Western Collegiate Hockey Association

Feb. 22, 2007

There are players on this team from all over the place - California, New York, Illinois, Nova Scotia, and even Austria.

Then there are guys like senior Nate Raduns, who's hails from just over the Mississippi River and a couple of minutes drive north, in Sauk Rapids. Raduns is one of four players from the St. Cloud Metro playing for the Huskies this season, a figure which includes fellow Sauk Rapids resident Ryan Peckskamp.

Being so close to home makes it easier for the family to keep up.

"My family comes to every game," says Raduns, "especially these last few weekends where my extended family will be here because these are my last few games. My parents haven't missed a game yet this season. I've really enjoyed it here, and I'd do it again in a heart beat."

There are some things which are easier with family around, but Raduns says that there are some drawbacks to playing so close to home.

"It's been good. When you're playing well, it's really good, but when you're playing bad it's worse than it is for most guys, I think, because you really don't have anywhere to hide when you're out on the ice. There are a lot more people in the stands who know you and know who you are."

Raduns got his start in the sport at an early age.

"I was maybe four or five years old and started in mites. I played in Sauk Rapids all the way up to playing at Sauk Rapids High School for two years, and then I went to juniors."

Like many of his teammates, Raduns excelled at multiple sports during his high school years. During his senior year at Sauk Rapids High, he was an All-Section pick in football.

But where Raduns truly shined was on the ice. In his junior year of high school, he was selected for the US National Development Team, where he played 62 games in 2001-02. The next season, with River City of the USHL, Raduns collected 26 points in 59 games for the Lancers.

Staying Home
With the National Hockey Center just a few miles away displaying Division I hockey, Raduns did not pass on the opportunity to watch the Huskies play. Growing up, he was friends with Brooks Meierhofer, the son of NHC manager Joe Meierhofer, and the two rarely missed seeing the Huskies in action. Before he became a Husky, he was, without a doubt, a Husky fan.

"I think there was a stretch there for a couple of seasons where Brooks and I would come to just about every game. It was nice to come in here and see Husky hockey at a young age, because it gave me something to shoot for. It made playing college hockey a goal of mine, and in the back of my mind I always thought of how nice it would be to play at St. Cloud State."

When the team of his youth came calling, Raduns didn't hesitate for a moment.

"I was very fortunate to get the chance to play here. I took it in a second and haven't looked back since."

Since coming to St. Cloud State, Raduns has defined himself as one of the top defensive forwards in the league, although he's had his share of successes on offense, too. During his first season, he crashed Michigan Tech's party in their annual Winter Carnival games in February, when he scored the first three goals of his career in leading SCSU to a weekend sweep. He was named Winter Carnival MVP for his efforts.

One of Raduns' most visible contributions, however, has been on the penalty kill. Arguably the team's top penalty killer, Raduns takes a blue-collar attitude with him when skating down a player.

"Penalty killing is just hard work and being smart about things. It makes it easier when our coaches go over the other team's power play and they show us how to break it down and basically how to kill it off successfully. It's just hard work and keeping your head on a swivel.

"My size helps, and having a longer stick lets me take away passing range."

As soon as the two minutes goes up on the board for St. Cloud, check out the faceoff circle.

"[Coach Bob Motzko] will usually put me and Nate Dey out there first, since other teams will usually put their top unit out first."

Off the Ice
Raduns' name has been a mainstay on the St. Cloud State Dean's List since his arrival. With a sky-high GPA as an economics major, Raduns has attracted attention for his exploits in the classroom, with several WCHA academic awards to his name (most recently the 2007 WCHA Scholar-Athelete award).

"I took high school seriously, but with hockey and everything, I kind of got it into my head that wherever I went to school, it would be for hockey. Once I got to college, I saw things get a lot more serious. I take a lot of pride in being able to excel at both hockey and my studies. I work hard at it and it's paid off."

He's approaching graduation, but the learning does not stop for Nate Raduns.

"I've applied to grad schools, and I've already been accepted to one. I've looked around at jobs too, but if I'm not playing hockey, I think I'd like to go off to grad school for a few years."

With hockey and class taking up so much time, you'd think Raduns would have little time for anything else, but he manages to find even more ways to contribute. His volunteer work over the past several years led to being recognized as a semi-finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award. Although he did not make the final cut, the recognition is just another off-the-ice honor which shows just how multi-faceted Raduns is.

"I've done a number of things, but the biggest thing is that for a few summers I volunteered at a shelter for battered women here in the area. It's little things like that, putting in time here and there that really make a difference."

Raduns loves the game, but he is open to starting a new chapter in his life at the end of the season, and why not - he's certainly got a lot going for him.

"If I play really well here at the end and some kind of offer comes along that's good enough to take, I'd love to keep playing. I've been playing hockey my whole life and I'd like to keep playing, but if I don't get an offer or I don't have anything at the end of the year, grad school is still a great option for me."

The Nate Raduns File

Favorite Hockey Moment: "Last year playing in the Final Five. We only took second place, but it was quite the experience to have such a great season, especially at the end. Going out to Colorado to beat them, then Duluth and Minnesota, it was just great and I'd like to be able to do the same thing this year, but obviously take it home this time."

Favorite Pasttime: "In the summertime, I play a lot of tennis. During the school year, my roommate and I will watch a lot of Seinfeld and play NHL 07 on the PlayStation."

Favorite Food: "Surf and turf. Steak and lobster."

Favorite Book: "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey

Favorite Movie: "I just watched The Departed, that was an excellent movie."