Trevor Griebel found himself in rare company this season, having played a full season of junior hockey with the USHL’s Fargo Force.

Along the way, the 2001-born Glendale native started talking to the staff at Merrimack College about becoming an NCAA Division I athlete in 2022.

Last week, the talks resulted in the Jr. Coyotes graduate committing to the Warriors for the 2022-23 season.

“I began talking to the coaching staff before this last year with the Force,” Griebel said. “After building a great relationship with the staff, I decided it was where I wanted to go. Obviously, it’s a great program and they play in one of the top conferences in Division I (Hockey East). What appealed most to me about the school was the relationship that I had built up with the coaching staff. It meant a lot that the staff didn’t rush me into making a decision and had patience with my process the whole way.”

Once Griebel arrives to the Boston-area school, he’ll already know one teammate in California native Jacob Modry, a former teammate of his from the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild in 2018-19. Modry will be a senior when Griebel gets on campus next fall.

This past season in Fargo, Griebel collected four goals and 17 points in 53 games.

“This year in the USHL, the West and East conferences didn’t play each other due to COVID,” explained Griebel. “We were very thankful as an organization that we were the only team that didn’t miss any games this past season due to COVID. We didn’t take this year for granted and showed up to the rink every day just thankful to be there and playing hockey.

“As a kid growing up, it was always part of my dream making it to the NHL, that I wanted to play Division I college hockey. I knew that this was the route that I wanted to go and that would best suit me and my path to hopefully playing professional hockey.”

Looking ahead, Griebel has simple goals for his hockey career.

“My short-term goal is to go to Merrimack, building relationships and acquiring a degree for my life after hockey,” said Griebel. “Long term, I want to play professional hockey at the highest level possible.”

SEE ALSO: Taking Liberties With… Glendale native, Jr. Coyotes graduate Trevor Griebel (Aug. 29, 2020, AZRubberHockey.com)

Top photo/Fargo Force

— Matt Mackinder

(June 24, 2021)