Derek Wood played hockey his whole life in Colorado before heading to New Jersey last season to play junior hockey in the NCDC.

This season, the Louisville native came home to play for the NCDC’s Pueblo Bulls and will head back east in 2026-27 after recently committing to NCAA Division III Wilkes, a school located in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

“Coach Hynes reached out to me shortly after our Christmas break this year,” Wood said. “He had watched me play last season while playing for the New Jersey Rockets’ NCDC team and continued to follow me as I moved to Pueblo. I was able to get out to Wilkes in early March during an off weekend to visit campus and felt it was the right fit for me, both on and off the ice. What really stood out to me about Wilkes was the balance between hockey and school. On the hockey side, I really liked the coaching staff and how focused they are on development. It feels like a place where I can keep improving every single day, and be part of a hard-working, competitive team culture.

“Academically, the smaller school environment allows closer connections with professors. The focus on applying academics to real life situations and hands-on learning initially stood out to me. It feels like a place where I can succeed in the classroom and set myself up for success in my future. I always valued academics through high school and made it a goal of mine to get a strong education in college.”

At Wilkes, Wood said he plans to major in biology on the pre-physical therapy track.

Growing up, Wood started playing hockey when he was five years old and said watching the 2010 Winter Olympics initially sparked his interest in the sport.

“I was immediately interested in playing goalie,” said Wood. “Both of my parents are from Kansas and didn’t know much about the sport, so it was a completely new and exciting experience for all of us. I started with learn to play and Mite hockey at the YMCA in Lafayette, playing for the Jr. Buffs program. I played my Pee Wee years with the Arvada Hockey Association, where I was fortunate to compete in tournaments in Sweden and Finland, as well as Quebec through the Avalanche international qualifier both years. After playing bantams at Arvada, I made the jump to 15U AAA with the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders, where I spent my 16U and 18U seasons before moving on to juniors.

“I’ve been fortunate to have had so many influential coaches along the way. My first goalie coach, Frank Urban, provided me with a great foundation of skill and really kick-started my development. Steve Quailer, Doug Smail and Timm Lorenz all pushed me through AAA to become the best version of myself, and Matt Zaba has been a big part of my offseason training and continued growth.”

Moving forward, Wood has his eyes on varying levels of success.

“My short-term goals are to improve every single day, continue to remember why I play hockey, and always have fun,” Wood said. “Long term, I want to have a successful collegiate career at Wilkes University while continuing to work towards a career in physical therapy.”

Photo/@madiekennedy_media

— Matt Mackinder

(May 2, 2026)