Marksmen make NCAA Division-I splash, add four players with DI experience
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Fayetteville Marksmen, proud members of the SPHL, are pleased to announce the addition of four top-level collegiate players to the lineup, bringing a wealth of Division-I talent to the room at a key time in the season. Defenseman Tyler Love and goaltender Brandon Perrone have been signed to standard player contracts, while forwards Zach Nazarett and Adam Pitters join the team on PTOs.
Love, 23, just wrapped up an impressive college career, that included time at both Robert Morris University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and saw the Moon Township, Pennsylvania native win a WIAC Championship (2021-22).
“Tyler is a very mobile 200-foot defenseman who I coached at the junior hockey level and collegiately at the NCAA DI level,” said Head Coach Ryan Cruthers. “He understands our culture and the expectations we have as an organization. We are excited to add him at a time in which change is needed and he strengthens our backend.”
The blueliner earned a spot on the 2022-23 WIAC All-Sportsmanship team and followed the honors up by having his best offensive season yet scoring six points and registering just 12 penalty minutes in 28 games. Overall, Love played in 123 collegiate games and notched 18 points (6+12) while maintaining a +6 rating.
Perrone, 25, is coming off a five-year collegiate career, and the winningest season in Long Island University Sharks history. The Hauppauge, New York, native posted three shutouts in his senior season, and in four years at LIU, he recorded a 16-18-1 record.
“Brandon is an athletic goaltender that plays the puck extremely well, which will really help our defense,” said Cruthers. “He had a very successful career at LIU and we expect that to translate here. He is the ultimate competitor, someone who loves winning, and that’s the type of people we want in our dressing room.”
Nazzarett, 23, played the last three seasons at LIU, and put up 21 points (5+16) in 59 games.
“Nazz is a very offensively gifted player that can play up the middle and on the powerplay,” said Cruthers. “He comes with a wealth of experience at the highest levels of junior hockey and at the NCAA DI level. His college coach, Brett Riley, and junior coach, Craig Doremus, were adamant that every team needs a player like him, and we know he will help our current scoring drought.”
Prior to joining the Sharks, the Cheektowaga, New York native played at the University of Alaska Anchorage for the 2019-20 season and scored seven goals and 11 points in 19 games before scoring at a near point-per-game pace for the NAHL’s New Jersey Titans in 2020-21.
Pitters, 25, spent one year with LIU and recorded 10 points (5+5) in 31 games with the Sharks last season after four years with Bowling Green State University. The Grosse Pointe, Michigan, native totaled 33 points (11+22) in 133 collegiate games.
“Adam adds another offensive weapon to our forward group,” said Cruthers. “With the number of forwards currently in the ECHL, Adam will help give us an offensive boost. He played collegiately at two very strong NCAA DI program and is a versatile forward that can impact us positively up and down the lineup.”
Prior to playing college hockey, Pitters won the 2019 Robertson Cup in his final Juniors season with the NAHL’s Aberdeen Wings.
In corresponding transactions, the Marksmen have placed defenseman Ryan Herpy and forward Adam Keyes on waivers.
The new additions will look to make an immediate impact on the ice for Fayetteville as the team takes the ice under the Carolina Reapers brand Friday and Saturday in Birmingham before coming back to the Crown Coliseum for Reapers Night Saturday, March 16 at 6PM.
Tickets to Reapers Night and all 2023-24 home games are available at marksmenhockey.com
