NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – It is never too soon to begin thinking about next season. The Lone Star Brahmas waste no time using their first tender of the season on Missouri product Andy Willis.
Willis has spent the last three seasons competing in the NAPHL with the St. Louis Selects and he is no stranger to the stat sheet.
The former NAPHL All-Star when he played 16U hockey is having another all-star caliber season in St. Louis. Through his first nine games, he has eight goals and 15 points. He leads the Selects 18U program in goals (8), points (15), short-handed goals (3), power play points (7), and game-winning goals (2).
“We are real excited to bring a player of his caliber and character into the organization. Andy is currently among the league leaders in scoring in the NAPHL and he sees time on the penalty kill. So when you have a player who sees ice in all situations for a team, clearly that demonstrates his capabilities,” Assistant Coach Al Rooney said.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound forward caught the attention of the Brahmas coaching staff in Blaine, Minnesota in conjunction with the NAHL Showcase in September. Willis is currently on a six-game point streak heading into November.
“We feel he has the potential to be a Division I player,” Head Coach Dan Wildfong said. “We had a chance to watch him play in Minnesota and are looking forward to having him play for us next year. He’s a tremendous player and an even better man.”
Through 38 games in the NAPHL with the St. Louis Selects, Willis scored 14 goals and assisted 19 others to give him 33 points. The 18-year-old forward will have two years of junior eligibility with the Lone Star Brahmas.
The Brahmas locked up Willis’ rights on November 1, the earliest day any NAHL team could sign future players.
* A tender is a contract, of sorts, a player signs announcing his intentions to play for that particular NAHL team and that NAHL team only. Once a player signs a tender with an NAHL team, his playing rights belong to that team within the NAHL and he may not be recruited by any other NAHL team. Each team is granted ten (10) tenders – plus or minus any trades. Tendered players are not eligible for the NAHL draft. *