Spartans add two-time BCIHL all-star Gonzales to blueline for 2016/17

---

Trinity Western University has added a key piece to its blueline as former Selkirk College defenseman Stefan Gonzales (Surrey, BC), who was twice a BCIHL first team all-star, will join the Spartans defensive core for the 2016/17 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

The 6-foot-2 blueliner will be returning to the BCIHL after a year playing in the ACAC at MacEwan University. Prior to joining MacEwan, Gonzales spent two years with Selkirk and helped the Saints to back-to-back league titles. Earlier this year, he was also one of two Saints defensemen named to Selkirk’s All-Decade team.

"We are thrilled to be adding a player of Stefan’s pedigree," said Spartans coach Barret Kropf. "With his talent, he will be able to step in and immediately be an impact player for us. After graduating two great players in Blair Murphy and Ryan Bakken this past season, we knew we had some big holes to fill."

"This announcement is one of several that will be coming soon to address our need on the back end. Stefan is a proven leader and we know he can develop and take his game to another level with us. We look forward to seeing him continue to grow as a champion on and off the ice as a Spartan student-athlete."

Gonzales, who graduated from Fraser Heights Secondary in 2010, is coming off a season with the Griffins in which he tallied two goals and four assists in 17 games. Before his time in Edmonton, he put together a pair of impressive seasons with the Saints in which he combined for nine goals and 24 assists in 48 games. In 2014-15, he finished second in league scoring amongst defensemen, putting up seven goals and 14 assists in 24 games.

Gonzales junior career saw him play 168 games in the BCHL with five different teams. He also spent one season in the PJHL, 2012-13, in which he scored 13 goals and added 31 assists in 40 games.

"I'm really looking forward to growing on and off the ice with the Spartans program," said Gonzales, who plans to study business at TWU. "I'm very excited for the opportunity to play at home after many years away, and I would love to win another BCIHL championship."

Gonzales joins recently committed forwards Jarrett Fontaine (Humboldt, Sask.) and Taylor Allan (Calgary) as part of Kropf’s 2016 recruiting class.