International Falls senior defenseman Willie Corrin likes the idea of staying close to home and joining a program that has produced some top-level defensemen in recent years. That led him to making a commitment to Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, likely for the 2012-13 school year.

     Corrin, 18, who is 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 26 games this season for the Broncos. He’s expected to play two years with the Fargo (N.D.) Force of the U.S. Hockey League before joining UMD.

     "I’ve always wanted to go to UMD, the coaching staff there is very good in working with defensemen, and there’s a good chance of playing on a national-caliber team there," Corrin said Tuesday.

     International Falls coach John Prettyman said Corrin is a raw talent with skill. Corrin has been on the varsity for three seasons and was a tri-captain in 2009-10 (he’s also the baseball captain).

      "He’s got a great shot and great feet, he’s run our power play the last two years and he’s extremely competitive," said Prettyman.

     Corrin was a three-time Minnesota Associated Press All-State honorable mention pick, and was on the 2010 News Tribune All-Area second team. He had a goal and an assist in the Ted Brill Great 8 tournament which finished Sunday in South St. Paul.

     Recent UMD defensemen include Matt Niskanen of the Dallas Stars and Jason Garrison of the Florida Panthers, Josh Meyers with Abbotsford (British Columbia)in the American Hockey League and Evan Oberg with Manitoba of the AHL.

     Corrin said he had scholarship offers from Northern Michigan and Nebraska-Omaha, where his uncle, Dean Blais, is head coach.

      Minnesota Hockey Hub posted this story Tuesday on defenseman Willie Corrin of International Falls making a commitment to Minnesota Duluth:

When Willie Corrin has the puck on his stick, he isn’t so much a defenseman as a Learjet with the go-ahead for takeoff.
      With the rink serving as his runway, Corrin’s end-to-end rushes have propelled him not just to high school stardom in his hometown International Falls but made him a standout in the seemingly unending array of elite and all-star tournaments in which he has been invited.

All that flash and flair didn’t go unnoticed by college recruiters, as Corrin turned down scholarship offers from Northern Michigan and Nebraska-Omaha before verbally committing to play at Minnesota Duluth.

Corrin made his decision on Saturday, March 27, while in the Twin Cities to participate in the Ted Brill Great 8 High School Festival. UMD assistant coach Brett Larson originally called Corrin with the offer and a recommendation to take some time to think it over.

The puck again squarely on his stick, Corrin knew immediately where he was headed.

“I walked into the St. Cloud State-Wisconsin (NCAA regional tournament game at the Xcel Energy Center), then called him back and said I wanted to be a Bulldog,” Corrin said.

The eventful weekend for Corrin continued with an appearance in Sunday’s championship game of the Great 8, an eight-team tournament created to showcase the state’s top seniors. Corrin, playing for Section 7, made a half-dozen or so of those signature jet-fueled rushes and scored a power-play goal on a blistering shot from the point in a 5-2 title-game loss to Section 4.

He finished the tournament with two goals and an assist, playing well enough to draw an inquiry from the Minnesota coaching staff.

     This story on Monday from Minnesota Hockey Hub concerning Willie Corrin of International Falls making a commitment to Minnesota Duluth: