Recruiting: Zak Karpa commits to Princeton

By @MichaelCaples –

Zak Karpa will certainly be working hard on the ‘student’ part of his student-athlete label in college.

The Honeybaked 16U forward has announced his commitment to Princeton.

“I selected the Tigers after having the opportunity to visit the campus, meet with the coaching staff and speak with current players,” Karpa told MiHockey. “Princeton University checked all the boxes I was looking for in a university. The Tigers fit my style of hockey and the program’s structure and team character will allow growth for me as a player.

“The history of the university coupled with the elite academics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Karpa and his twin brother Jakob made the move to Metro Detroit this season to play for Honeybaked; they both had previously skated for Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota. They are the sons of former NHL defenseman Dave Karpa, who played two season for Ferris State before embarking on his pro career. Dave Karpa also served as an assistant coach of the Flint Firebirds with former Bulldogs teammate John Gruden.

Zak Karpa, a ’02 birth-year forward, has been called up to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for three games with the Under-17 Team this season, as well.