The Fort McMurray Oil Barons are thrilled to announce that 17-year-old defenceman Ryan Conroy (Chestermere, AB) has committed to attend and play for the Yale Bulldogs. Conroy's commitment to the prestigious NCAA Division I program will begin during the 2020-21 season.
Conroy is currently in his second season with the Oil Barons after graduating from the Rockyview Raiders Midget AAA program following the 2016-17 season. In 88 games with the Oil Barons, Conroy has amassed 34 points (2 goals, 32 assists) and 187 penalty minutes.
Prior to the start of this season, Conroy was named to the Oil Barons' leadership team, while his on-ice play earned him an invite to Team Canada West's World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) selection camp last month in Calgary.
“As an organization, we're extremely excited and proud for Ryan,” said Head Coach and General Manager Tom Keca. “Earning a scholarship to a prestigious school like Yale is no small feat. It shows the type of player and individual that Ryan is,” added Keca.
“He's a tough, dynamic offensively-minded defenseman that has really taken a leadership role on the ice and in the dressing room this year,” said Keca. “Sometimes it's easy to forget that he's only 17, but his maturity is much greater than his age,” added Keca.
Conroy becomes the second Oil Baron to commit to an NCAA Division I program this month. On January 2, Liam Izyk committed to attend and play for the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers starting next season.
The Oil Barons will open a six-game road trip, beginning Friday night in Lloydminster. You can catch all of the action on Country 93.3, beginning with the pre-game show with Taylor Pope at 7:15.