The New Jersey 87's are proud to announce that Ian Graiff has committed to play Division III hockey at Western New England University for the 2020-2021 season.

Graiff is a 19-year-old goaltender from Newfield, NJ. He started the 2019-2020 campaign with the New Hampshire Avalanche but was later acquired by the 87's. Since coming back to the Garden State, Graiff has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the league, posting a 9-1-0 record with a 1.19 goals against average, a .948 save percentage and four shutouts.

87's head coach Adam Houli spoke about Graiff's stellar play and what it means for him to be the team's third NCAA commitment of the season.

"Ian was a goaltender we identified as someone that could solidify our presence in net. He's been terrific from the get-go, and it's always nice to have a goaltender that can steal us some wins, which is what Ian has done," Houli said. "He's put in the work since arriving in New Jersey and now he's been rewarded with an NCAA commitment. We couldn't be more proud of Ian for this accomplishment."

Western New England University is a Division III program located in Springfield, Mass. and competes in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Golden Bears are led by head coach Greg Heffernan. 

Graiff, who started his tenure with the 87's on a shutout streak that lasted 188:13 across four games, spoke about joining the team mid-season and how it helped him land an NCAA commitment.

"Joining the 87s was a blessing from God. Once I met my new teammates I knew these guys were my new brothers. They brought me in right away and treated me like I was there since the beginning," Graiff said. "Coach (Adam) Houli and Coach Matty (Kiernan) are two of the best coaches I’ve ever played for and I can’t thank them enough for bringing me in. Between my teammates and coaches, I feel we have a good chance at winning the championship."

The New Jersey 87's organization would like to congratulate Ian and his family as he prepares to advance his hockey career to the collegiate level.