Alessio Luciani is once again in the midst of another stellar season for Adrian.
Luciani leads the team in points, with 11 of is 18 coming off assists, and his efforts have helped the Bulldogs emerge as one of the nation’s top teams. They are ranked No. 1 in the latest DCU/USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll.
“I’m playing well and the stats are showing that,” Luciani said. “It helps having teammates you can rely on, knowing they are going to make plays. We’re really rolling right now as a team.”
No doubt about that. Adrian has won its last 12 games and sits at 12-1 on the season as it takes aim at contending for another NCHA crown and trip to the NCAA tournament.
Luciani said the team chemistry and bond that has been forged among the players has been key to that success.
“We have a tight-knit group in the locker room and off the ice,” Luciani said. “That translates onto the ice. All of us are willing to do extra work to help us win.”
Luciani is in this third year with the Bulldogs. A native of Canada, he played two seasons in the OJHL before coming to Adrian.
It didn’t take long for him to make an impact in college. He scored 10 goals and dished out 22 assists before following that up with 14 goals and 22 assists as a sophomore as he led the Bulldogs in scoring.
Nothing has come easy, though, but that hasn’t stopped Luciani from playing at a high level.
“Being a smaller guy down the middle is tough, but I play with confidence, and when you have confidence, you are able to do things you wouldn’t think you’d be able to do.”
Luciani got his start in hockey at a young age and never looked back.
“My parents put me in skates when I was 2, so I’ve been playing hockey for a really long time,” Luciani said. “I love the game, love being at rink and love being with this group.”
He initially hoped to go Division I but was approached by Adrian after his junior career wrapped up.
“They talked to me about how they had been watching me all year and I just fell in love with the school and the staff,” Luciani said.”I knew I could develop into a better player there. I’ve been given a great opportunity here and I’m excited about the future.”
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the future of the Adrian program as well, and the Bulldogs hope to keep things rolling.
“We can’t get complacent. We always get everyone’s best game no matter who we play,” Luciani said. “We have to be able to outwork teams and keep that relentless attitude that we’ve had so far this season.”
