Bonnyville Pontiacs forward Mike Cataldo has announced his commitment to Brown University.
Cataldo is just one of three American-born players currently on the Pontiacs and is the first to commit to a Division I school. He follows former Pontiacs Luke Albert and Nick Traggio who are playing for the Brown Bears this season. Mike Cataldo is now the Pontiacs’ 9th Division I commitment on the roster and the 5th to commit this season.
When asked about what made Brown University the right choice for him, Cataldo noted that “Brown was a great fit for me as it is a great academic school and has an exceptional hockey program that plays in one of the top conferences of the NCAA. It was everything I was looking for as a student-athlete who wants to play at the highest level.”
The 03 Norfolk, MA native has produced 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 51 games this season. In response to his forward’s recent achievement, Pontiacs head coach Mario Pouliot stated “It’s great news for Mike and his family. He’s going to have the fortune of playing with his brother for two years and is a great example for players who don’t put up large numbers but use their strength and hard work to play well on both sides of the puck. It’s a great reward for a guy who works hard every day and continues to be dependable all season while completing any job we have asked of him. We couldn’t be more excited for Mike to continue his career with such a great school. For me, it was the best news of the day.”
Mike noted that the most exciting thing about his commitment to Brown University is the prospect of playing with his brother Matt again. Cataldo went on to say, “It is extremely special to have this opportunity to play with my brother and I am beyond grateful.” Looking back at his time with the Pontiacs leading up to his commitment, Cataldo noted, “The Pontiacs organization has allowed me develop tremendously as a hockey player. From the coaching staff, management, and my teammates; they have all pushed me to become better. It has been a great experience being a part of such a competitive and successful team.”
The Brown University Bears are an Ivy League Division I team located in Providence, RI and plays in the ECAC Conference.
The Pontiacs next game is Saturday, Feb. 11th at 7:00pm against the Olds Grizzlys at the RJ Lalonde Arena in Bonnyville, AB. This will be Cataldo’s first game as a committed College hockey player as he continues to prove the value of hard work and dependability to the Pontiacs and now Brown University.