Michael Lilya '18 Recruiting Profile

My collegiate goal is to graduate with a degree in Commercial Aviation and become an airline pilot. I have always been interested in flying planes. My mother said the first words I ever spoke was "plane". I also love the game of hockey. I have been playing since the age of 6. I have wanted to play collegiate hockey since as far back as I can remember.

I have always been a 'competitive' team player, whereas I usually produce more assists than goals, but if I have the chance to put the puck in the net I won't pass it up either. I have played on many different levels of hockey from mites through varsity as well as a couple AAA hockey teams. This has afforded me the opportunity to play with and learn from athletes who have come from different programs.  As a result of the variety of different coaches I've played for, I have become very good at the "European Style" of playing hockey as well as the traditional "North American Style" therefore I can be inserted into most any program whatever the collage coach runs and be able to fit right into that scheme.

I grew up in a hockey household with all my brothers and sister playing the game. 2 of my brothers have serious health conditions which for my older brother made him stop playing. My younger brother is a paraplegic, who plays sled hockey and has been to the Olympic Development Camp twice and he's only 14 now. Because of this I have always stood up for the underdog. I have lots of compassion and empathy because I have been there.

I am a multi-sport athlete that stays in hockey shape by running 1/2 marathons, varsity track and tri-Athlons.

I am an extremely hard worker who listens, learns and never stops trying to make my game and myself better.