All-Time Winningest Ferris State Goaltender CJ Motte Inks With New York Islanders' Top Affiliate

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Big Rapids, Mich. - A second senior from the Ferris State University men's ice hockey program has inked a professional contract as the school's all-time winningest goaltender CJ Motte (St. Clair, Mich.) signed today with the American Hockey League's (AHL) Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Motte, 23, inked with Bridgeport as a college free agent following four seasons between the pipes at Ferris State. He was inked for the rest of the 2014-15 campaign as the Sound Tigers reassigned goaltender Kent Simpson to the Stockton Thunder of the East Coast Hockey League.

Bridgeport is the primary AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) New York Islanders and based in Bridgeport, Conn. The organization plays its home contests at Webster Bank Arena.

The 6'0, 177-pound netminder spent the past four years at Ferris State and led the Bulldogs to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Final Five each of the past two seasons. He posted a .922 save percentage and a 2.07 goals against average as a senior in 2014-15 while leading the nation with 2,435 total minutes in net. This past year, Motte also became the first goaltender in school history to serve as team captain.

Motte concluded his Bulldog career as the school's all-time leader in career goaltending victories with a 66-49-12 overall record. He had a personal career-best 28-9-3 mark while ranking among the nation's leaders in 2013-14 as FSU won the WCHA regular-season championship and came within a game of the NCAA Frozen Four for the second time in three seasons.

During his four seasons with the Bulldogs, Motte helped lead Ferris State to two conference regular-season championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances and was a member of the FSU squad that reached the national championship game at the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four. He finished with a career 2.13 goals against average and .926 save percentage in 127 appearances between the pipes while making 3,394 saves and a school-record 15 shutouts. Motte also contributed six assists in his collegiate career while playing nearly every game in net for FSU the last three seasons.

A two-time All-WCHA honoree, Motte was a national top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2013-14 and has twice been both among the nominees for the Hobey Baker and the Mike Richter Goaltender of the Year honor. He's also currently one of 10 national finalists for the Senior CLASS Award honoring the nation's top player both on and off the ice. A year ago, he was presented the National Premier Player of the Year Award in college hockey and also chosen as Ferris State's Bulldog of the Year recipient for top male student-athlete.

Before attending Ferris State, Motte suited up for the Waterloo (Iowa) Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League and previously played in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Traverse City North Stars.

Motte joins fellow Bulldog senior defenseman Jason Binkley, who inked with the East Coast Hockey League's (ECHL) South Carolina Stingrays today, in moving to the professional ranks.

A record number of former Ferris State skaters have signed professional contracts over the past two years with FSU well-represented in nearly every professional league across North America and beyond.