Mason Katz '25 Recruiting Profile

My name is Mason Katz and I'm a 6'0" full-right goalie from New Jersey. I started playing hockey when I was 6 years old. I currently play for the NY Saints 16U AAA and Passaic Tech HS varsity teams. Playing goalie has taught me to be even-mannered and focused, which serves me well both on the ice and academically. I think these skills will help me succeed at my goal of playing NCAA hockey after high school. I like to be aggressive in the net and play the puck to help my teammates in the defensive zone.  My coaches say that I play with a lot of athleticism and that I am very fast-moving in the crease.

I was the starter during my freshman year at Passaic Tech. I shut out our opponent on opening day and led our team to its first-ever state tournament.  While that was very exciting, the disappointment of losing the county finals my freshman year helped me grow the most. That loss made me refine my focus and work harder to win the finals my sophomore year as well as become a stronger goalie who can compete at the NCAA level one day.  Playing in net and being the focal point of your team isn't always easy, but it's taught me how to be a good teammate, remain calm in stressful situations, and how important preparation is in hockey and in school.

I always try to pick up my teammates and help them out if they are struggling. In the locker room, I try to be respectful and responsible and help keep the team morale up. In school, I am a great student with a GPA of 4.12 and 2 honors and 2 AP classes during my junior year.

Off the ice, I work as a lifeguard during the summer. This helps in hockey by noticing small details that the average person wouldn’t notice.  This relates to goaltending because it helps me notice small details about the game such as the way sticks are positioned and passing lanes. During the winter, I work as a referee when I have time. This has helped show me a different aspect of the game which showed me to respect officials more because their job isn’t easy.