BROOKS, AB – The Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) are proud to announce that 1998-born forward and team captain Nathan Plessis (Salmon Arm, B.C.) has committed to attend and play for Brown University, beginning in the 2019-20 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season.
Located in Providence, Rhode Island, the Brown Bears play in the NCAA Division I ECAC Hockey division, under 10th-year head coach Brendan Whittet.
In his first season as team captain, Plessis, 20, has set a career-high pace in nearly all categories, scoring 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) in only 12 injury-shortened games. His points-per-game pace ranks him third in the AJHL this season, and he has recorded at least one point in all but two games he has played this season.
“Nathan has been a fantastic captain for our team this season and has developed into a top player for the organization,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Ryan Papaioannou. “The progress he has made from 3 seasons ago to today is a credit to the hard work he’s put in both on and off the ice.
“His role has grown over the years and he has always been a great teammate and person. His academics have always leaned him towards the Ivy League schools and the fit at Brown couldn’t be better,” he added. “We are proud of his development as a leader and couldn't be happier to have him leading us into the National Championship later this season.”
Prior to his captaincy, Plessis scored a career-high 43 points (21 goals, 22 assists) in 51 games in 2017-18, ranking 5th on the team in point scoring, and second on the team in goals. He was named Most Improved Player by the team’s coaching staff.
In his rookie campaign in the AJHL, Plessis was the team’s fourth-highest scoring first-year player, recording 22 points (6 goals, 16 assists) in 51 games as the Bandits reached the national championship final.
He was recruited to Brooks after spending two seasons with the Sicamous Eagles of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), where he had led his team in scoring with 41 points (22 goals, 19 assists) in 50 games in his second year of junior hockey.
Plessis is the 13th player on the 2018-19 Bandits roster committed to an NCAA Division I institution, joining:
• William Lemay (University of Vermont)
• Andrew Lucas (University of Vermont)
• Brandon Scanlin (University of Nebraska Omaha)
• Luke Bast (University of North Dakota)
• Mack Hancock (University of Alaska Anchorage)
• Ray Christy (Colorado College)
• Nick Hale (College of the Holy Cross)
• Jakob Lee (Canisius College)
• Andranik Armstrong (University of Massachusetts-Lowell)
• Tyler Campbell (Dartmouth College)
• Simon Boyko (University of Vermont)
• Arnaud Vachon (Colgate University)