NCAA’s Penn State’s hockey team gets commitment from 7-foot tall defenseman
A unique prospect has picked the college where he wants to hone his craft.
On Friday, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights announced that defenseman Alexander Karmanov has committed to Penn State University of the NCAA.
It might sound strange to hear a 16-year-old from outside one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States (USHL or NAHL, etc.) commit to a Division I program. However, Karmanov isn’t your typical prospect. The blueliner from Moldova stands an incredible seven feet tall and weighs 251 pounds.
WBS Knights 16U @The_AYHL Defenseman Alexander Karmanov Commits to Penn State Hockey
The WBS Knights are excited to announce that Alexander Karmanov, a towering 7-foot-tall, 250-pound defenseman from Russia, has officially committed to play hockey for Penn State University 2027. pic.twitter.com/dp030oYDwW
According to his Elite Prospects page, Karmanov is set to play for the Knights’ Under-16 AAA program during the 2024-25 season. The Chisinau native spent the 2023-24 season playing in Russia with Vityaz Podolsk’s Under-16 team, as well as Pinskiye Yastreby in the Belarussian Under-18 league. In 25 recorded games, Karmanov scored nine points.
While there is a lot of unknown about the young prospect, there has been some footage released of Karmanov at a hockey camp, showing off his skating ability. Dobber Prospects’ Austin Kelly posted on X some clips pulled from social media, and at first glance, the big kid is pretty nimble on his skates given someone his size.
Because people cannot get enough of Alexander Karmanov, some skating clips via Instagram. Have not seen a 7'0 hockey player before but I'd guess this is decent skating for that height. pic.twitter.com/cJUZTNCLMa
— Austin Kelly (@AustinReporting) August 2, 2024If everything goes according to plan for Karmanov, he would easily be the tallest player to ever play D1 college hockey. The tallest player at the NCAA level last year was Dartmouth College goaltender Cooper Black, who was reportedly six-foot-eight. That height is one inch shorter than legendary defenseman Zdeno Chara, who still holds the record for the tallest player to ever appear in the NHL. It is obviously too early to determine whether or not Karmanov will make it that far, but there is no question that the Nittany Lions are getting a player that stands head and shoulders, and then some, above the rest.