Michael Ratchuk Class: Sophomore Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y. Height / Weight: 5-11 / 180 Position: Defense Previous Team: U.S. National Under-18 Team

An exciting player to watch with outstanding skill ... An offensive-minded defenseman who adds a real spark in the offensive zone ... Candidate for the 2007 U.S. World Junior Team, skating in the evaluation camp the last two summers.

2006-07 (Freshman): Honorable Mention selection on the CCHA All-Rookie team ... Winner of the team's Outstanding Rookie Award ... Tied for second on the team among full-time defensemen in points (4-8-12). Notched his first collegiate point in his first game, assisting on Bryan Lerg's game-winning goal against Western Michigan (10/13) ... Tallied his first career goal, on the power play, in a 7-5 win over Sacred Heart (10/28) ... Had his first multi-point effort at Ferris State (11/10), potting a power-play goal and assisting on a third-period tally in a 6-0 victory ... Contributed a power-play goal in a 4-1 victory over Michigan in the championship game of the Great Lakes Invitational ... Named to the GLI All-Tournament Team ... Had the first two-assist game of his career by assisting on the first and fourth goals in a 4-0 blanking of Lake Superior State (1/20) ... Had the primary assist on Bryan Lerg's seventh game-winning goal of the season at Nebraska-Omaha (2/2) ... Appeared in his first career game at forward on a line with fellow Buffalo natives Chris Mueller and Tim Kennedy in a 3-3 tie with Michigan at Joe Louis Arena (2/10) ... Played in all four NCAA Tournament games on the the road to the national championship, providing skill and offense on the blue line ... Credited with an assist on Nick Sucharski's power-play tally in the first game of the CCHA quarterfinal series against Nebraska-Omaha.

PRIOR TO MSU: Selected by Philadelphia Flyers in the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft ... Participated in the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in the summer of 2006 ... Spent two seasons in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program ... Named Defenseman of the Tournament at the Five Nations Tournament in Russia in 2006 ... Helped Team USA capture gold at the 2006 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 World Championships in Angelholm and Halmstad, Sweden ... Tallied three assists and recorded a+4 rating in six games at the championships ... Had 12-18-30 totals in 55 games for the Under-18 team in 2005-06 ... Graduated from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in 2006 ... Played 58 games for the Under-17 team in 2004-05, tallying 5-11-16 points ... Notched 1-2-3 in four games to help Team USA win the 2005 Four Nations Cup in Rochester, N.Y. ... Was a member of the Buffalo Select Saints who won the 2004 Midget AAA National Championships.

PERSONAL: Born Feb. 20, 1988, in Buffalo, N.Y. ... Criminal justice major ... Son of Mary and Dennis Ratchuk...His older brother, Peter, played at Bowling Green, was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and currently plays for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League ... His father also played professional sports, signing as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills in 1974 ... Has three sisters who played collegiate athletics: Molly, who played soccer at both Buffalo State and St. Bonaventure, Amy (basketball) and Katie (lacrosse) who both went to Alfred State (N.Y.), and a fourth sister, Jill, who played basketball for a year at Gannon and currently attends SUNY Fredonia ... Enjoys playing the guitar and spending time with his family ... Favorite NHL Team: Philadelphia Flyers ... Favorite NHL Player: Scott Niedermayer ... Lists his parents and brother as his biggest hockey influences, because "my parents always took me to ice times and allowed me to develop my love for the game; My brother because he taught me the game."

career statistics

YEAR	GP	G	A	PTS	PPG	SHG	GWG	+/-	PEN-MIN
2006-07	40	4	8	12	3	0	0	-2	14/28
TOTALS	40	4	8	12	3	0	0	-2	14/28