Saints add another piece to defending BCIHL Champions
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Selkirk College Saints added some toughness to the blueline following the announcment that David Mead of Conklin, NY has inked a playing commitment to join the defending B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League champions in September.
The 20-year old Mead joins the Saints following a long junior hockey career that concluded with the North American Hockey League’s Wenatchee Wild in the spring.
“David is a big, rugged defenceman who is going to bring a great deal of experience and leadership to our blueline,” said Saints head coach Jeff Dubois in a statement.
“He also adds a physical dimension that we’ve looked to fill during our offseason recruiting. From everything I’ve heard from his previous coach in Wenatchee, David is a high-character individual and a popular teammate. I’m looking forward to him stepping in and playing a key role for our team next season.”
Mead began his junior career in 2008 with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
He spent two seasons with the Greyhounds, posting six assists and 68 penalty minutes in 88 regular season games. He went on to spend the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns in the United States Hockey League with the Omaha Lancers and Fargo Force respectively.
Last season in Wenatchee with the Wild, Mead helped to the team to a Western Division championship and a birth in the league’s Robertson Cup Championship.
In 49 games with the Wild, Mead scored three goals and accumulated 10 points and 154 penalty minutes while serving as one of the team’s assistant captains.
Overall, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound blueliner totaled four goals, 15 assists and 305 penalty minutes over five seasons of junior hockey in the OHL, USHL and NAHL.
Mead plans to study a mix of Business Administration and Golf Course Management once at Selkirk.
“I’m really looking forward to joining a well-established hockey program and helping to continue the commitment to excellence the Saints have established,” said Mead, who describes himself as a physical, stay-at-home defenceman with good vision and some offensive flair ‘that shows up from time to time’.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to get a great education from a college with a hands-on curriculum. On the ice, I’d like to help the team win another BCIHL championship while providing leadership and a team-first attitude.”
Mead is the fifth defenceman and 10th player overall to commit to the Saints for the 2013/14 season. He joins forwards Darnell Dyck (Langley, BCHL), Markus McCrea (Youngstown, USHL) and Garrett Kucher (Osoyoos, KIJHL), blueliners Stefan Gonzales (Aldergrove, PJHL), Arie Postmus (Beaver Valley, KIJHL), Ryan Procyshyn (Delta, PJHL) and Tanner Lenting (North Delta, PJHL) and goaltenders Myles Hovdebo (LaRonge, SJHL) and Aaron Oakley (Abbotsford, PJHL).
