DiBenedetto then moved to play Juniors for Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League and later for the Amarillo Bulls of the North American Hockey League, where he served as Captain his final season.
After his junior career, Joey signed with the Curry College National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 3 program and played two seasons as a Colonels in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. While at Curry College, DiBenedetto studied Biology with a minor in Chemistry. He was also a member of the Tri Beta Honor Society, and an Academic All-American.
With a professional objective as a Medical Doctor, he transferred to the University of Utah to further his academic career. While at the U, he played two seasons for their American Collegiate Hockey Association Men’s Division 1 program. He will graduate in December 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Upon graduation, DiBenedetto plans to attend Medical School.
When asked why he wanted to be a hockey coach, DiBenedetto replied, “with my experience, I can aid the underclassman acclimate to being a college athletes. I was fortunate enough to play in highly competitive juniors and college leagues where I was able to observe and pick up a lot of hockey knowledge and life skills. I feel the biggest barrier in college hockey is the communication between the players and coaches; my hope is to act as a conduit to both, while teaching good academic and hockey habits along the way.”
“Adding Joey to our coaching staff will bring great value to our team. He is highly respected by the current players and will be a huge asset in the development of this program. I am honored that Joey has decided to return to the organization as a coach and help lead this team,” said Men’s Head Coach Morgan Feenie.
Utah Hockey would like to welcome Joey to the Men’s Coaching Staff and wish him the absolute best in the upcoming season!