Greenville, S.C. — As the ECHL 2024 season is less than 100 days away, players are making moves as to where they will play next season. Lately, the league has seen an influx of players signing overseas for teams in Europe. Today, July 19, it was announced that Ethan Somoza of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits will be playing in Hungary next season.
Somoza, 28, spent the last three seasons with the Greenville club, stacking up a solid amount of points as a left-wing forward who shoots left. The Simi Valley, California native first went pro during the 2021-22 season for the Rabbits after playing 38 games for Bemidji State University (NCAA), where he served as captain and recorded a tally of 22 points (10G/12A). For his first pro season, Somoza only played eleven games but tallied up two goals and 11 assists for 13 points. The season after that would be his best in the Premier Double-A Hockey League as he played a nearly full season of 70 games, earning 39 points from 20 goals and 19 assists. His best game during that season would be on March 3 at Norfolk against the Admirals, where Somoza earned his first career hat-trick in the ECHL. And for the 2023 playoff run, Somoza only played six games and recorded four assists — as his team was a first-round exit. To cap off his final season in the ‘Coast’, the left winger would play a full season of 72 games and post a tally of 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points – his best game was on December 29 at Florida against the Everblades where he scored two goals. After the 2024 regular season, Somoza was -3, with a 4PIM and 0.46 PT/G. And for the final Kelly Cup Playoff run with the Swamp Rabbits, he would play six games and only earn a goal and an assist with a -2. Despite having a less successful season compared to the previous one, Somoza was extremely dominant as an offensive PK contributor under the top and second unit, was very disciplined, and only took a double minor penalty throughout all 72 games. As his leadership rank would say from BSU, Somoza was an alternate captain for the Rabbits last season and rotated between wearing and not wearing the “A” patch.
Somoza’s pro career began during the 2021-22 season after his NCAA career concluded for the BSU Beavers. He spent five seasons at the University, starting in 2017-18, where he played 29 games and earned a goal and five assists. In his third season, he would get his first promotion as an alternate captain and serve the leadership until his final season, with the final two being under the captaining “C” role. In total, after five seasons played, Somoza earned a record of 78 points from 37 goals and 41 assists. Before going into the collegiate level, he played four seasons in junior hockey, two being in the USHL and NAHL.
Ethan Somoza will embark on a new professional journey next season, as he will play for the Budapest Jégkorong Akadémia HC of Erste Liga. The league is home to ten teams scattered across Romania and Hungary.
