Nanaimo Clippers defenceman Mike Dopko has accepted an offer to play for the Iowa State Cyclones next season.
Dopko finished the season with the Clippers after joining the club from the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Makwa, Sask. product played last season and the start of this one in Manitoba before joining the Clippers in a trade.
“Mike's tremendous character was displayed when he was able to overcome a broken ankle shortly after being acquired from the Neepawa Natives of the MJHL,” said Clips associate coach Mike Olson. “Mike was very committed to doing everything he could to get himself back to 100 per cent and into the line-up.”The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder produced three assists in 24 games in Nanaimo while providing reliable defence and a physical presence on the Clippers blueline.
At Iowa State, Dopko joins a program that plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. While the majority of Cyclones athletic teams play NCAA Division I schedules, the hockey club does not but did play two exhibition games against St. Cloud State University last season.
The Cyclones hockey team is led by Al Murdoch who has been at the helm since 1969 and recently won his 1,000th game.
Dopko will join former BCHLers Erik Hudson, Brody Toigo and Brandon Clark at Iowa State.
