(Spruce Grove, AB) – The Spruce Grove Saints are proud to announce 19-year-old defenseman Will Holland has committed to the Babson College Beavers, who compete in the New England Hockey Conference, within the NCAA’s Men’s Hockey Division III.
Holland was a welcomed addition to the Saints blueline this season, making the team directly out of main camp back in September of 2021. Will then went on to have an impressive rookie season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, putting up 18 points through 51 combined regular season and playoff games.
Babson College is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts which is 20 miles from downtown Boston. The Babson hockey program boasts 18 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, seven Conference Championships and one National Championship. Babson is also one of the top entrepreneurial schools within the United States, leading the way with its Finance and Environmental Sustainability program, which Holland is enrolled in.
Saints General Manager Rob Sklaruk weighed in on yet another Saint heading south to continue their hockey career by saying, “Will is a passionate, dedicated and selfless young man. It has been rewarding for myself and the organization watching him develop both on and off the ice all season long. I wish Will the best of luck at the next level in both hockey and business.”
The 5’11″, 181-pound forward from Charlotte, North Carolina will be the first Saint in history to attend Babson College.
Saints Head Coach Bram Stephen was extremely proud to see Holland take the step to the next level, saying, “Will is a very intelligent player who continued to make steady improvements all season as a Saint. He’s persistent and consistent. He’s a Saint and we wish him well at Babson College.”
A joyful Holland spoke of his commitment to the Beavers, saying “I am excited to be attending Babson College in the fall and be a part of the incredible hockey and academic programs. It was a tremendous honour to be part of the Spruce Grove Saints organization this past year and I cannot thank them enough for all their support. The level of professionalism within the organization is unmatched and I’m lucky to have been a part of it. A huge thanks to my family, friends, teammates and coaches who have helped me along the way. Thanks to the coaches, teachers and faculty at Deerfield Academy who helped me grow and prepare for my future.”
Holland joins Cade Mason (Long Island University), Logan Acheson (Bemidji State), Caiden Gault (Ferris State), Jayden Davis (Notre Dame), Luigi Benincasa (Ferris State), Niko Jovanovic (Notre Dame), Liam Watkins (Nebraska-Omaha), Brett Pfoh (Bowling Green), Breck McKinley (Bowling Green) and Braden Virtue (Carleton University) as committed players to post-secondary education this season.
The entire Saints organization would like to congratulate Will and his family on his commitment and wish him the best of luck at the next level.
