Vernon Viper defenceman Luke Shiplo has verbally committed to play for the Quinnipiac University Bobcats beginning next NCAA hockey season.
Shiplo leads all Viper blue liners in points with 44, including five goals. The Oakville, Ont. product was named Viper Defenceman of the Year at the awards night Friday at Kal Tire Place. He will sign a letter of intent with the Bobcats in April.
“I flew down Sunday night and got a tour of the school Monday and it’s incredible,” said Shiplo, who de-committed from the Western Michigan Broncos last week. “The campus is beautiful with lots of green space and the school and facilities are high tech. The rink reminds me of Vernon’s so it had a nice feel to it.”
Quinnipiac University has nine ex-B.C. Hockey League products on their roster. There are currently no former Vipers on that list. Viper grads Connor and Kellen Jones enjoyed superb four-year careers with Quinnipiac.
The school is situated in Hamden, Conn., a suburb of New Haven with a population of 60,000.
Hamden was ranked No. 53 in the CNN Money list of “America’s best small cities” in 2012.
See Friday’s Morning Star for more on the story.
