June 8, 2016
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame Head Coach Jeff Jackson has announced that defensemen Tory Dello and Andrew Peeke, forwards Cal Burke, Michael O’Leary and Cameron Morrison, as well as goaltender Cale Morris will join the Irish for the 2016-17 season.
All six future Irish players skated in the United States Hockey League in 2015-16 and each player appeared in either the 2015 or 2016 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
CAL BURKE (F)
Boxborough, Massachusetts | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) | 5-10 | 180
- Burke played the last two seasons with Cedar Rapids and served as the team captain in 2015-16.
- In his second full year with the RoughRiders, he totaled 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 56 games.
- In five playoff games, he scored three goals, including one game winner, and added an assist.
- His 39 points ranked fourth on the team, while his 14 goals and 25 assists tied for fourth.
- During his first full season with Cedar Rapids, he skated in 60 games and notched 20 goals and 20 assists for 40 points.
- Played in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (Dubuque, Iowa) and helped Team East to a 7-4 win by scoring a goal and adding an assist (his goal was assisted by future Irish teammate Dennis Gilbert).
- Attended the Noble and Greenough School (Dedham, Massachusetts) from 2011-14 and totaled 89 points (34-55-89) over three seasons (83 GP).
- Served as team captain for Noble and Greenough during the 2013-14 season.
- Also played for the Boston Jr. Bruins (2012-13), netting 12 goals and six assists for 18 points in 12 games.
- He started his Cedar Rapids career in 2012-13, playing in five games to end the season.
TORY DELLO (D)
Crystal Lake, Illinois | Tri-City Storm (USHL) | 6-1 | 190
- Served as the team captain in 2015-16 and led Tri-City to the Clark Cup Championship – the first in team history.
- Selected as the USHL’s 2016 Curt Hammer Award winner, which is presented annually to recognize the player who distinguishes himself both on and off the ice by demonstrating outstanding performance skills, leadership, pride and determination.
- In the playoff run to the 2016 Clark Cup, played in 11 games and notched five points on two goals and three assists while also posting a +6 rating.
- In 50 regular-season games, he scored three goals and added nine assists for 12 points while also totaling 94 penalty minutes and a +19 rating.
- Finished his Tri-City career with regular-season totals of 152 games, 36 points (7-29-36), 186 penalty minutes and a +22 rating.
- Played in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (Dubuque, Iowa) for Team West and faced future Irish teammates Cal Burke and Dennis Gilbert.
- Served as the captain for Team USA at the 2013-14 Five Nations Tournament (U-17), helping lead the squad to the gold medal (4 GP, 0-1-1, 10 PIM).
- Was also an alternate captain for Team USA at the 2014-15 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (U-18), helping Team USA to the bronze medal (5 GP, 0-2-2, 6 PIM).
- Prior to joining Tri-City, Dello played with the Chicago Mission.
CALE MORRIS (G)
Larkspur, Colorado | Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL) | 6-1 | 193
- Played the past three seasons in the USHL, beginning with the Chicago Steel and most recently with the Waterloo Black Hawks.
- Morris played the 2013-14 season with Chicago and opened the 2014-15 season with the Steel before being traded to Waterloo.
- Played in 38 regular-season games in 2015-16 and posted a 20-12-1-2 record (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) to go along with a 2.47 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
- In nine playoff games in 2016, posted a 5-4-0 record and a 2.50 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.
- Played in the 2015-16 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and became the fifth goaltender all-time to not allow a goal as he stopped all 12 shots he faced.
- Was named a 2014-15 USHL Third Team All-Star after posting a 27-15-4 record to finish tied for second among USHL goaltenders in victories.
- He also ranked second with a .920 save percentage, third with a 2.41 goals against-average and tied for first with four shutouts.
- After being acquired in January (2014), he posted a 19-6-3 record with a 1.85 goals against-average and .937 save percentage in 28 appearances for Waterloo.
- Played for the Colorado Thunderbirds before joining the Chicago Steel.
CAMERON MORRISON (F)
Aurora, Ontario | Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) | 6-3 | 200
- Played his first season in the USHL with Youngstown in 2015-16 and was named the USHL’s Rookie of the Year after scoring 34 goals and adding 32 assists for 66 points in 60 regular-season games.
- Morrison was also named a First Team USHL All-Star and he was selected to the All-Rookie First Team.
- He led all rookies in goals and points and his 34 goals also ranked third overall in the league.
- Earned USHL Rookie of the Week honors twice (Nov. 2 & April 11).
- Ranked 46th among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting ratings (2016).
- He was the youngest player in the 2016 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (Omaha, Nebraska) and scored a goal to help Team East to a 6-2 victory.
- Morrison competed with Team Canada at the IIHF U-18 World Championship, where he scored a goal and added three assists for four points in seven games.
- He was invited to the 2016 NHL Scouting Combine at the First Niagara Center and the Harbor Center in Buffalo, New York (May 30-June 4).
- Prior to joining Youngstown, Morrison skated with the Aurora Tigers of the OJHL.
MICHAEL O’LEARY (F)
Halifax, Nova Scotia | Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) | 6-1 | 196
- Played his first USHL season in 2015-16 and helped Dubuque reach the Clark Cup Championship series.
- During the regular season, O’Leary had eight goals and 19 assists for 27 points in 59 games.
- In the playoffs, O’Leary netted four goals and three assists for seven points in 12 games and tied for Dubuque’s leading rookie scorer in the run to the championship series.
- Played in the 2015-16 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and scored a goal and added three assists for a four-point night to help lead Team East to a 6-2 win over Team West.
- Prior to joining Dubuque, he played high school hockey for the Salisbury School (Salisbury, Connecticut) from 2013-15, while also skating with the Connecticut Wolf Pack.
- With Salisbury, he scored 11 goals and added 20 assists in 58 games while helping the team to back-to-back New England Prep School Championships (2014 & 2015).
- Played for Team Canada White at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and registered an assist in five games.
- Played with the Halifax ACCEL Hawks Major Bantam program (NSMBHL) before attending the Salisbury School.
ANDREW PEEKE (D)
Parkland, Florida | Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) | 6-3 | 205
- Played in 56 regular-season games for the Gamblers in 2015-16, his first season in the USHL, and scored four goals and added 26 assists for 30 points.
- Named the USHL’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and also was named to the USHL’s All-Rookie First Team.
- His 30 points ranked second in rookie scoring among defensemen, while his 26 assists ranked fifth among all rookies.
- In four playoff games, scored a goal and added an assist for two points.
- Played in the 2015-16 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (Omaha, Nebraska).
- Ranked 57th among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting ratings (2016).
- Invited to the 2016 NHL Scouting Combine at the First Niagara Center and the Harbor Center in Buffalo, New York (May 30-June 4).
- Skated for Team USA in the 2015-16 World Junior A Challenge (U-19), where he notched a goal and an assist as USA captured the bronze medal.
- Also played for Team USA at the 2015-16 15 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (U-18), where he notched an assist in four games.
- Prior to joining the Gamblers, he skated with the Selects Academy (South Kent, Connecticut) and he was named the 2014-15 USPHL 18U Defensive Player of the Year.
— ND —
Dan Colleran, associate athletics communications director at the University of Notre Dame, has been a part of Fighting Irish Media since August 2015 and coordinates all media and publicity efforts surrounding the Notre Dame hockey and men’s golf programs. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Colleran spent the previous three years working with the men’s hockey and soccer programs at Providence College. Colleran also spent two years as an Assistant Executive Director of Communications & Championships at the Ivy League and is a graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08G).