Quinnipiac University held its annual hockey awards banquet at the end of the season and for the fifth time in the last seven years, a BCHL graduate walked away with the team's Rookie of the Year Award.
Vernon Vipers product Connor Jones, one of nine BCHL alums on the Bobcats roster, took the hardware after turning in a fresman campaign that saw him produce nine goals and 15 assists to lead all first-year players. His scoring total put him second overall on the team.
Other BCHL grad to win the Bobcats rookie honour include Ben Nelson (2005), Bryan Leitch (2006), Brandon Wong (2007) and Scott Zurevinski (2009).
Jones, a Montrose, B.C. native whose twin brother Kellen is also a Bobcat, ranked in the top 50 in the nation in first-year player points per game. He had his first career point in the Bobcats' opening-season win against Ohio State on Oct. 8. Jones' first career goal came against Bentley two games later in a 3-2 victory.
In three full seasons plus part of another with Vernon, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound forward scored 80 goals and 118 assists in 163 games. He also totalled 59 points in 62 career playoff contests.
