Four Yale Hockey Academy U-18 players have received scholarships to U.S. universities this season.
The latest is Benjamin Brar, who has recently committed to attending the University of Denver.
Brar, a 16-year-old Abbotsford native, is a 6’2” forward and has 59 points in 28 games this season.
During the 2013-14 season, he posted 31 points (18-13-31) in 24 games and added five playoff points, helping Yale’s Elite 15s team win the CSSHL championship.
Next season, Brar will suit up for the Junior A Penticton Vees.
In February, a pair of Brar’s teammates also inked U.S. scholarships.
Team captain Kohen Olischefski, also from Abbotsford, committed to the University of Wisconsin on Feb. 19.
Olischefski currently leads the Canadian Sport School Hockey League in scoring with 71 points in 28 games.
Last season the six-foot forward finished tied for the scoring title in the Elite 15s division with 36 points in 24 games and was named the division’s MVP. He added three points in two post-season games as Yale captured the CSSHL Elite 15s championship.
Next season Olischefski will play for the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs.
In early February, U-18 defenceman Alec Capstick committed to the University of Notre Dame. Capstick, who put up 21 points in 25 games with Yale this season also played two games for the BCHL’s Langley Riverman.
“I feel like Notre Dame provided me the best opportunity to continue to chase my academic and athletic goals,” said Capstick.
Fellow Yale d-man Darren Rizzolo committed to Northeastern University earlier in the season.
Rizzolo, of Mission, will play for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL before heading off to school.
In 22 games this season Rizzolo has scored 22 points.
It’s been a banner season for Yale. The U-16 team won the Lakecity Invitational in Idaho and also captured bronze at the Richmond International. In November, the U-18 Lions won the prestigious World Bauer Invitational in Chicago, defeating the No. 2-ranked Honeybaked 4-3 in the final.
In December and January, a pair of its alum, Shea Theodore and Jake Virtanen, suited up for Canada’s world junior team that defeated the Russians to win gold.
Another Yale grad, Noah Juulsen, who is playing in Everett in the Western Hockey League, was recently ranked as the No. 38-ranked domestic skater by NHL Central Scouting.
“It is incredible and very humbling at the same time to have our program net four scholarships in one year. Those four boys have worked very hard on and off the ice,” said Yale Academy director Billy Wilms, adding “I am so incredibly proud of all our student-athletes, coaching staff, and instructors in our hockey program.”
