Freshman Benincasa Has Become a Key Player for Ferris State
by Tyler Kuehl/CHN Reporter
(photo: Terry Ballard)
He might not be able to stand out in a crowd, but put Luigi Benincasa on skates, and he becomes one of the most notable figures in a game.
Standing at 5-foot-7, Benincasa is the smallest player on Ferris State’s roster, but do not let that fool you, the young forward has been playing big minutes during his freshman season.
Through 24 games, the Edmonton, Alberta, native has notched five goals and 14 assists for the Bulldogs, currently tied for second on the team in scoring. He was a big part of Ferris’ win this past Friday night against Lake Superior State, finding the back of the net twice, assisting on another in a 5-3 victory.
With some help from Spruce Grove Saints general manager Robert Sklaruk, Benincasa got onto Ferris head coach Bob Daniels’ radar after a successful run in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. With the Saints, he was named to the North Division All-Star Team last season. He says playing in the AJHL was essential in preparing him for the NCAA ranks, given the talent pool.
“There’s a lot of skill,” Benincasa said. “There’s a lot of players starting to take the college route a lot more. I think the skill, almost every year, goes up in that league. [Out west], it’s a different style of game. It’s almost a bit more of a heavier game … it’s more of a grinding game, with such high skill at the same time.”
He acknowledges that his size might be a concern to some, but he has managed to adjust his game to climb up the rungs of amateur hockey.
“You can’t use it as an excuse. My dad, when I was going into juniors, always said, it’s not like I was ever really that big. You kind of find other ways to make things work.”
During his recruiting process, Benincasa said he was in talks with Ferris to join the team before last season, but elected to stay in Spruce Grove for another campaign to better prepare himself for the collegiate game.
“I told them that if it doesn’t end up working out where I come [for 2022-23], I am always okay to wait a year and develop a little bit more, develop some strength and skill. I think playing a third year of junior hockey allowed me to have a better transition to college…
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