey Challenge. 
  • Before joining the NTDP, Slaggert helped guide the Chicago Mission to the High Performance Major Bantam crown in 2017. 
  • The South Bend, Indiana, native is the brother of current Notre Dame rising junior forward Graham Slaggert and son of Irish associate head coach Andy Slaggert.

Zach Plucinski | Defenseman | Eagle River, Alaska | Omaha Lancers (USHL)

  • Plucinski skated with the Omaha Lancers during the 2019-20 season after splitting time between Omaha and the Sioux City Musketeers in 2018-19. 
  • With Omaha in 2019-20, he notched 26 points on eight goals and 18 assists in 48 games.
  • His eight goals ranked tied for third among all USHL defensemen, while his 26 points ranked tied for 10th. 
  • He had two game-winning goals on the season and a power-play tally.  
  • In 52 games with Sioux Falls and Omaha in 2018-19, he had a goal and five assists in his rookie season in the USHL. 
  • Before heading to the USHL, Plucinski skated for the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League. 
  • In 2018, Plucinski helped Notre Dame win the Telus Cup and be crowned Canada’s midget hockey National Champion.
  • Won an Alaska state championship for the Chugiak Mustangs in 2017.

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