WHL grad Ius commits to Simon Fraser for 2010/11 season

The Simon Fraser University’s Men’s Ice Hockey program is pleased to announce a commitment from forward Matthew Ius to attend SFU and join the team for the 2010/11 British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

Ius joins SFU after playing the majority of his junior hockey career with the Western Hockey League’s Everett Silvertips. The Pitt Meadows, B.C. product played 87 games in Everett prior to stints with the Swift Current Broncos and Chilliwack Bruins. Overall, the 20-year old totalled eight goals and 14 assists in 126 WHL games. At the conclusion of the 2007/08 season, Ius was ranked 116th amongst North American skaters for the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the NHL’s Central Scouting service.

Ius split the 2009/10 season between the British Columbia Hockey League’s Burnaby Express and Nanaimo Clippers, combining to score 12 goals and 27 points in 25 games.

"We’re very pleased that Matthew has chosen to take the next steps in his academic and athletic careers at Simon Fraser University," SFU general manager Jeff Dubois says. "I believe that the offensive abilities Matt demonstrated playing in the BCHL last season will translate very nicely at the university level. He has the overall skill-set to contribute immediately and be a key member of our team for the next number of seasons."

Ius joins a strong 2010 recruiting class that includes fellow WHL alum Colby Kulhanek. The team also expects to make a number of major player announcements in the coming weeks.

"Having players like Matt and Colby aboard is a sign that the program is moving in the right direction by attracting a high-calibre of student athlete," says SFU head coach Mark Coletta. "Our attitude is that each season needs to be a step forward for the program and I think our fans will be very pleased by the team they see on the ice this fall."