A former Albert Lea youth hockey player will suit up for the Ohio State University men’s hockey team next season.

Alex Carlson, who played with the North Iowa Outlaws of the North American Hockey League last season, recently committed to play Division I hockey for the Buckeyes.

Carlson scored 24 goals and had 33 assists last season for the Outlaws in his second year with the club.

Carlson helped lead North Iowa to a 35-18-5 second place finish in the Central Division.

He finished ninth in the league for scoring and was one of eight NAHL nominees for the Dave Tyler USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year award.

Carlson played youth hockey in Albert Lea before moving to Farmington to finish his prep career.

After failing to make the Outlaws roster out of high school, Carlson played Midget AAA hockey for a season in Colorado.

In his first season with the Outlaws he played in 51 games and tallied 14 goals and nine assists.

Carlson is the son of Albert Lea resident Mark Carlson.