32 | JANUARY 6 • 2022 

California from 2016-18, 
helping Detroit win a bronze 
medal in Miami.
Berke’s hockey career 
began not too many years 
after he was born.
After playing for several 
years in the Novi Youth 
Hockey Association, then in 
the Compuware and Victory 
Honda travel programs, he 
began his junior hockey days 
with a two-season stay with 
the Atlanta Capitals in the 
NA3HL, scoring 13 goals 
and dishing out 16 assists 
during the 2019-20 and 
2020-21 seasons.
A coaching change in 
Atlanta had Berke looking 
for greener pastures, so the 
6-foot-1, 180-pounder tried 
out for the Tier II Hitmen 
team in the NCDC (National 
Collegiate Development 
Conference).
He didn’t make the 
team. His USPHL Premier 
Division rights belonged 
to the Bridgewater 
(Massachusetts) Bandits, but 
the Hitmen made a trade for 
him, which is what Berke 
wanted.
Berke has been practic-
ing with the Tier II Hitmen 
team, which is loaded with 
Division I college players.
If all goes well, he’ll play 
for the Tier II Hitmen team 
next season in his final year 
of junior hockey eligibility, 
which would be a huge step 
toward realizing his dream 
of being a Division I college 
hockey player.
“Ryan is definitely a Tier 
II prospect,” Manochio said. 
“I’d be shocked if he didn’t 
make our Tier II team next 
season. Our Tier III team 
mirrors what our Tier II 
team does, so Ryan already 
has that knowledge.”

Berke began this season 
playing on a line with wing-
ers Jack Noel and Teppei 
Ueno, who temporarily left 
the Hitmen to join Team 
Japan for the World Junior 
Championship, which began 
Dec. 26 in Estonia.
Nolan Patrick was signed 
by the Hitmen and joined 
the line with Berke and Noel. 
The trio has been practically 
unstoppable since Patrick 
climbed on board.
“Those three guys clicked 
immediately. Flawlessly,” 
Manochio said. “Each guy 
has energy, smiles a lot, loves 
being at the rink and is into 
the new-age creativity of 
hockey players. They’re also 
close off the ice.”
Berke agrees.
“Our line has amazing 
chemistry,” he said.
The Hitmen were 11-13-2 
before the holiday break. But 
they got off to a slow start 
with just 14 players on the 
roster and Manochio being 
named coach just before the 
start of the season.
With 27 players on the 
roster now and lots of talent-
ed players, the Hitmen are 
looking for a strong finish to 
the regular season and a long 
playoff run.
“We expect to get 12, 13, 
14 wins in our last 18 regu-
lar-season games,” Manochio 
said.
Berke’s parents are Mark 
and Alisa Berke. Mark 
Berke was Ryan’s coach for 
many years on youth hockey 
teams.
Ryan’s sister Linsday, 17, is 
an outstanding tennis player 
at North Farmington. 

Please send sports news to 

stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

H

illel International, 
the largest Jewish 
campus organization 
in the world, recognized out-
standing Hillel professionals 
and campus Hillels who are 
leading the way in creating 
innovative programming and 
strengthening campus com-
munities during this chal-
lenging time. Among those 
Hillel recognized this year 
was Robyn Hughey, associate 
director of MSU Hillel and 
the Hillel Campus Alliance 
of Michigan (HCAM).
Hillel International named 
Robyn Hughey a Richard M. 
Joel Exemplar of Excellence, 
which honors professionals 
in various stages of their 
careers whose remarkable 
passion and outstanding 
devotion to the Jewish 
campus community enrich 
the lives of Hillel students, 
ensures that the organization 
reflects a culture of excel-
lence and sets a standard 
for all Hillel professionals to 
emulate. Hughey was one of 
eight professionals to receive 
this award.
“Robyn Hughey represents 
Hillel at its best: uplifting 
and inspiring students, and 
building a thriving Jewish 
student community,” said 
Hillel International President 
and CEO Adam Lehman. 
“Hillel’s mission is more 
important now than ever, 
which is why we’re elated to 
honor leaders, like Robyn, 
who go above and beyond in 
bettering the lives of Jewish 
students and their campus 
communities.” 

The awardees, chosen 
because of how they symbol-
ize Hillel’s culture of excel-
lence, were honored before 
a virtual audience of over 
1,000 Hillel professionals 
from around the world as 
part of Hillel International’s 
Global Assembly, an annual 
event that brings leaders 
together for professional 
development and network-
ing.
 “On behalf of MSU Hillel, 
the Hillel Campus Alliance 
of Michigan, and thousands 
of Jewish students state-
wide, I am very proud of 
Robyn’s success and recog-
nition with this award. She 
works tirelessly to support 
Jewish life on campus and 
greatly impacts the work 
we do every day,” said MSU 
Hillel and HCAM Executive 
Director Cindy Hughey. 

Hillel International 
Honors MSU’s 
Robyn Hughey

Robyn 
Hughey

continued from page 31
sports HIGHlights

