Sports
Serhienko continues career in Iowa
Tyler Ohmann
09/03/2013
Former Bottineau High School and Dakota College at Bottineau hockey standout Seth Serhienko is not hanging up his skates just yet.
Serhienko recently began his junior year of college at Iowa State, and he will lace it up for the Cyclones in Ames.
Serhienko is not taking it lightly and has already begun practice for the season.
“Both school and hockey went really well this week. It was different training outside in the heat as it has been really hot,” Serhienko stated. “I’m excited for the season to get into full swing as we have an inter-squad game Sept. 11 and then the first game is Sept. 13.”
Serhienko chose the Cyclones for many reasons, but he knew he definitely wanted to play hockey somewhere.
“I decided I wanted to continue to play hockey at the end of last season when I started seriously thinking about what I was going to do next,” Serhienko stated. “I was contacted by Iowa states recruiter who lives in Grand Forks. I had it narrowed down to three schools/teams but it was tough to finally decide. I chose Iowa State because I felt it fit me best. It was my best option to do school and hockey.”
Academics especially were a big part of what swayed Serhienko’s mind.
“It was also the closest school to home and a smaller town in the Midwest. It also has a strong reputation for academics and the hockey program has a long rich history,” Serhienko stated.
“After I went for my tour with my parents last spring, I knew that it was the place for me. I really liked and agreed with the coaches mindset. They push academics and hockey which are both important to me. It also helped a lot to receive in-state tuition via the new century scholar award I won last spring.”
Serhienko said that the hockey team has already been hard at work even though classes have only been going on for a little more than a week.
“We have already been putting a lot of time into hockey and I think that will just keep increasing,” Serhienko stated. “We had fitness testing the week before school so had to be down here a week early, which was nice to get to know the guys. I am really excited for the season and have high hopes.”
Though the hockey part is familiar, there are a few things that are different in Iowa.
“It is a big change as there is around 32,000 kids enrolled and two of my classes have 500 kids in them,” Serhienko stated.
However, everything that Serhienko experiences comes down to a bottom line.
“I am just really happy to get to continue my education and continue to play hockey,” Serhienko said.
Serhienko was North Dakota’s leader in assists his senior season at Bottineau High School. In college he was a leader on the ice and in the classroom for two seasons for the Jacks.
Iowa State is a Division I member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association and are in the North Central Collegiate Hockey Association division.
The Cyclones went 25-16-2-2 in 2012-13. They lost in the quarterfinals of the ACHA National Tournament quarterfinals to Ohio University by a score of 3-2 in overtime.
Ohio then went on to lose to eventual champion Minot State.
Serhienko will get to play against several familiar teams as the Cyclones host Williston State College on Oct. 18-19, Miont State Nov. 15-16 and DCB on Dec. 13-14.