A new era begins in the NCDC
A new era has officially begun for the Utah Outliers. The club has officially begun preparing for its inaugural season in the Tier 2 National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC).
The NCDC is the Tier 2 'tuition-free' division of the USPHL. The Utah Outliers now join the NCDC as founding members of the new NCDC West division, which will begin play in 2023-24. The addition of the new NCDC West division expands the footprint of the NCDC overall, providing more exceptional hockey and Tier 2 opportunities to qualified players around the globe. The NCDC East and West divisions will compete for a USPHL league championship in 2024.
Head Coach Paul Taylor is excited about embarking on a new chapter with the Outliers and competing in the NCDC. "Our organization is thrilled to join the NCDC next season, and we are now working to recruit some of the top 16-20 years old's from around the world. The opportunity to help develop and advance players to NCAA Div I and professional hockey is something we are thrilled to provide. We are confident we can give our athletes a first-class experience to help them achieve their hockey goals."
Since joining the USPHL three seasons ago, the Outliers have proven to be the powerhouse in the Mountain Division as they have captured 3-straight division titles. The coaching staff and its scouts have now begun working on identifying prospects who can help the organization continue its winning ways at the NCDC level.
"We have proven that we have a winning formula and therefore we want to find players who we believe will be a fit for our culture and who can help us continue our winning tradition," said Taylor. "There are certain characteristics and qualities that we will recruit for when deciding on players for our roster. We ultimately want talented players on the ice and high-character individuals off the ice."
The Outlier's future looks bright as they prepare for the NCDC and begin a new era of hockey in Utah. Although the team will play at a higher level next season with greater talent on the ice, the program's core values will remain in place to keep its championship identity. The team's culture, values, and operating model, referred to as the 'Outliers Way', has proven to be a powerful representation of consistency during their time in the USPHL. The club will look to further its positive trend as they move into Tier 2 hockey in the NCDC.
The Outliers will hold its Prospect ID Camp in Chicago on May 12-14. Interested participants can learn more and register for the camp on our NCDC camp page or click the link below.