Former West Ottawa hockey standout Cam Dunn said, “My first college game was an away game against Sacred Heart University (SHU). They have a very nice brand-new arena, and the place was sold out with loads of fans in attendance. I felt very excited and nervous to play since I have never played on a stage like that before.”
From puck drop, the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) came out flying. They managed to possess the puck for most of the first period, but still found themselves knotted at one. From the second period onward, SHU would swing the momentum and score three unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead. UMASS would attempt a comeback, scoring twice in the third period; however, their efforts fell just short.
UMASS is known for its storied hockey program. They’ve reached the Frozen Four twice: 2019, 2021. In 2019, they lost a hard-fought battle against Minnesota-Duluth in the finals; however, they found themselves back in the national championship just two years later. This time around, they would dominate, defeating St. Cloud State 5-0 to win their first national championship in program history.
Heading into the season, UMASS had high expectations. FloHockey ranked the Minutemen as the 13th best team heading into the 2024-2025 season. The Minutemen lost a ton of talent to the NHL draft, but they reloaded, bringing in a talented freshmen class featuring Dunn. Expectations for the Minutemen this season are extremely high.
Dunn’s exceptional talent growing up landed him a spot on the Fox Motors AAA Hockey Club. In Dunn’s final season (2018-2019) with Fox Motors, he notched three goals along with seven assists: ten points. Following that season, Dunn would begin the next chapter of his hockey career and play for West Ottawa.
Dunn’s inaugural season (2019-2020) with the Panthers was unforgettable. In his first season with the Panthers, Dunn put up an impressive nine goals and 17 assists: 26 points. He added to these stellar stats in the playoffs, scoring an additional three goals and two assists: five points. Dunn finished third in total points, trailing only Luke Linart and Owen Houskamp.
The following season (2020-2021) was unfortunately cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, in the shortened season, Dunn picked up right where he left off. In 12 games, Dunn put up 12 goals and eight assists: 20 points. These eye-popping numbers put Dunn at the top for the Panthers in goals, assists, and total points. Averaging roughly 1.66 points per game caught the attention of many scouts and top tier programs, helping Dunn take the next step in his young and promising career.
Coming out of high school, Dunn received a lot of offers to play college hockey from lower level programs, but with his mind set on bigger aspirations, Dunn declined these offers and decided to play for the Minnesota Moose in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL).
The USPHL is a well established league intended to help players get recognized and extend their playing careers. A few notable USPHL alumni indlude Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Charllie McAvoy (Boston Bruins), and Charlie Coyle (Boston Bruins).
In Dunn’s first season (2021-2022) with the Moose, he appeared in 43 games, notching 28 goals and 37 assists: 65 points. These video game-like numbers put him at the top in goals, assists, and total points amongst his teammates.
Dunn’s second season (2022-2023) with the Moose was similar to his previous. In just four games, Dunn buried four goals and eight assists, before eventually getting called up to the Austin Bruins of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
The NAHL is another well established junior league with hopes of sending players to elite D1 programs and beyond. The NAHL is considered by many to be the second best junior league, behind only the United States Hockey League (USHL). The NAHL has sent many players to D1 programs as well as the National Hockey League (NHL). A few prestigious NAHL alumni include: Patrick Kane (Detroit Red Wings), James VanRiemsdyk (Boston Bruins), and Nick Foligno (Chicago Blackhawks).
Dunn would only play in one game with the Bruins, before getting traded to the El Paso Rhinos. In five games with the Rhinos, Dunn put up one assist, before getting moved yet again, this time to the Odessa Jackalopes.
Dunn would make his presence known from day one with the Jackalopes. In 29 games, Dunn tallied six goals along with four assists: ten points. In just about half as many games as his teammates, Dunn finished 17th out of 31 in total points.
The following season (2023-2024) with the Jackalopes was arguably Dunn’s greatest year to date. Against superior competition, Dunn had an outstanding season, netting 22 goals along with 33 assists: 55 points. These elite numbers tied Dunn for first in total points with former Jackalope teammate and current Air Force Falcon commit, Michael Kadlecik.
Dunn’s sensational numbers throughout junior hockey earned him offers from various prestigious programs; however, Dunn would ultimately decide to commit to UMASS for the 2024-2025 season.
In UMASS’ first 15 contests, Dunn has appeared four times. The Minutemen currently hold a record of 7-6-2, with their most recent match-up resulting in a 3-1 win against Army. Their next game is on the road, Saturday, December 7th against Boston University at Agganis Arena in Boston, MA.
