A former Glen Rock student announced his commitment to play D1 hockey at Quinnipiac University on Instagram Thursday, Sept 19.

Moving to the Northeast won’t be too much of an adjustment for the junior David Hymovitch, who spent his freshman year 3,000 miles from home playing his club hockey in Hackensack. 

Hymovitch, who now lives with his family in Arizona, said, “Small schools on the East coast is something I really liked.” 

Hymovitch attended Glen Rock High School as a freshman, while billeting– When a player or players live with a host family to be closer to their team –in New Jersey and playing for the local youth hockey organization, the North Jersey Avalanche. Hymovitch lives now in Phoenix where he takes online classes and focuses on hockey.

During his 2017 season with Glen Rock, Hymovitch had 10 goals and tallied 9 assists for a total of 19 points in 24 games. Hymovitch played his best game, with a +4 rating — he was on the ice for four Glen Rock goals and no goals against– in a state playoff matchup against rival Ramsey. He scored the game winning goal.  

After leaving Glen Rock and returning to Arizona, Hymovitch decided to stop attending school. Online school has its drawbacks, however.  “Doing online is hard because you have to motivate yourself to do the work when all you want to do is other stuff,” he said.

After announcing his commitment, Hymovitch now plans to attend Quinnipiac University, a school that in their 26 years as a D1 program, Have had only one head coach Rand Pecknold. Pecknold, who has been behind the bench for every Quinnipiac game over the last quarter century, holds a career record of 501-307-91 entering this season. Quinnipiac has qualified for the Frozen Four twice in the last seven years and has made the NCAA tournament five of those seven years. 

Since leaving Glen Rock, Hymovitch continues to find success. This summer, Hymovitch participated in the U-17 Five Nations tournament in Fussen, Germany representing the United States from Aug. 13 to 17. In four games, Hymovitch tallied 4 assists, he also scored multiple goals in their pre-tournament exhibition win.

“Playing for USA was an unbelievable experience that I’ll never forget,” Hymovitch said. He added that the experience was “Humbling” and something he would carry with him “forever.” 

Last year he totaled 22 points in 24 games with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes. Last spring at the USA Tier 1 16U National Championships Hymovitch’s Coyotes ran into his former team the Avalanche. The Coyotes defeated the Avalanche 5-3 ending the North Jersey season.

Hymovitch is very proud of where he comes from, but he knows being from Arizona he couldn’t do it alone. Playing hockey in the desert requires a large financial and time commitment from his family.  “The only thing different is that we have to fly a lot more to play games rather than drive”.

Before heading to Germany, Hymovitch competed in the USA Hockey 16U national development camp at The Northwood Center in Amherst, NY. Hymovitch was playing for the white team and ended up tied with the fourth most points at the camp, leading the white team with 8 points. He also became the talk of the town scoring a highlight reel goal in a shootout against the forest green team.

Hymovitch was selected 69th overall by the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and then 96th overall by Sioux City Musketeers, of the USHL. Although Hymovitch is unlikely to play for the Hitmen( because he would lose NCAA eligibility), he was excited to be the first American born player picked in that draft. 

The United States Hockey League  is a non professional junior hockey league based out of the midwest.  USHL teams are used to develop players before they advance onto D1 hockey.