Oklahoma has a penchant for producing some of the nation’s top athletes. The Sooner State may be a hotbed of talent for football, baseball and wrestling talent, but when it comes to hockey, it’s a different story.
Matt Donovan is hoping to change that. The Edmond native became the first Oklahoman to drafted in the National Hockey League, when the New York Islanders tabbed the when the 6-foot, 185 defenseman in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft last week.
“I was pretty much just shocked the first time I saw that I was drafted, and I am still shocked, but still very honored that I was drafted by the Islanders,” said Donovan, who watched the draft at home in Edmond.
Several NHL clubs expressed interest in Donovan before the draft, but he was not sure if his name would be called. His father, Larry Donovan, who is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma club team, knew Matt had a shot, but remained cautious.
“I knew it was a chance, I just didn’t want him to be disappointed, and he wasn’t,” Matt’s father, Larry Donovan said. “He’s worked very hard to get where he’s at and now that work is paying off.”
The former Edmond North student said it was tough drawing attention in Oklahoma, and hopes he can serve as an inspiration to young players across the state.
“It is such an honor that I’m the first player to ever get drafted out of Oklahoma, it makes me think I give hope to young kids playing in Oklahoma, now they now know it’s possible,” Donovan said.
It was not that long ago that 18-year-old was another young player hoping to get noticed. Donovan grew up playing hockey in Oklahoma, but left for Texas two years ago to play with the Dallas Stars AAA team. That exposure helped him attract attention from the United States Hockey League (USHL), an all-junior circuit that prepares future collegiate and professional players. The Cedar Rapids Roughriders selected Donovan in the first-round of the 2007 draft.
“It’s just like a ladder, you have keep working up to next level,” Donovan said.
“You have to be there where the people are at, and they don’t come to Oklahoma to watch hockey,” Larry Donovan said.
In his first season with the Roughriders, Donovan scored 12 goals and added 18 assists in 59 games.
Donovan will head to New York for a mini-camp in July. He plans to spend the rest of the summer in Oklahoma, before returning to Cedar Rapids for one more year in the USHL and to finish high school. After graduation Donovan will then play hockey at the University of Denver and hope to earn a shot at the pros.
“The Islanders have my draft rights, so when they think I’m ready they’ll offer me a contract,” Donovan said.
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Edmond native Matt Donovan, a former club hockey player for Edmond North High School, was selected by the New York Islanders during this year's National Hockey League draft. Drew Harmon
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Edmond native Matt Donovan, a former club hockey player for Edmond North High School, was selected by the New York Islanders during this year's National Hockey League draft. Donovan currently plays for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League, a junior league, as he finishes high school. Drew Harmon
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Donovan living unlikely dream
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Workman's blasts cranks UCO's engine; Bronchos cruise to 5-2 win
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Workman blasted her 14th homer of the season to lead off the second inning, with UCO adding three runs in the third and one more in the fifth to take a commanding 5-0 lead before the Warriors created some anxious moments in their final at bat.
WSU scored two runs and had runners on second and third on with just one out in the top of the seventh, but Kalynn Shrock got the final two batters to close out her fourth straight complete-game outing of the postseason and put the Bronchos in control of the best-of-three series. -
Richters rip competition at KickingBird
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Jeff Jester and Kevin Wright wrapped up second-place honors with a 59.9 and Rick Morales and Ronnie Roberts placed third (60.1).
In the second flight, the top score was 60.4 by Jerry Bernhardt and Ted Carter. Picking up silver was the tandem of Jerry Fuller and Ramona Jacobi (61.2) and the third-place squad was Dyke Hoppe and Mark VanSickle at 62.0.
Morales was closest to the pin on No. 6 and Jeff Richter landed a dart on hole 14. -
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Multiple baseball camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Schools baseball coaches Kyle Roberts (Edmond Memorial), Jeff Shafer (Edmond Santa Fe) and Karl King (Edmond North) will instruct the Edmond All-Star Baseball Camps starting May 28 at Edmond North High School.
A pair of all-skills camps will take place for kids ages 5 and older from May 28-31 and June 3-6. Times are the same, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
On June 7, a pitcher/catcher camp will be offered for ages 8 and older with the identical time frame. Cost is $35 for the pitcher/catcher camp and $125 for the all-skills camp.
For further inquiries, contact Karl King at 863-3570. -
Arthur Hills eating up Bronchos
Central Oklahoma’s struggles continued at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. Friday.
The Bronchos made 10 double bogeys and two triple bogeys en route to a season-high 329 score on the rugged 6,228-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills Legends Course at LPGA International, leaving UCO in 10th place with a three-round total of 975.
Nova Southeastern has an 881 total heading into Saturday’s final round, giving the four-time defending champion Sharks a one-shot lead over second-place Lynn. -
Bronchos will make 12th appearance in national golf championship Monday
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Athletes of all ages or sporting experience are invited to register for the event. Community members are also encouraged to register to volunteer with more than 300 volunteer opportunities available.
Similar to the summer Paralympic Games, athletes may register for multiple adaptive sports, which include cycling, indoor archery, outdoor archery, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, shooting, table tennis, track and field, wheelchair basketball, and, for the first time at the UCO Endeavor Games, paratriathlon. The paratriathlon will be limited to athletes over the age of 16 with previous paratriathlon experience. -
Deer Creek drops Carl Albert again for state title
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On May 7, Deer Creek blanked Tulsa Edison 2-zip in the semifinals for a chance to play for its fourth state championship in girls soccer. -
UCO to host US women's sitting volleyball team's exhibition matches against Russia
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Team USA will be available after each match to meet with fans and sign autographs.
All exhibition matches are free and open to the public. -
Impact-making Graves inks with OBU
When a basketball team goes 80-3 over the years a player was there, that athlete has made a profound impact on that particular program.
Not only did she/he leave a legacy athletically to have that type of success in Class 6A, but left a mark in a leadership capacity as well.
Cameerah Graves, Edmond Santa Fe’s standout guard who led 6A in assists her senior season with 129, signed a letter of intent with Oklahoma Baptist University last week. - More Sports Headlines
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