The Trinity Western Spartans have picked up some major year-end awards.
J.P. Villeneuve was named the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League’s rookie of the year and the forward was also the co-recipient of the league’s most valuable player award.
He shared that honour Selkirk Saints’ Logan Proulx.
And head coach Barret Kropf was a co-recipient of the league’s coach of the year award, sharing with Selkirk’s Jeff Dubois.
Villenueve carried the Spartans offensively during his first season or university hockey, finishing third in the league in goals with 21 and seventh in points with 33.
Both of those numbers were tops among all rookies.
He also had five multi-goal games over the season, including five in one game on Jan. 25 against the Victoria Vikes.
Kropf was in his first season behind the bench for the Spartans and the team improved by four wins and seven points over the season before, jumping from last place to third place.
He is the first coach to win the award in both the BCIHL and the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
Kropf won in that league in 2005/06 while coaching at Briercrest.
The team also landed two players on the league all-star team.
Villeneuve was named a first team all-star while defenceman Blair Murphy was a second team selection.
