Ryan Ufko

Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS

Position:
Defenseman
Height:
5-10
Weight:
181
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Smithtown, N.Y.
Prev School:
Chicago (USHL)

Selected in the fourth round, 115th overall, by the Nashville Predators in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft

AS A JUNIOR IN 2023-24: Earned New England Division I Men’s All-Star and Hockey East First Team All-Star nods … One of seven players to appear in all 37 games … Finished third on the squad in scoring with 26 points on 10 goals and 16 assists and was +2 … Logged six power-play goals and was +2 with a total of a team best 13 power-play points … Blocked a team-high 55 shots … Recorded five multi-point games … Netted six game winners to tie the program single-season record … Had 12 points (6g, 6a), four game winners and 36 blocks in Hockey East play … Scored the game winner at #13/14 Providence in the Hockey East Quarterfinals (3/16) and was named Hockey East Defender of the Week (3/18) ... Collected an assist at Maine (3/80 ... Had a four-point weekend with three goals and an assist, including two overtime game winners vs. UMass Lowell (3/1-3-2) ... Was named the No. 1 star for both games against the River Hawks and earned Hockey East Player of the Week recognition (3/4) ... Logged an assist at #1 Boston College (2/18) ... Scored a power-play goal vs. Merrimack (1/12) and was named the game's No. 1 star ... Collected a pair of assists on the power play vs. UConn (1/5) ... Posted assists in back-to-back games at the Adirondack Winter Invitational (12/29-30) vs. #17 Cornell and Clarkson ... Set a new career best with four points against Alaska Anchorage (12/8) with a power-play goal and three assists ... Notched an assist on the power play at #20 Harvard (11/24) ... Netted the overtime game winner vs. #5 Providence (11/18) and was named the game's No. 1 star ... Scored a power-play goal at #5 Providence (11/16) ... Earned Hockey East Defender of the Week (11/20) recognition following week against the Friars ... Logged an assist vs. Vermont (11/11) ... Collected an assist on the power play at #19/20 Minnesota State (10/20) … Scored a power-play goal and added two assists vs. #6 Michigan (10/14) ... Logged an empty net goal and an assist on the power play vs. AIC (10/7).

AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2022-23: Tabbed a Hockey East Second Team All-Star … Appeared in 32 games, missing three while with Team USA for the World Junior Championships … Finished third for the Minutemen in scoring with 24 points on eight goals and 16 assists … Had four power-play goals … Led the team in blocks with 48 … Tied for second on the squad in Hockey East play with 17 points on six goals and 11 assists with three power-play tallies … Appeared in all 24 league contests … Scored eighth goal of the season in the first round of the Hockey East Tournament at Boston College (3/8) … Logged assists in back-to-back games at Maine (3/3-34) ... Recorded an assist on the power play at Boston College (2/17) ... Posted a hat trick and the shootout winner vs. Vermont (2/11), earning the No. 1 star of the game ... Was named Hockey East Player of the Week (2/13) following that performance ... Dished two assists at Providence (2/3) with one coming on the power play ... Logged an assist on the power play vs. #13/16 UConn (1/20) ... Scored a power-play goal vs. Boston College (1/7) ... Registered an assist vs. #14/13 UMass Lowell (11/25) ... Picked up an assist at New Hampshire (11/18) ... Netted a power-play goal and dished an assist vs. #14 Boston University (11/11) ... Scored a power-play goal vs. #14 Providence (11/4) ... Collected an assist at #14 Providence (11/4) ... Scored first goal of the season on the power play and dished an assist on the overtime game winner, earning the game's No. 2 star vs. Merrimack (10/28) ... Registered an assist vs. Union (10/22) ... Logged two assists vs. Union (10/21) ... Assisted empty net goal vs. #1 Denver (10/15) ... Picked up an assist on the power play vs. #1 Denver (10/14).

AS A FRESHMAN IN 2021-22: Led Hockey East in league play with 19 assists in 24 games and tied for sixth in scoring in league action with 22 points … Also netted three goals en route to a Hockey East All-Star Honorable Mention nod … Put up 31 points over 37 games on five goals and 26 assists to finish tied for the national lead among rookie defensemen in assists and third among rookie defensemen in points … Contributed three power-play goals and one shorthanded goal and posted a +5 rating on the year … Had two helpers vs. #5 Minnesota (3/25) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament ... Registered three assists vs. #20 Providence (3/12) in the Hockey East Quarterfinals ... Logged 10 points in February to earn Hockey East Rookie of the Month recognition ... Scored a power-play goal at Vermont (2/26) ... Dished two assists at Vermont (2/25) ... Extended point streak to seven games with an assist vs. #20 UConn (2/19) ... Scored a power-play goal at #20 UConn (2/18) and was named the game's No. 1 star ... Dished two assists vs. Maine (2/12) ... Picked up an assist on the power play vs. Maine (2/11) ... Logged an assist on the power play vs. LIU (2/5) ... Scored a power-play goal vs. LIU (2/4) ... Registered a pair of assists at #14 UMass Lowell (1/30) ... Collected an assist vs. Boston University (1/25) ... Scored second goal of the season at #6/7 Michigan (1/9) ... Recorded an assist at Merrimack (12/8) ... Picked up an assist on the power play vs. #15 UMass Lowell (12/4) ... Logged two assists at #15 UMass Lowell (12/3) ... Scored a shorthanded goal for first collegiate tally and picked up two assists vs. Boston University (11/13) ... Earned the game's No. 2 star ... Assisted both UMass goals at Boston University (11/12), with one coming on the power play, and was named the game's No. 2 star ... Collected two power-play assists at #7/8 Providence (11/6) ... Registered an assist on the power play at AIC (10/15) for first collegiate point.

BEFORE UMASS: Spent two years with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) … Won a Clark Cup Championship with Chicago and earned an All-USHL First Team nod in 2020-21 … Led all defensemen in scoring for the Steel in 2020-21 … Totaled 55 points on 13 goals and 42 assists over 104 career contests with Chicago.

PERSONAL: Born Ryan Richard Ukfo on May 7, 2003, on Long Island, N.Y. … Son of Michael and Jennifer Ufko … Has one sibling, Justin … Attended Smithtown High School and graduated from Laurel Springs Online High School ... Majoring in management.