More than 200 of North America’s top high school and junior hockey players hit the ice this weekend at Hertz Arena for one of the most unique events in the sport: the Matterhorn Fit All-Ivy Showcase, an elite recruiting experience that blends high-level hockey with high academic expectations.
“This is my fifth and last year since I’m aging out,” said Tyler Palin, a former Bishop Verot student now playing junior hockey in Saskatchewan. “But it’s super cool. It’s unique. No one does it like this.”
Palin and fellow Floridian Jason Musa, who now skates in the USHL for Cedar Rapids, say the event has grown into something special.
“Every year, it’s attracting good kids from all over America and Canada,” Musa said. “Kids keep coming back because we love doing it.”
Founded by former NHL player and Cornell alumnus Ryan Vesce and his wife Kate Vesce, the event is driven by a mission: using hockey as a vehicle to open academic doors.
“For us, it’s really about bringing in top players and giving them the opportunity to play in front of great coaches,” Ryan Vesce said. “But at the end of the day, we center all our messaging around using hockey to get into the best school they can.”
Vesce credits hockey for his own education. "I went to Cornell, so it's kind of a story of my life. I wouldn't have gotten in without having hockey, so it really opened up a lot of opportunities, a lot of doors, a lot of networks. For me, that is now translated to our business. Our personal lives and things like that."
This year’s showcase featured 216 players across 12 teams, with 25 college coaches participating on the benches or in the stands. What makes it truly different is the format — coaches work directly with the players during games, offering in-the-moment feedback and later, a detailed evaluation.
“It’s a unique event where the coaches are on the bench with them,” Vesce said. “They get feedback right away from a Division I coach. And at the end, they get a player evaluation with developmental advice. It’s all about getting better.”
For many Southwest Florida natives, the showcase doubles as a rare chance to play in front of top-tier programs in their backyards.
“It’s our first tournament all year where we don’t have to travel,” said Jacob Ward of Fort Myers, now playing prep school hockey in the Northeast. “That’s pretty awesome.”
His teammate Peter Nicoletta, originally from Naples, agreed: “You get to come home, stay at your house, and just go to the rink like it’s another day.”
The Vesces also run Matterhorn Fit, a performance and recovery company with locations in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and Naples. Many of the athletes at the showcase train there.
“To see them go through the process and support them has been an amazing experience,” Vesce said. “We continue to help them get to the next level each time — and it’s just fun for me.”
While the weekend was filled with intense competition and college exposure, the bigger picture wasn’t lost.
“The game ends for everyone at some point,” Vesce said. “We want to help these kids use hockey to reach higher academic goals — and then carry that forward, with or without the sport.”
The players embraced the pressure and opportunity. Reese Tracy called the environment “unreal. It’s so amazing. There’s so many nice people that come here, play good competition… the environment is unreal here.”
Sebastian Mogull said it was “cool just to be on the bench with coaches and showcase your talents, just have fun on the ice again.”
As for Palin, this final appearance at the showcase was a meaningful capstone.
“It’s a really special event,” he said. “I’m grateful for everything it’s done for me.”