Rondeau spent two seasons with the Mustangs between 2018 and 2020. (Facebook/Broad Leaf Media)

By Mat Barrett

New Opportunity

Former Mustang heads to Wisconsin for new college hockey opportunity with familiar faces

May 7, 2021 | 2:00 PM

A former Melfort Mustang is getting a new college hockey opportunity in Wisconsin.

Defenceman Alex Rondeau has recently committed to Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Rondeau recently spent last season as part of the University Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks in NCAA division I. However, without there being a season, and seeing that he may not get as much of an opportunity as originally thought, Rondeau decided to find a new place to play college hockey.

Marian University, an NCAA division III school, was courting Rondeau during his final Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season, but he decided to head to Alaska. This time around, there was more help in recruiting from former Melfort Mustang, and Rondeau’s long-time defence partner Nolan Kadachuk who spent this past season at Marian. However, with a bit of history, and a friend putting in a good word, there was still some things that needed to be sorted out.

“The coach needs to want you,” Rondeau laughed. “And there’s a lot of other factors to put in place for it to work, but I am so happy that everything worked out.”

Rondeau added there were possible options to play elsewhere, but he said seeing Marian win their conference this past season, he wanted to be part of another run.

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“Obviously there’s a winning culture there that I want to be a part of,” he said. “I just want to have success at this level with my team.”

Joining his former teammate, Rondeau said it’s exciting to have No. 6 and No. 44′ (their junior numbers) back together.

“He makes me the best player I can be,” Rondeau said. “Very easy to play with. He’s a very very good player, and he’s also my best buddy, so it just makes it easier on the ice, he’s a great kid. I’m really excited to go to school with him, it’ll be an unreal time.”

Rondeau (Left) and Kadachuk (Right) were defence partners for both of Rondeau’s seasons in Melfort, they totalled upwards of 100 games together. (Facebook/Tekla Shields Kadachuk)

Kadachuk won’t be the only familiar face that Rondeau is going to be joining in Marian, as former Nipawin Hawk, and Tisdale native Jordan Simoneau will be joining the Sabres come next season.

Rondeau said it’ll be nice to be wearing the same colours as opposed to being rivals.

“It’ll be pretty fun to be on his team now,” he said.

Former SJHL players Ty Enns, Bryson Cecconi, Bronson Adams, and Blake Kleiner, are also with Marian.

Rondeau played 108 regular season games, totalling 62 points, and 20 playoff games with Melfort, notching five points over two seasons between 2018-2020.

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mat.barrett@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6