FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 26, 2017
Media Contact: Sean Orr 250.544.3231
Vancouver Island University Mariners Join BC
Intercollegiate Hockey League
The BC Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) and BC Hockey announced that the Vancouver Island
University (VIU) Mariners will join the BCIHL for the 2017-2018 season. The Mariners will become the
sixth team in the league.
The Mariners will join Eastern Washington University (EWU), Selkirk College, Simon Fraser University
(SFU), Trinity Western University (TWU) and the University of Victoria (UVic).
“The BCIHL is very excited by the strong support that exists for intercollegiate hockey at VIU and the
city of Nanaimo,” said BCIHL President, Kim Verigin. “VIU has put together a solid leadership group
with significant experience and willingness to be a sustainable contributing member of our league.”
“We are thrilled to reap the benefits of having a second team on Vancouver Island. UVic will now have
a natural geographic rival and all our teams stand to benefit from increased flexibility and potential cost
savings related to travel,” added Verigin. “This move also supports our league’s goal of expansion to
institutions that are committed to long-term success in intercollegiate hockey.”
VIU’s expansion bid was submitted prior to the BCIHL’s winter Board meetings in December. At that
point, the bid was reviewed and its acceptance was voted upon unanimously by the league’s existing
member teams. Subsequent approval from BC Hockey was the final step in the expansion process.
“The Mariners are excited to be joining the BCIHL family,” commented Mariners Men’s Hockey President
and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Myles Parsons. “Our goal is to help good student athletes become
better student athletes. We will take pride in being cooperative off the ice and competitive on the ice.
I’m sure we will have a team that VIU, the BCIHL, BC Hockey and all hockey fans can be proud of.”
“The addition of VIU to the BCIHL marks an exciting time for the league and BC Hockey,” said BC
Hockey CEO, Barry Petrachenko. “Our intercollegiate league provides competitive, high-calibre hockey
to this age group and a second team on Vancouver Island enhances the league schedule and offerings.
It is a priority for us to provide opportunities for players beyond their Junior and minor hockey careers
and expansion such as this is key to the continued growth of the league.”
The groundwork for a men’s hockey program at VIU was initiated by Parsons and Steve Paul, who will
serve as the team’s head coach and general manager. The team’s membership bid was submitted
following extensive discussions with VIU, Nanaimo Parks and Recreation, BC Hockey and the BCIHL.
“The motivation to bring hockey back to VIU came from having discussions and asking questions in the
Nanaimo hockey community and seeing that everyone was willing to support us in many ways,” said
Parsons. “We have many volunteers ready to contribute their time and expertise, and we’re already
answering calls from student athletes wanting to play hockey for the Mariners.”
The BCIHL was launched in 2006 and is currently in its eleventh season of operation. For more
information on the league, please visit www.bcihl.ca.
For more information about BC Hockey, please visit the BC Hockey website at www.bchockey.net or
email [email protected] or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/BCHockeySource,
www.twitter.com/BCHockey_Source,
www.youtube.com/BCHockeySource
or
www.instagram.com/BCHockeySource.
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