USPHL Commitment Profiles: Eels’ Decoste Commits To Westfield State University
By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com
It didn’t take long for Russ Decoste to make his presence known in the USPHL as a first-year player. The 2005-born goaltender from Halifax, N.S., was named the USPHL Premier Florida Division Goaltender Of The Month for October – and then again in November – and December.
So it comes as no surprise that he will be advancing to NCAA hockey, as the 2024-25 USPHL Premier Florida All-Division Goaltender recently made his commitment to Westfield State University in Westfield, Mass.
“I first started talking to Westfield State around the end of the season nearing playoffs, and some qualities they like about my game is my composure, calmness and my ability to read the play well,” said Decoste.
“I was attracted to Westfield State firstly because it has an excellent business program, which fits my major of accounting,” he added. “On the hockey side, they have great coaching and a great culture around the team that gives every player the best chance at success.”
It was a change in a lot of latitude lines from his previous team in the Northern Ontario Junior League to the USPHL’s Florida Eels this past year for Decoste. The end result was Decoste finishing with a 2.02 goals against average and a .931 save percentage, along with 13 wins in 23 starts.
“Being from Canada, it was certainly nice to have a break from the snow in Florida this year, but beyond that, the program that Coach Frank puts together makes it impossible to not improve as an athlete,” said Decoste. “With on-ice and off-ice training almost every day, that gives each player every opportunity to become the best version of themselves.”
The USPHL also provided the framework for success with a busy showcase schedule, with the Eels taking part in multiple events each season that puts them in front of several college coaches at each showcase.
“The development and exposure opportunities that the USPHL has to offer was definitely a major factor in me being able to get my commitment to Westfield State,” said Decoste. “Having the chance to prove yourself in front of great competition every week brings out the best in everyone, and the multiple showcases are a perfect place for players to meet and show their talents off to scouts from around the country.”
With his talent always fully on display – and the three straight Goaltender of the Month nods, to boot – it was no surprise that he was selected to play in the USPHL All-Star Event in Foxboro, Mass., in January.
“The All-Star game this year was one of my favourite memories in hockey so far. Being able to play with and against the best players in the league was very fun, and fortunately I did play very well, which I do believe made an impact in getting my commitment,” Decoste said. “By showing I don’t just fit in but also impact the game positively for my team against the best players shows I’ll be able to translate that to the next level.”
Decoste has continued to kick his game into high gear even during the off-season, knowing that college hockey will see an overall jump across the board from the junior game.
“This off-season, the main focus has been speed. Speed in tracking pucks and speed on my feet,” he said. “The higher the game, the faster the game gets and that means I have to get faster as well, or I’ll have no chance to succeed at the next level.”
The USPHL congratulates Russ Decoste, his family, the Florida Eels and Westfield State University for his commitment.