Photo Courtesy of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits announced Thursday that rookie forward Ryan O’Hara and third-year defenseman Jacob Modry have both re-signed with the club for the 2025-26 ECHL Season.
The 24-year-old O’Hara comes back to Greenville after first turning professional with the team towards the end of last season. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound forward made his professional debut on March 21 at South Carolina and followed with his first career goal in a road win at Atlanta on March 29.
He finished the season with his goal and a pair of assists in ten games, the helpers coming on both goals in a monumental 2-1 upset of the Stingrays at home to end their 17-game win streak.
“The city was amazing,” O’Hara stated. “Between the fans, a great group of guys, an awesome place to live, and a great organization, this is a place that you want to win in. The 10 games I played were all about learning and meshing with the professional game. I had heard nothing but great things from former players and guys on the team I knew previously.”
O’Hara is focused on one objective.
“This year is all about winning,” he said. “We need to go into every game with confidence to develop and win, and it all starts in training camp in October.”
The Oakville, Ont. Native joined the Swamp Rabbits after the conclusion of his final NCAA season with Bowling Green State University, where he captained the Falcons and met or surpassed career-highs with 11 goals, 22 assists, and 33 points in 36 games.
In total, he earned 36 goals, 53 assists, and 89 points in his 131 games with BGSU.
Swamp Rabbits head coach/general manager Chad Costello believes O’Hara has a bright future.
“It’s great to have him back in the fold,” Costello noted. “He’s coming off a good start to his pro career and a great college career, earning a captaincy at Bowling Green State. Ryan is a forward that can be used in every situation because he can skate and is fearless in competing with the ability to outwork anyone. It will be really fun to coach him, and for our fans, he’ll be really fun to watch this season.”
Before going to the NCAA, O’Hara played one USHL season with the Waterloo Black Hawks. Over 52 games, he collected 31 points (16-15-31). He also spent parts of three seasons in the OJHL, primarily spent with his hometown Oakville Blades.
With the Blades, O’Hara finished just shy of a career point-per-game average in 104 contests. He captured the 2019 OJHL Championship and Dudley Hewitt Cup.
Modry returns to the Swamp Rabbits for his third professional season. The 6-foot-6, 216-pound blueliner earned three points, his first as a Swamp Rabbit, by virtue of a goal and pair of assists. His first point came via assist in a shutout win of Jacksonville on Dec. 19, and his first goal bookended his point total on March 8 at Orlando.
At the conclusion of the season, Modry was nominated as a finalist for ECHL Community Player of the Year for his commitment to the Upstate community through appearances and charitable initiatives.
“There are many reasons to return to this great organization, but the main reason is unfinished business,” Modry stated. “We won the division in 2024 and fell short last season, so there’s lots of unfinished business for myself and this team. I learned a ton about myself last season, but the biggest thing is bringing consistency, not just on the ice with my play, but bringing energy and passion every day that I wear this sweater.”
Costello praises Modry’s commitment to the organization.
“Jacob is a defender that every team needs,” Costello said. “He brings a ton of size and toughness and is hard to play against. When you talk to Modes, you can tell he’s from a hockey family. Everything is team-first with him, which is a key attribute our organization and team stand for.”
The 26-year-old El Segundo, California native was acquired by the Swamp Rabbits in December of 2024 in a trade, and since then has played 54 games representing Greenville. Prior to his arrival in the Upstate, he played with the Newfoundland Growlers and Savannah Ghost Pirates, making his pro debut with the latter in 2022. He recorded 77 games and eight points (3-5-8 during that span.