Alex Botten joined historic company on Saturday when he scored the 100th point of his career with the Oswego State men’s ice hockey team.
Botten became just the 52nd player in Oswego State men’s ice hockey history to join the elite 100-point club after his three-point performance in the Lakers comeback win against No. 4 ranked SUNY Geneseo Ice Knights.
In his career, Botten has scored 29 goals and has 72 assists giving him 101 total points.
It is a major accomplishment for a collegiate hockey player to be a part of the 100-point club. Only players that have been playing at a high level for all four years have the chance of reaching such a milestone.
“It’s a pretty big honor considering the people that have been a part of the 100-point club are prestigious people,” Botten said. “A lot of hard work has gone into it.”
One of those prestigious players that has reached the 100-point club is Jon Whitelaw. Before Botten this year, Whitelaw was one of the last Oswego State players to reach the 100-point club, when he did so in 2013. Whitelaw is the current graduate assistant coach for the men’s hockey team and he has had an influence on all the players, including Botten.
“I’ve taken a lot of pointers from [Whitelaw],” Botten said. “He’s really worked me hard this year to get me to where I need to be, in physical and in mental shape.”
Botten has achieved a lot in his hockey career, but he considers being a part of the 100-point club to be his biggest accomplishment thus far.
“To be perfectly honest I probably would [consider being a part of the 100-point club to be my greatest accomplishment],” Botten said. “There’s been plenty of other milestones along the way, coming in and playing NCAA hockey, winning a championship in junior hockey was cool, but definitely to be a part of a great school tradition as well as to be able to put my name in Oswego history, to be remembered as a guy that could produce and have a good time here and help the team win as much as possible is great. So, it’s definitely the biggest accomplishment of mine.”
Botten is having a strong start to the season thanks to getting in better shape over the summer and having the opportunity to play with linemates who are on the same page as he is.
“I’m playing with Kenny [Neil] and [Shawn] Hulshof right now and those are two big name players that are always on the ice with me,” Botten said. “It’s a lot easier to play when you’re playing with guys that are the same caliber and quickness and think the game the same as you do.”
The trio currently leads Oswego State in scoring. Botten and Hulshof have eight points to their name, while Neil sits just behind them with seven. Botten and Hulshof are also in the top ten in all of Div. III men’s ice hockey in overall scoring.
Neil and Hulshof, as well as Matt Galati, are all on the verge of joining the 100-point club along with Botten this season.
Neil has a career total of 85 points, while Galati has 92 points. Hulshof is the next Laker closest to 100 points. He currently sits at 97 points in his Laker career. Hulshof scored a goal in Oswego State’s last game against SUNY Geneseo to pull within three points of being a part of the prestigious 100-point club.
“It would be an honor and hopefully I can get it done soon,” Hulshof said.
Hulshof, Neil and Galati all look to move closer toward that 100-point milestone during their next game on Nov. 11 against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons.
