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Shanley commits to Fitchburg State University

By Anthony Di Paolo, 12/20/18, 10:00PM EST

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Shanley becomes the second 87's player to commit to a Division III school

The New Jersey 87's are proud to announce that forward Trent Shanley has committed to play Division III hockey at Fitchburg State University.

Shanley is a 20-year-old forward from Hillsdale, N.J. and has 18 points (12g, 6a) in 24 games with the 87's EHL team. His commitment is the second one in the 87's short history as a franchise.

"It was a school he had targeted at the beginning of the year, and we told him it would take a lot of work and development to get there, but if trusted our process and put in the work, he would get noticed," said 87's head coach Adam Houli. "It took a couple of weeks, but he's been playing really well and did a great job in our most recent showcase, and it ultimately solidified his commitment to Trent for 2019-2020."

Fitchburg State University is a Division III school located in Massachusetts. Playing in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Falcons are led by head coach Dean Fuller.

"Fitchburg State is a great school and I couldn’t be more excited to join their organization next fall. I want to thank Coach Fuller and Coach Patty for giving me this opportunity," Shanley said of his accomplishment. "I would also like to thank the 87’s organization, Coach Houli, Coach Kiernan, and Coach Friedman for believing in me, and helping develop me as a player and a person. Lastly I want to say thank you to my teammates for pushing me to be my very best."

Shanley has proven to be a key part of the 87's offense in the EHL team's inaugural season. In addition to having 12 goals, four of them have been game-winners, which is a team best. He spoke about his development with the organization and how it led him to his commitment.

"The coaching staff truly cares about making you a better man on and off the ice. The extra ice after practice is extremely beneficial because I can work on all aspects and fine tune my game," he said. "In the gym, our trainers do a phenomenal job at keeping us in shape and getting us faster and stronger so we can perform better on the ice. Weekly video sessions are very important in player development and the coaching staff here does it the right way, the 87’s way!"

The 87's organization would like to congratulate Trent and his family as he prepares to advance his hockey career to the Division III collegiate level.