Benincasa Becomes Bulldog at Ferris State

The Spruce Grove Saints are proud to announce third year forward Luigi Benincasa has committed to the Ferris State Bulldogs who compete in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) of the NCAA Men’s Hockey Division I.

Benincasa has burst onto the AJHL scoring scene this season, currently sitting 11th in league scoring after compiling 51 points (28 goals, 23 assists) in 46 games with Spruce Grove this season.

Saints General Manager Rob Sklaruk believes Ferris State has secured a gifted player in Benincasa.

“Luigi has high end skill and no fear for a player of his stature, he wins puck battles and drives the net fearlessly. Luigi has done everything asked of him by our staff and coaches, he has worked tirelessly for this opportunity and is more than deserving of this commitment. We are extremely proud of him.”

The 5’8″, 155-pound forward from Edmonton, AB has committed to Ferris State for the 2022-2023 season.

Saints Head Coach Bram Stephen echoed Sklaruk’s sentiments when speaking of his newest recruit.

“Luigi is a first-class teammate who always works hard, works smart and is striving to improve. He plays the game with skill, strong hockey sense and a no fear attitude taking the puck to the hard areas on the ice. We are incredibly happy and excited for Luigi and his family on receiving this scholarship that he very much deserves. Ferris State is getting a player that will undoubtably have a great impact on their program on and off the ice just like he’s done here in Spruce Grove”.

Benincasa also spoke about his commitment to Ferris State.

“Being given the opportunity to play for a school like Ferris State is a dream come true. I’ve dreamt of playing Division I hockey for as long as I can remember. The coaching staff at Ferris made me feel very welcome, confident and secure that being a Bulldog was the right fit for me. I want to thank the Saints for guiding me in my development and the opportunity to play in Spruce Grove and most importantly, I want to thank my family for their support. I can’t wait to be a Bulldog.”

Benincasa joins Niko Jovanovic (Notre Dame), Liam Watkins (Nebraska-Omaha), Brett Pfoh (Bowling Green), Breck Mckinley (Bowling Green) as committed players to NCAA Divisions I University.

The entire Saints organization would like to congratulate Luigi and his family on his commitment.

You can catch Luigi and the rest of the Saints at their next home game when they host the Grande Prairie Storm on Friday, January 28th at 7 pm at the Grant Fuhr Arena.