PLYMOUTH, N.H. – With the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World University Games set to begin in roughly two weeks, a second member of the Plymouth State University men's ice hockey team has been selected to compete for his national team, as senior Lukas Holmqvist (Lerum, Sweden) will skate with Team Sweden.
 
Holmqvist, who moved to forward this winter after playing as a defenseman the last three seasons, joins classmate Myles Abbate in the games. Abbate was chosen as an alternate for Team USA and could still added to the official roster prior to the submission date of January 10.
 
Holmqvist will suit up with MASCAC rival Tom Skold of Westfield State. Skold has been named captain of the team by head coach Johan Kling, a former player at Bethel.
 
"We are so proud of Lukas for this incredible honor," said head coach Craig Russell. "Anytime you get to wear your country's colors and represent them in international competition it's a tremendous accomplishment. We'll miss Lukas while he's gone but look forward to watching him represent team Sweden."
 
The 12-team tournament kicks off on January 11, with Sweden competing in Pool A at SUNY-Canton Rink with Canada, Japan, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Latvia. Team USA is part of Pool B with Great Britain, Korea, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, and Hungary, and will play its round robin games at Cheel Rink at Clarkson University.
 
The top two teams from each pool will move on to the medal round at Herb Brooks Arena at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, January 21, with the gold medal game, which will be broadcast live on ESPN, taking place on January 22.
 
The winter FISU World University Games is held every two years as a celebration of international university sports and culture. With several thousand student-athletes competing in each event edition, the FISU World University Games is among the world's largest winter multi-sports competition.
 

Release courtesy of Plymouth State Sports Information