February 7, 2017

Guilford, Conn., - Connor Tait, the 6'1”, 190-pound power forward out of Boyd, Maryland, has committed to Quinnipiac University. Tait has been a dominate force in the East Coast Elite League attracting attention from division one colleges all over the northeast.

"I could not be happier for Connor,” said 16U Team Maryland Head Coach Fransen. “When a player’s hard work rewards them, you can't help but share their exhilaration. Coming into the season, everyone knew that Connor was a special player. How special was the only question. We were hoping for the best, moving a 2001 birth year to the 2000 team, but couldn't have imagined it working out as well as it did. When they say things like "the cream always rises to the top", they are talking about players like Connor Tait."

Tait has so far shown the ability to score at a young age. In 29 games played for Team Maryland, split between the AYHL 16U and ECEL 16U, he has scored 42 goals and has 14 assists. In the ECEL playoffs he had another goal and four assists in four playoffs games. 

“The ECEL gave me and my Team Maryland teammates the opportunity to play against great competition and in front of many scouts and coaches from the Northeast that may not have seen us play otherwise” said Tait. 

On top of playing for Team Maryland, Tait is also a sophomore standout on the Gonzaga College High School team in Washington, D.C. In 24 games played for Gonzaga, Tait has scored 30 goals and has 14 assists. He leads the team in scoring and holds a 13-point lead over the next highest player on the roster.

"Team Maryland is very proud of Connor and his commitment to Quinnipiac. Connor works very hard and is deserving of this accomplishment. The Bobcats are getting a very special player in Connor" said Gregg Marinari, TM Hockey Director. 

While his stellar accomplishments attracted the eyes of many elite college programs, Quinnipiac seemed to have exactly what Tait was looking for in a division one program. “I chose Quinnipiac because I feel very comfortable there. The coaching staff is amazing and the facilities and game day atmosphere are second to none. I also feel that their style of play suits me very well” said Tait. 

The Quinnipiac Bobcats play in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and are currently ranked 19th in the country.