DUBUQUE, IA — Dubuque Fighting Saints goaltender Marcus Brännman announced today his commitment to continue his hockey and academic career with the Providence College Friars. The 20-year-old Swedish net minder is in his first season in the USHL.

This season, Brännman shouldered the load between the pipes for the Fighting Saints starting 41 of 62 regular season games. He leads the Fighting Saints in wins (24), save percentage (.904%), goals against average (2.97) and shutouts (4). He ranks in the top 10 each of those categories league wide among goaltenders who have appeared in at least 25 games.

During his first season in Dubuque, Brännman has quickly become a steady force in net. The Bromma, Sweden native burst onto the scene early this season earning USHL Goaltender of the Week honors after posting a 35 save shutout over the Des Moines Buccaneers on October 15th. Then in December, he was named to Team Sweden for the 2023 World Junior Championships. In his first start after returning from the World Juniors, Brännman picked up right where he left ff with a win over Green Bay that was the start of a season long seven game point streak for the Fighting Saints and the start of a 13 game stretch where he started each game.

Brännman was selected by the Fighting Saints in the 10^th round of the 2021 USHL Phase 2 Draft with the 142^nd overall selection. Prior to joining the Saints, Brännman played in his home country of Sweden.

Brännman joins former Fighting Saint goaltender Philip Svedbäck at Providence. Svedbäck just completed his freshman season for the Friars.

Providence is led by Nate Leaman who just finished his 12th season as the head coach of the Friars program. Under Leaman, the Friars captured their first and only NCAA Title in 2015, and he has amassed a record of 241-15-58. This past season, Providence finished with a 16-14-7 overall record and fell to Boston University in the Hockey East tournament semi-finals.