FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Fayetteville Marksmen, proud members of the SPHL, announced its protected list for the 2025-26 season on Tuesday morning. The players on the list, which consist of eight forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender, will have their rights held by the Marksmen if they play in the SPHL next season.
The 2025 Protected List:
Forwards: Cayden Cahill, Trent Grimshaw, Alex Gritz, Kyler Head, Dalton Hunter,
Austen Long, John Moncovich, Ryan Nolan
Defensemen: Matt Araujo, Ryan Lieth, Nick Parody, Alex Wilkins
Goaltenders: Ryan Kenny
The thirteen-man list includes a mix of proven veterans and promising young talent to make the foundation of a championship-caliber team.
From the crease out, Ryan Kenny holds nearly all Marksmen goaltending records going back to the 2017-18 season (of goaltenders to play in 10 or more games with the team) including wins (41), goals-against average (2.59), minutes (4409) and save percentage (.922, tied) among other marks.
The Sparta, N.J., native has appeared in 74 games for Fayetteville over the last two seasons and earned a spot on the 2023-24 SPHL All-Rookie Team.
On the blueline, the Marksmen have protected a pair of SPHL All-Rookie selections in Matt Araujo (2023-24) and Alex Wilkins (2024-25), along with centurions Nick Parody and Ryan Lieth.
Araujo, an alternate captain for Fayetteville during the 2023-24 season, spent all of the 2024-25 year in the ECHL, splitting time between the Rapid City Rush and Utah Grizzlies.
Wilkins’ strong rookie campaign this past season saw him contribute 21 points in 55 games and finished with one of few positive plus/minus ratings on the team.
Lieth and Parody will both be expected to enter their third full pro seasons and have each played over 100 SPHL games, all as Marksmen. Parody’s plus-14 rating ranked eighth among league defensemen and was the team’s highest by 10 points.
Forwards Dalton Hunter, John Moncovich and Ryan Nolan combined for 36 percent of the team’s scoring last season, and Moncovich and Nolan each finished at a point-per-game pace.
Alex Gritz and Austen Long played important roles for the forward core, with Gritz having put up a 0.76 point-per-game average through 33 games while Long energized the team with physicality. Though the sample sizes are smaller with the rest of the protected list, Fayetteville’s offense currently looks to be on track for continued success.
Trent Grimshaw scored 12 goals in just 22 games with the team, and Cayden Cahill finished with seven points in 11 games as a Marksmen. Kyler Head contributed 10 points in 11 games after joining the team from Mercyhurst University and factored-in on the scoresheet in the postseason.
Don’t miss a moment of Marksmen Hockey when October rolls around by becoming a season ticket holder for the 2025-26 season! Season tickets are now available, and more information can be found through the ‘tickets’ tab at marksmenhockey.com.
Stay tuned to official Fayetteville Marksmen social media channels and get breaking news, schedule and player announcements and more information leading up to the next season of Marksmen Hockey.