Five BCHL grads are among the 18 nominees for the 2014 Hockey Humanitarian Award.
Presented at the NCAA’s Frozen Four in Philadelphia, the award goes to goes to ‘college hockey’s finest citizen,’ male or female, in divisions one, two or three. Wade Bennett played 73 combined games for the Trail Smoke Eaters, Surrey Eagles and Express before moving on to the University of Denver. The senior has logged just four games for the Pioneers this season, with no points and two penalty minutes on his stat-line.
Cole Ikkala is a senior at Union College. The Pennsylvania native spent two productive years with the Vernon Vipers before joining the Dutchmen. Ikkala has one goal, and three assists in 19 games this year.
Mark MacMillan is a junior at the University of North Dakota. Ikkala split 99 BCHL games between the Alberni Valley Bulldogs and Penticton Vees. He joined the Fighting Sioux in 2011-12. He has five goals and 10 points in 20 games this year.
Jordan Heywood and Jeffrey Reppucci are the only two-time nominees, and they’re both BCHL grads.
Now a senior with the Merrimack College Warriors, Heywood spent three years on the Victoria Grizzlies blueline.
Reppucci, a senior with the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders, logged 27 games with the Bulldogs during the 2009-10 season.
One final note. The man ex-Chilliwack Chief Mitch Gillam will take over from next season is nominated. Andy Iles has tended the Cornell Big Red net for the last four years.
