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Ward inks with Pioneers

tyler-wardThe Merritt Centennials are please to announce the commitment of forward Tyler Ward to the University of Denver Pioneers for the 2018-19 season.

“Tyler is an exceptional person first and foremost,” said Cents GM and Head Coach Joe Martin. “He was a highly recruited player by NCAA teams and we’re happy he has decided his future in the college system.”

Ward, 17, is currently on injured reserve and hasn’t played since October 21 against Penticton. Prior to the injury, he had 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 16 games. He had 27 points (17 goals, 10 assists) in 52 games with the Cents last season en route to being named the team’s rookie of the year and most promising player.

“Of course we would love to have Tyler back in our lineup now, but we’ll take him when we get him,” added Martin. “We’re looking forward to the day he skates in our lineup again, his solid play and positive attitude is absolutely infectious.”

The Kamloops native is an alumnus of the Thompson Blazers of the BC Major Midget League. In the BCMML in 2014-15, Ward posted 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 40 games.

Ward is the fifth player on this season’s Centennials roster to secure an NCAA scholarship, joining Zach Court (University of Nebraska-Omaha), Cade Gleekel (St. Lawrence University), Zach Metsa (Quinnipiac University), and Michael Regush (Cornell University).

Denver competes in the NCAA’s National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) alongside North Dakota, Miami-Ohio, Colorado College, Nebraska-Omaha, Western Michigan, St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth. Former BCHLers on the Pioneers current roster are Jarid Lukosevicius, Adam Plant and Liam Finlay.

The Pioneers are second all-time in Division I with seven NCAA championships. Notable alumni includes Glenn Anderson, Kevin Dineen, Paul Stastny, Tyler Bozak, and Centennials all-time great Ed Beers, who captained the Pioneers during the 1980-81 season.