As fans file into Marano Campus Center Ice Arena for Saturday’s game, sophomore goalie David Jacobson will be preparing for his first game with the Oswego State Lakers after transferring from Arizona State University.

Born and raised in Calabasas, California, the opportunities to play ice hockey were limited. Jacobson recalls that his Russian heritage prompted him to play soccer, but once he was exposed to the rink he fell in love with the sport picking up the game at the age of four.

“At this point [hockey] is something that I’ve fallen in love with and I don’t just see it as a sport anymore,” Jacobson said. “It’s my entire life and I don’t know what I’d do without hockey.”

Jacobson was recruited to play for Arizona State University for the 2015-2016 season. While playing for ASU, he had a 3.32 goals against average, a total of 146 saves, creating a .912 percentage, and .500 win percentage. He was also the first goalie in ASU history to record a shutout.

Although he was doing remarkably well as a freshman recruit, Jacobson did not get as much playing time as the other two goalies.

“I didn’t get the opportunity as I felt to play so at that point I decided to make a change,” Jacobson said. “It was a great experience, but I’m just so happy to be out of there and here playing.”

Jacobson heard of Oswego State because his best friend from home, T.J Sneath, and teammate, Kristoffer Brun.

“I met each one of the players and the coaching staff and I felt right at home,” Jacobson said. “I felt this was the best place I could have ever went.”

According to Jacobson, transitioning from a Div. I team to a Div. III team was fairly easy.

“I felt so welcomed by each of the players and the coaching staff,” he added.

Jacobson is excited to play for the Lakers in the 2016-2017 season, and will also play in the Maccabi Games in the summer of 2017.

The Maccabi Games will be going on its 20th year in 2017. The games are said to be comparable to the Olympics, a sporting event for athletes of Jewish heritage. According to their website, their main goal is to connect the athletes with their customs through athletics. Jacobson will be playing for the United States team.

“I’ve never been more excited to be a part of the team because of what I get to represent,” Jacobson said. “First you get to represent your country and you also get to represent your faith.”

Jacobson got recruited for the team through conversation with the coaches and sending in footage of himself. The coaches saw potential and decided to add him to the 2017 USA Hockey Maccabi Games roster.

“It is an unbelievable opportunity for not only me, but other athletes,” Jacobson said.

Gearing up for this season with the Lakers, according to Jacobson, one of his main goals is to play for his father, Jerry Jacobson.

“My dad is my biggest influence because he came in from Russia with pretty much nothing and he worked hard to become a lawyer into take care of our family,” Jacobson said. “I dedicate my college performances to my dad.”

According to Jacobson, his biggest on ice supporters would have to be the two other goalies, Cedric Hansen and Matt Zawadzki.

“We’re fortunate enough to have three goalies collectively that could easily play every game this year,” Jacobson said. “Each one of us influences each other to play better, work harder, and practice harder on the ice every single day and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

On the ice, Jacobson claims to be calm and collected, which could be his greatest strength.

“I’m very positionally sound and technical,” Jacobson said. “My favorite strength is my puck handling abilities.”

With Family and Friends weekend beginning Friday, Jacobson prepares to go in with a good attitude and a positive outlook.

“This is a whole new year,” Jacobson said. “We’re going to go out, be a team, play well as a team and if we can do those things I think we’ll be fine,”

Jacobson said he wants to have fun and give them the best chance to win, regardless of whether he is playing. He feels this year’s team has a lot of potential and wants to do whatever he can to help the team win down the stretch.