US NTDP defenseman Joe Marciano commits to CC

Joe Marciano, a 17-year-old defenseman from Alta Loma, Calif., committed to join CC for the 2008-09 season last week, he said Saturday.

A 6-foot-1, 194-pound defenseman playing for the U.S. national under-18 team in residence in Ann Arbor, Mich., Marciano will fill out next season's defensive corps, which only loses current senior Jack Hillen to graduation. Marciano's decision came down to CC and Harvard, but he also visited Wisconsin within the last year.

The first CC recruit from the U.S. National Team Development program since sophomore Bill Sweatt, Marciano had a goal in CC's exhibition with the U.S. under-18 team earlier this season, his only goal in 18 games. Marciano played for Shattuck-St. Mary's, an elite hockey prep school located in Faribault, Minn., in 2006-07, totaling 8 goals and 15 assists in 45 games. Marciano also played for Shattuck's under-16 team in 2005-06.

Staying with freshman Stephen Schultz on his official visit, Marciano was in attendance for Saturday's game against No. 9 Wisconsin and watched with freshman defenseman Ryan Lowery.

Marciano joins four forwards in the 2008-09 recruiting class. Coach Scott Owens said he has received four of five letters of intent from the group. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from discussing recruits until they have received a letter of intent.

A quick Q&A with Marciano:

On choosing CC:
"Being from California, it's a good fit for me and Colorado is close to home. That had a big influence on it. It's a good school and the WCHA is a good league to play in."

The California connection:
"I don't know them (CC's Californians Andreas Vlassopoulos and Dan Quilico) personally yet, but I know of them. It's a great program, great hockey."

How the commitment came about:
"We've been communicating back and forth for a while. For the past month or so, me and coach Owens have been talking on the phone a lot and he told me that they were ready to give me an offer. I was actually looking at Harvard at the time and was waiting on my ACT score. But in my heart, I knew I was going to come here anyway, I fit in here well and it was close to home. Anyway, last week I called coach Owens and told him I was ready to commit. He said, 'It's good to have you,' and stuff like that."

How Marciano describes himself:
"I'd say I'm like an all-around defenseman. I'm pretty good defensively. I can move the puck well and get that first pass up to the guys."

With just one defenseman graduating, where Marciano see himself fitting in:
"Coming in as a freshman, you've got to work to get your ice. I think I have a good chance, but I've got to work for it."

Why, in light of the early commitments among U.S. NTDP players, Marciano hasn't committed earlier:
"I just recently started getting offers. Last year, I always talked to colleges, but this year, I've just been starting to get offers. I wasn't really in a hurry anyways. Being from California, I'm new to the college process and everything."