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Benson Commits to Plattsburgh State

By Neil Ravin - Director of Communications, 04/16/21, 9:00AM EDT

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Railers Defenseman Set to Join Cardinals this Fall

WORCESTER, MA -- Jagger Benson, a defenseman for the Railers Jr Hockey Club, has committed to SUNY Plattsburgh for the fall of 2021.

The 2000-born native of Lynnfield, MA joined the Railers for the 2nd half of the 2020-21 season, and in 19 career games in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) Benson notched three goals and four assists to his credit.

"Jagger was a great addition to our team,” said Railers head coach Sean Bertoni. “He competes at a high level and was willing to learn the second he joined our program. He is a guy that wants to contribute and help his team win. Jagger was a fun kid to coach, a true impact player, and we are extremely excited for his commitment to Plattsburgh.”

With his commitment now official, the EHL has seen at least one player per year commit to the Cardinals' hockey program in every season since the league was formed back in 2013. Overall, Benson is the 19th player in league history to choose SUNY Plattsburgh, and he's very happy with his decision.

"To me, both academically and athletically, it’s a great fit,” said Benson, who played the previous two seasons in the prep school ranks at the Tilton School. “I am very impressed with the learning center and the academic support it lends to all students. In terms of athletics, and hockey in particular, the facilities are excellent. Plattsburgh has a great campus and amazing arena.”

Benson went on to talk about how shortly after joining the Railers in mid-January, the 2nd-year EHL program helped pave his path to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC).

“Mike Addesa, our General Manager, began to contact a lot of schools about me and the other new additions to the Railers program," added Benson. "We began to talk about many possibilities. Mike Grace, the coach of the defensemen in the Railers program, played for Plattsburgh and explained to me what life would be like as a student-athlete there. Coach Bertoni also really respected Plattsburgh as a great program. Coach Grace indicated he had contacted Plattsburgh for me and I heard from Coach [Steve] Moffat almost immediately. He was the first coach to reach out to me. He and our coaches worked together so that I could visit Plattsburgh soon thereafter. He showed me a tremendous amount of love and that meant a lot to me, especially after feeling like a forgotten man. It was great to be wanted again.”

Following his visit to Plattsburgh, Benson began receiving additional offers from across the NCAA Division III landscape.

“It was a good feeling,” said Benson. “As I was narrowing down my choices, it came down to three schools. Our Railers coaches stressed to me that the final decision was mine and I was going to be the person going to that particular school for four years. Ultimately, it was a hard decision, but I felt that I would be most comfortable being a student-athlete at Plattsburgh. I also want to mention my gratitude to the Tilton School, where I spent two years improving my study habits and overall grades, and to Coach Brooks McQuade for guiding me throughout those two years.”

Benson concluded by talking about how comfortable he felt upon arriving at the Worcester Ice Center, the home of the Railers.

“All the guys were so welcoming,” concluded Benson. “We had several additions who came in about the time as myself and we were all accepted right away. Any new guy who stepped into the Railers locker room was accepted as one of the group. That is a great testament to the strong culture that the Railers have developed in Worcester.”

Learn more about the Railers on the team's official website, and check out the full 2020-21 NCAA commitment list.

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