For Logan Gorbitz, spending two seasons playing junior hockey propelled his game to catch the eye of college hockey programs.

Recently, the Superior native committed to attend and play NCAA Division III hockey next season at Neumann University, a school located in Aston, Pa., that plays in the UCHC.

Gorbitz said deciding on Neumann was all about timing after a stellar season between the pipes this season for the USPHL’s Richmond Generals.

“Neumann first started showing interest in January of this year,” said Gorbitz. “I ended up having a strong month in January and was invited to visit Neumann. My goal and dream have always been to play college hockey and that became a reality when I received an offer to play just after our season had ended. I was very excited and ended up accepting their offer to become a Neumann Knight.

“One of the first things that appealed to me was just how involved and energetic the coaching staff was, both on and off the ice. I loved seeing the passion and compete level that translated to the players on the ice through their coaching style. The players were very welcoming during my visit, and I felt the bond that they had even though my time was short on campus. Another factor that played into my decision is the Health Science degree that Neumann offers with a focus in strength and conditioning.”

Once he arrives at Neumann, Gorbitz intends on pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree with a focus on strength and conditioning.

“I plan to pursue a professional hockey career and after that I want to use my degree to get into coaching,” Gorbitz said. “My passion for hockey has always driven me forward and is what I live for, which is why I hope to become a coach once my playing days are over. I feel this degree would add to the knowledge needed in order to better educate myself and eventually pursue a coaching career.”

Spending the 2021-22 with Richmond was a decision that has obviously paid off for Gorbitz.

“It is amazing to see the amount of advancement the Richmond Generals do,” he said. “This can be seen by how many players advance to college hockey every year. Having an older roster and many age-out players this season, it was really awesome to see all the opportunities my teammates received in pursuing college hockey. It takes a lot of work both on the ice and behind the scenes in order to make the jump to college hockey, and I can’t thank the coaching staff and my teammates enough for making this a reality.

“One thing that you will hear from anyone who has played for R.C. Lyke and the Richmond Generals is that every year a true family bond is created. The team we had this past season was by far the most close-knit and genuine group that I have been a part of. We were able to come together during the season and become a family of brothers which helped us compete in every game. The strong bond we had will be shared for the rest of our lives.”

His commitment secured and offseason here, Gorbitz is excited to move forward with his new adventure.

“It definitely was a big relief to have committed to Neumann, especially since it happened after my last game of junior hockey,” said Gorbitz. “It has been the biggest challenge that I have faced, trying to move up to college hockey. Over the past two years of junior hockey, I knew I had to work harder than I had ever done before in order to put myself in the position to draw college interest with how competitive the goalie market is. While starting the next part of my academic and hockey career, I can’t wait for the new opportunities and challenges that will come my way. I’m excited for this next step and look forward to becoming a part of the Neumann Knights family.”

During the 2020-21 season, Gorbitz played for the NA3HL’s Texas Brahmas and also had a stint with the NAHL’s Minnesota Wilderness in 2019-20.

Back home prior to junior hockey, Gorbitz played seven years for the Aspen Leafs, Boulder Bison, Rocky Mountain RoughRiders and Monarch High School, winning the school’s first state championship in 2017.

“Three coaches for the Leafs that had a very big impact were Geoff Lubin, Drew Burlingame, and Dan Cokley,” said Gorbitz. “They taught me the importance of ultimately learning to enjoy the game. This is one of the major lessons that I still think about when going onto the ice. I ended up leaving in 2014 to continue playing at a higher level, which is how I ended up in Superior. My first three years I played for the Boulder Bison. Two coaches for the Boulder program that had an impact were Nathan Burch and Jimmy Dexter. Both were crucial in helping me realize the importance of going that extra mile if I wanted to move up to the next level in my hockey career. The following season, I began playing for the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders. I spent the next three years with the program before moving onto junior hockey. Two coaches from the RoughRiders that had a huge impact on my development were Greg Vanover and Doug Smail. I worked very closely with both of them over my three years and they helped me raise my compete to a new level that I didn’t know I was capable of. The final two coaches that I worked with the most over my time in Colorado were goalie coaches Justin Biehl and Timm Lorenz. They both taught me so much and, most importantly, helped me develop mentally as a goaltender.

“There are countless other coaches that I haven’t mentioned that have all played a role in getting me to where I am today, and I will be forever grateful for their time and support.”

Photo/John Bethea

— Matt Mackinder

(May 19, 2022)