Oakland ACHA DI Hockey general manager Corey Hagood is pleased to announce that defenseman Evan McCreary has committed to Oakland. McCreary played for the Bayou State Rougarou (NA3HL) where he recorded four goals and three assists. Before Bayou State, McCreary was a member of the Fresh Coast Freeze (USPHL Premier) during the 24-25 season recording one goal and six assists.
“I think the guys on the team are welcoming and it will be a lot of fun to play hockey in such a nice area.” McCreary stated. “It’s also the right decision to advance my education and level of play.”
The coaching staff was very interested in adding McCreary to the team and he noticed it. “They showed great interest in me as a player. I’m excited to see how they coach this year.”
“Evan skated with us in our recruit skate and impressed the staff.” Oakland head coach Nick Mammel stated. “He had great positioning and a calm demeanor while playing this year with Bayou State. We are thrilled to have him at Oakland and can’t wait for him to continue in his development.”
The decision to commit to Oakland was led by Evan seeing the rink, and the interest from the Oakland coaching staff. “Training facilities are more than I could ask for, and the ice rink is high quality and easily accessible.” McCreary stated.
He was happy with the recruiting process, and how to manage being a student and playing hockey. “The coaching staff was interested in my style of play from the first skate.” McCreary stated. “Being a student athlete is hard, but I feel like Oakland made the process super clear and the decision extremely easy for me.”
He attended the April Recruit Skate and that made opened his eyes on how he could fit here “It was the first time skating with the team for me and skating at that rink.” McCreary stated. “I saw the skill of the guys on the team already and the junior level players that were coming in. It gave me an idea of the culture of the team and the style of play.”
McCreary is a team player and he makes sure that shows in the ice. He will also be a good defenseman that wins puck battles and will shut down his opponents. “Everything I do is for the greater good of the team. You can except a lot of puck battles won, lock down defense, hits, blocked shots, and someone who can set players up for easy goals.”
McCreary will be studying Operations Management while at Oakland..
2026 Oakland ACHA DI Hockey Recruiting Class
| Name | Position | Previous Team/League |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Bishop | Forward | Maine Nordiques/18U AAA |
| Nathan Conklin Jr. | Defenseman | Peoria Mustangs / NA3HL |
| Lucas Denham | Goalie | Niagara Predators/GMHL |
| Spencer Nicoloff | Forward | Long Beach Sharks/ NA3HL |
| Milos Matijevic | Defenseman | Streetsville Derbys/PJCHL |
| Evan McCreary | Defenseman | Bayou State Rougarou/NA3HL |
| Patrick Riney | Defenseman | North Oakland Eagles/ USHS |
Graphic By OU Hockey Alum Joseph Guenther