UMD Athletics

AS A BULLDOG: Is intent on making his farewell season at UMD his best yet ... was one of of eight 2016-17 Bulldogs to take part in all 42 games and had three goals and eight assists (for the third straight year) to show for it ... struck once on the power play last winter and set career best for shots (62) and blocks (20) as well ... put the clamps on a 69-game goal-less skid (which stretched back to October 2015) on March 4, 2017 and then proceeded to score twice more in the next three outings (the NCHC quarterfinal round playoff finale with Miami and the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal triumph over Western Michigan six days later) ... owned UMD's best faceoff percentage (.526) as a junior ... received his third NCHC All-Academic Team citation in 2016-17 ... put up 10 points in 39 appearances as a sophomore ... potted his two goals that winter in back-to-back clashes with Minnesota on Oct. 16-17, 2015 ... attended the 2016 Chicago Blackhawk Prospect Camp over the summer ... prospered in his new hockey surroundings three seasons ago while centering  -- at one time or another -- the Bulldogs' fourth, third and No. 1 lines  .... his rookie year offensive harvest consisted of five goals and eight assists ... also generated a plus-minus rating of +6 ... competed in 39 of UMD's 40 outings that season (was a healthy scratch for the Ice Breaker Tournament's third place game against Notre Dame on the opening weekend of the year) ... buried a pair of goals in the Bulldogs' 6-2 triumph at Minnesota State-Mankato on Oct. 28, 2015 -- his lone multi-point effort to date ... landed the NCHC's Rookie of the Week Award after scoring twice (including one game winner) and assisting on another goal in UMD's two-game sweep of Northern Michigan on Feb. 6-7, 2015 at AMSOIL Arena ... won more faceoffs (175) than all but one NCHC freshman (Omaha's Tyler Vesel).
BEFORE UMD: Reigned as Sioux City’s regular season scoring champion in 2013-14 ... produced 60 points -- to place 11th among all United States Hockey League combatants -- on 19 goals and 41 assists in 58 outings with nearly a third of that harvest coming on the power play (three goals and a Musketeer-best 16 assists) ... was a 2013-14 midseason USHL All-Star (Western Conference second team) ... made quite a splash as a USHL rookie, producing 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points (second among all full-time Musketeers) ... a team-high 11 of his 18 goals were registered while Sioux City had the man advantage ... played under head coach Brett Larson, now a UMD assistant, during his maiden USHL season ... starred at Hermantown High School for three seasons before moving on to the USHL ... helped lead the Hawks to three runner-up finishes at the Minnesota State High School Class A Tournament ... was an Associated Press All-State first team selection and a Mr. Minnesota Hockey finalist as a senior in 2011-12 ... twice secured All-Lake Superior Conference acclaim (2011 and 2012) ... captained the Hawks to an undefeated regular season, a 30-1 overall record (which set a team mark for wins) and second place at the 2012 Minnesota State Class A Tournament ... also was a three-year standout on the prep baseball diamond (shortstop and pitcher) and participated in the 2012 Minnesota Lions All-Star Tournament. 
BULLDOG MILESTONES: First Game - vs. Minnesota (Oct. 10, 2014).  First Goal - at. Minnesota State-Mankato (Oct. 18, 2014). First Assist - vs. Denver (Oct. 25, 2014). Most Goals, Game - 2 vs. Minnesota State-Mankato (Oct. 18, 2014). Most Points, Game - 2 vs. Northern Michigan (Feb. 7, 2015) and Minnesota State-Mankato (Oct. 18, 2014). Most Shots, Game - 4 (Three Times). Longest Scoring Streak - 5 Games (Feb. 6-20, 2015).
PERSONAL: Born Jared R. Thomas in Duluth ... his UMD athletic bloodlines run deep -- his father, Mike, was an All-American offensive lineman for the Bulldogs while his mother, Kelli (Ritzer), received All-Northern Sun Conference recognition in both basketball (four times) and softball (three) and is a member of the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame (Class of 2001) ... his younger sister, Jordyn, is a freshman on both the Bulldog volleyball and basketball teams this season ... his uncle, Corey Thomas, also played both baseball and football for the Bulldogs and his late grandfather, Ron Thomas, was a four-year UMD football letterman (1954-57)  ... has two other younger siblings beside Jordyn (Jace and Justin) ... is majoring in organizational management at UMD.