Oakland ACHA DI hockey general manager Corey Hagood is pleased to announce that defenseman Patrick Riney has committed to Oakland. Riney comes to Oakland from the North Oakland Eagles (USHS) where he had three goals and 14 assists. “I’m very excited to continue my hockey career at Oakland” Riney stated. “I’m excited to play for a great school and team.”Â
The recruiting process was great for Riney who felt welcomed and is looking forward to being coached by Oakland head coach Nick Mammel and his staff. “The coaching staff was very welcoming and open during the whole process. I am very excited to work with these guys, and I think they have skills to better my game.” Riney said.
“We are thrilled to have Pat; he’s a local kid from the area that we strive to retain.” Mammel stated. “He has a great frame for coming right out of high school and we expect him to be able to step in and battle when we need him to.”
Riney wasn’t sure what would come next in his hockey journey, but he is pleased to land at Oakland. “I wasn’t sure what was next of my hockey career until coach Mammel reached out to me and asked if I wanted to be a part of this program.” Riney said.
“It was the surest decision I could make in my hockey career.”
He wants to make sure he is responsible on the backend and do what it takes to be successful in that “I always try to be as selfless as possible when playing.” Riney stated. “I try not to focus on scoring points, but rather keeping the puck out of our net instead.”
Riney plans to major in computer engineering while minoring in Artificial Intelligence at Oakland University.Â
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