2001 IIHF World Junior Championship

Twelve players who started out in the U.S. development program at Ann Arbor, Michigan four years ago will wear the uniform of the United States. Most of the offensive punch is expected to come from Jeff Taffe of the University of Minnesota, Andy Hilbert of the University of Michigan and R.J. Umberger of Ohio State. A tall, rangy pivot, Taffe is an excellent playmaker. At 6-3, 195, center Brett Nowak is having an excellent season with Harvard University. Rick DiPietro, selected by the New York Islanders number 1 overall in 2000, has been playing with the IHL Chicago Wolves, could be the best goaltender in the tournament. Head coach Keith Allain, who also is a goaltending mentor for the St. Louis Blues, will count on smooth-skating Ron Hainsey of U-Mass Lowell, an excellent puckhandler, and Tim Gleason of the Windsor Spitfires to protect the blueline. The Americans are still looking for their first gold medal.

 

# Player S/C Ht. Wt. Birthdate 1999-00 Team Drafted
Goaltenders
29 DiPietro, Rick R 6'0 185 9/19/81 Chicago Wolves (IHL) N.Y. Islanders NYI
1 Kowalski, Craig L 5'8 185 01/15/81 Northern Michigan University (CCHA) CAR
Defense
5 Forrest, Justin L 5'9 175 04/15/81 Boston Col. (Hockey East) CAR
4 Gleason, Tim L 6'1 205 01/29/83 Windsor Spitfires (OHL)  
2 Hainsey, Ron L 6'2 200 03/24/81 U. Mass-Lowell (Hockey East) MON
7 Hale, David L 6'1 212 06/18/81 U. of North Dakota (WCHA) NJ
6 Komisarek, Mike R 6'4 220 01/19/82 U. of Michigan (CCHA)  
27 Martin, Paul L 6'1 170 03/05/81 U. of Minnesota (WCHA) NJ
28 Meyer, Fred L 5'10 185 01/04/81 Boston University (Hockey East)  
Forwards
10 Cavosie, Marc L 6'0 170 09/06/81 Rensselaer University (ECAC) MIN
24 DiSalvatore, Jon R 6'1 185 03/30/81 Providence College (Hockey East) SJ
9 Dunlop, Connor L 5'10 180 01/05/81 U. of Notre Dame (CCHA)  
18 Globke, Rob R 6'3 182 10/25/82 U. of Notre Dame (CCHA)  
19 Hilbert, Andy L 5'11 190 02/06/81 U. of Michigan (CCHA) BOS
26 Nowak, Brett L 6'3 195 05/20/81 Harvard University (ECAC) BOS
21 Riddle, Troy L 5'11 170 08/24/81 U. of Minnesota (WCHA) STL
11 Sabo, John R 5'8 173 09/04/81 Boston University (Hockey East)  
14 Steckel, David L 6'4 195 03/15/82 Ohio State University (CCHA)  
15 Surma, Damian L 5'9 200 01/22/81 Plymouth Whalers (OHL) CAR
23 Taffe, Jeff L 6'3 183 02/19/81 U. of Minnesota (WCHA) STL
20 Umberger, R.J. L 6'2 195 05/03/82 Ohio State University (CCHA)  
12 Vernarsky, Kris L 6'3 200 04/05/82 Plymouth Whalers (OHL) TOR

 

Staff/Personnel
Head Coach: Keith Allain (Centreville Mass.)
Assistant Coach: Jim Johnson (Phoenix, Ariz)
Assistant Coach: Tim Taylor (New Haven, Conn.)
Assistant Coach: Red Gendron (Berlin, N.H.)
Team Manager: Scott Monaghan (Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.)
Team Physician Dr. Jed Kuhn (Ann Arbor, Mich)
Athletic Trainer David Cotner (Perrysburg, Ohio)
Equipment Manager Jim Duncan (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Media Relations: Jerry Wiedeke (Evergreen, Colo.)