5-year WHL/USHL veteran McCrea commits to Selkirk College for 2013

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The Selkirk College Saints Men's Hockey program is pleased to announce a commitment from forward Markus McCrea (Canyon Lake, CA) to attend Selkirk College and compete for the Saints beginning in the 2013/14 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

McCrea will join the Saints following a five-year junior career that included three full seasons playing Major Junior with the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips. The 21-year old suited up in 175 games for the Silvertips, scoring 13 goals while adding 11 assists and 130 penalty minutes from 2008 to 2011.

The 6-foot-3, 210 pound winger has spent the past two seasons in the United States Hockey League with the Lincoln Stars and Youngstown Phantoms, totaling 22 goals and 38 points in 108 games. He has been a key offensive contributor this season in Youngstown, where he has scored a career-high 14 goals while ranking 12th in the USHL with 144 penalty minutes.

"We're thrilled that Markus has made the decision to begin his post-secondary studies and continue his hockey career at Selkirk College," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "He is a powerful, hard-working forward who sets the tone with his physical play and high compete level. He also developed the offensive side of his game in the USHL and I see him being a key contributor in all aspects at the college level."

"The awareness level of the USHL may not be high here in Canada, but it's a highly-competitive league that produces top NHL draft picks and hundreds of NCAA scholarships each season. To bring in a player with Markus’s leadership skills and his experience at that level is a tremendous addition for our program."

McCrea plans to enroll in Selkirk’s Business Administration program.

"I've heard nothing but good things about the campus, schooling and the hockey program at Selkirk," says McCrea, who describes himself as a power forward who likes to get his team going with his physical play and leadership. "I'm looking forward to studying in a beautiful province and carrying on the tradition that started this season by winning the BCIHL title for the second year in a row."

In his final junior season, McCrea helped lead Youngstown to a 37-27-0 record and a third place finish in the USHL's Eastern Conference following an early season trade from Lincoln. Phantoms coach Anthony Noreen credits McCrea's addition for adding a missing element on the ice and in the locker room.

"I couldn't be more happy or more proud for Markus," says Noreen. "He's been an unbelievable addition. He's been everything you could want a veteran player to be. He's a leader and he helps other guys out. He brings a ton of energy to the rink and the bench every day and he backs it up with his play on the ice."

McCrea is Selkirk’s eighth commitment for the 2013/14 season, joining forwards Darnell Dyck (Langley, BCHL) and Garrett Kucher (Osoyoos, KIJHL), defencemen Stefan Gonzales (Aldergrove, PJHL), Arie Postmus (Beaver Valley, KIJHL) and Ryan Procyshyn (Delta, PJHL) and goaltenders Myles Hovdebo (LaRonge, SJHL) and Marcus Beesley (Nelson, KIJHL).