Brandon Naurato has been nothing short of fantastic in his time as Michigan hockey's head coach, and he kept the recruiting momentum rolling on Wednesday. Sixteen-year-old prospect Cole McKinney announced his commitment to Naurato and the Wolverines, marking Michigan's first committed prospect of the '07 class.

McKinney, a Chicago, Illinois native, is the eighth-ranked player in the '07 class. At six feet tall and 174 pounds, McKinney is a big center that will undoubtedly be a big piece for Naurato and the Wolverines in the future.

Playing for the Chicago Mission AAA team the last three seasons, McKinney has improved remarkably year after year.

Most recently, McKinney tallied 21 goals and 27 assists in 20 games played for the Chicago Mission 15U AAA team.

The 16-year-old will soon play for the United States National Team.

"I'm honored and excited to announce my Division 1 commitment to play hockey at the University of Michigan," McKinney wrote in his commitment announcement. "I'd like to give the biggest thanks to my family, friends, coaches, teammates, advisors, and everyone else who has helped me along the way."

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