(LEBANON, Ill. – August 14) – McKendree University men's hockey head coach Garry Henson has announced the addition of seven student-athletes to bolster the roster for the 2017-18 season. These athletes include Daniel Nordlander, Aleksejs Ivansenko, Tyler Estermyer, Connor Brennan, Shayne Pluto, Ryan Reader, and Cole Dezainde.
 
 Daniel Nordlander (Hometown: Göteborg, Sweden)
 Dallas Snipers WSHL
 Defense
 Before coming to the US, Nordlander played in the highest junior hockey leagues in Sweden at U16, U18, and U20. During the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons Nordlander played for the Dallas Snipers of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) alongside fellow signees Ivasenko and Estermyer. As a defensemen for the Snipers, Daniel was the highest scoring defenseman in both seasons and went on to become the leading defenseman point scorer in Snipers franchise history. Nordlander earned a place on the 2016 WSHL All-Star. While playing for Dallas, Daniel amassed 29 goals and 39 assists for a total of 68 points in 97 games.
 
 


 Aleksejs Ivasenko (Hometown: Riga, Latvia)
 Riga 1. Distance Education High School
 Dallas Snipers WSHL
 Defense
 Ivasenko is a teammate of both Nordlander and Estermyer, with all three having played for the Dallas Snipers of the WSHL. Aleksejs is a defensive defenseman who played in 89 games for the Snipers where he registered four goals and nine assists, totaling 13 points.
 




 Tyler Estermyer (Hometown: Plano, Texas)
 East Lake High School
 Dallas Snipers WSHL
 Forward/Defense
 Estermyer has played alongside fellow McKendree signees Nordlander and Ivasenko during their time with the Dallas Snipers of the WSHL. Before joining the Snipers, Tyler played at East Lake High School for his freshman and sophomore years where he helped his team win their league as well as state in both seasons. Estermyer played 70 games for the Snipers netting three goals and adding five assists for eight points.
 



 Connor Brennan (Hometown: Castle Rock, Colorado)
 Regis Jesuit High School
 Grand Forks Border Bruins KIJHL
 Forward
 Brennan most recently played for the Grand Forks Border Bruins of the KIJHL, where he scored 13 goals and added 30 assists for 43 points in 47 games. Prior to playing with the Border Bruins, Connor played for the Whitefish Wolverines of the WSHL where he netted 16 goals and registered 27 assists for a total of 43 points. Brennan played his high school career for Regis Jesuit High School in Colorado, where he scored 35 goals and 49 assists for 84 points in just 72 games.

 
 Shayne Pluto (Hometown: Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
 Central Memorial High School
 Grand Forks Border Bruins KIJHL
 Forward
 Pluto is set to join the Bearcats for the 2017-18 season after playing his last two seasons for the Grand Forks Border Bruins of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). Pluto is a teammate of fellow signee Connor Brennan, who also played for the Border Bruins. During Shayne's two seasons with the Border Bruins he played in 93 games, where he went on to score 18 goals and tack on 24 assists for 42 points.

 
 Ryan Reader (Hometown: Granite City, Illinois)
 Granite City High School
 St. Louis Jr. Blues NA3HL
 Defense
 Reader has played the last three seasons as a defenseman for the St. Louis Jr. Blues of the North American Three Hockey League (NA3HL) totaling 134 games played. Over those three seasons Ryan netted four goals and tacked on 34 assists for 38 points while maintaining a +41 rating.
 





 Cole Dezainde (Hometown: Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada)
 Assumption College
 Chatham Maroons GOJHL
 Defense
 Dezainde has spent part of his last two seasons in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL). Cole spent time with the Caledonia Corvairs, Strathroy Rockets, and the Chatham Maroons. In 51 games played, Cole netted one goal and added 18 assists. Dezainde also spent time during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons playing in two other junior hockey leagues where he amassed 41 points, with 17 goals and 24 assists in 79 games.