15-year-old verbally commits to UM men’s hockey for 2010

The University of Maine men’s hockey program has landed a prolific center who plays for the Compuware Midget Minor Elite Under-16 team in Plymouth, Mich.

Stuart Higgins, the third-leading scorer in the Midwest Elite League with 15 goals and 18 assists in 21 games, has verbally committed to attend Maine beginning in the 2010-2011 season.

In addition to Maine, Higgins also visited Michigan, Michigan State and Miami of Ohio.

“I felt comfortable at Maine,” said the 15-year-old Higgins. “I thought the town was pretty simple and something I could manage. It was an up-north place, like northern Michigan. And the coaches were four-for-four. All four of them were great guys.”

The 5-foot-8, 155-pound Higgins is coached by former Black Bear winger Todd Jenkins, and Jenkins said Higgins will be an “impact player” at Maine.

“He has a lot of assets,” said Jenkins. “He has a good feel for the game. He’s quick. He cuts as well as anybody I’ve ever seen and he has the best two-, three-step combination right out of the gate. He isn’t very big, but he plays big. He’s a fierce competitor who will go into the corner with bigger guys and come out with the puck.”

Higgins, who is hoping to earn a spot with the USA National Team Development Program’s Under-17 team next season, has to be accepted to the school and meet NCAA Clearinghouse requirements to attend Maine.