COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The NCAA Men’s Frozen Four will have a distinct American presence again with 84 of the 107 players on the rosters of Boston University, Providence College, the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University of North Dakota having developed their game within the United States.

Fifty-nine players competing in the tournament have roots in the United States Hockey League, including all four of the likely starting goaltenders in the event. The USHL is the only Tier I junior league in the United States and includes the two teams that make up USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. 

The NCAA Men’s Frozen Four begins Thursday (April 9) at TD Garden in Boston, with Providence taking on Nebraska-Omaha followed by Boston University facing North Dakota. Thursday's semifinals will air live on ESPN2, while Saturday's title game will be televised live on ESPN.

Among the Frozen Four participants, 11 have skated for a U.S. National Team – including the U.S. National Junior Team and the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team – and have combined to win 11 medals in International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship play.

There are 10 players with connections to USA Hockey’s Tier II North American Hockey League. Additionally, 13 players have a background in USA Hockey’s Tier III leagues, including the Eastern Junior Hockey League, Eastern Hockey League, and United States Premier Hockey League.

Collectively, 21 states and the District of Columbia will be represented by players in the Frozen Four, including Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin.

Twenty-seven American players competing in the Frozen Four have been drafted by National Hockey League teams.

NOTES: Tucker Poolman (North Dakota) received USA Hockey’s Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year award in 2013 … Brian O’Rourke (Nebraska-Omaha) helped Green Bay win the 2010 USHL Clark Cup, significant of the league’s playoff championship. North Dakota teammates Trevor Olson, Jordan Schmaltz, and Nick Schmaltz helped Green Bay win the 2012 Clark Cup. Brian Pinho (Providence) helped Indiana win the 2014 Clark Cup. Kyle McKenzie (Providence) helped Dubuque win the Clark Cup twice (2011, 2013). Providence teammates Tom Parisi and Conor MacPhee helped New Hampshire win the 2012 NAHL Gary Dineen Cup, significant of the league’s playoff championship.  … All three of the 2015 Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalists are American-born players with developmental roots in the U.S., including Jack Eichel (Boston University/USHL), Zane McIntyre (North Dakota/USHL), and Jimmy Vesey (Harvard/EJHL) … Dean Blais, head coach of Nebraska-Omaha, has served in a variety of coaching roles for USA Hockey, including head coach of the gold medal-winning 2010 U.S. National Junior Team. A five-time member of the U.S. National Junior Team coaching staff (head coach: 1993, 2010, 2012; assistant coach: 1988, 1989), he was also an assistant coach on the 2000 U.S. Men’s National Team. Additionally, he served as head coach of the USHL’s Fargo Force from 2007-09 … Dave Hakstol, head coach of North Dakota, served as head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers from 1996-2000 … Nate Leaman, head coach of Providence, served as an assistant coach on the 2007 and 2009 U.S. Junior National Teams. In 2007, he helped lead the team to a bronze medal … David Quinn, head coach of Boston University, worked in that same role for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program from 2002-04. He also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Team at four IIHF World Championships – two with the men’s team (2007, 2012) and two with the women’s squad (1999, 2000). Quinn helped the women earn the silver medal at both tournaments. He also skated for the 1986 U.S. National Junior Team that captured bronze at the 1986 IIHF World Junior Championship … Steve Greeley, associate head coach at Boston University, served as Eastern Regional Scout for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program from 2009-12 … Mike Geragosian, assistant coach at Boston University, also serves as the director of development for goaltenders for USA Hockey in Massachusetts … Troy Jutting, assistant coach at Nebraska-Omaha, served as head coach for the U.S. Under-18 Team that claimed its first-ever championship at the 2003 Under-18 World Cup … Scott Young, director of hockey operations at Boston University, skated on three U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Teams, including the 2002 squad that earned a silver medal. A member of the U.S. team that claimed gold at the inaugural World Cup of Hockey in 1996, he also represented Team USA in two World Championships (1987, 1994) and three World Junior Championships (1986, 1986, 1987).