NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – Alex Stoley has announced that he is heading to Minnesota to play for Concordia College in the fall. After a championship junior hockey season, the defenseman is ready to turn the page to the NCAA chapter of his career.
“I liked the school from all aspects,” Stoley said. “It has very good academics, their hockey program does well every year and the college is in a nice area that I could see myself living for the next four years.”
Stoley caught the attention of college scouts before the postseason even began, and a strong showing in the Robertson Cup Playoffs certainly helped the California native’s case.
“I had been talking to [head] coach [Chris] Howe for a few months and they liked me from the start but never pressured me too hard to commit knowing it was a big decision. They wanted me to choose the school that was the best fit for me,” Stoley added.
Stoley showed his versatility as the season progressed. He proved to be a valuable part of the team’s penalty kill, which led the NAHL’s South Division, and when injuries riddled the line-up around the holidays, the coaching staff trusted Stoley to skate on the wing.
Brahmas head coach Dan Wildfong had plenty of praise for Stoley for the work he put in this season.
“Obviously Concordia is a great school. I thought Stoley is a Division I player but it didn’t work out that way for him this year. I think they’re getting a heck of a player. Not just a good hockey player, but a quality person,” Wildfong said.
The 6-foot, 180-pound skater played more aggressively as the season progressed and he quickly averaged over a shot on goal per game. He finished the year with six assists and 28 career points at the Tier II junior hockey level.
Stoley can transition the puck well out of the defensive zone and he is a shutdown player with a physical edge in his own zone. The future is bright for the Brahmas defenseman and he is looking forward to joining a winning program up north in the State of Hockey.
“They do well every year and are in a tight conference so the games are close every night,” Stoley said.
Stoley mentions that he plans to study finance, but he will keep the door open to taking some biology classes in case he’d “like to head in that direction” of academia.
After a three year junior hockey career which started in the BCHL with Prince George, 21-year-old Stoley can finally breathe a sigh of relief. He is forever a Robertson Cup Champion and can now say he will continue competing at the NCAA level.
“[Being committed] is what I wanted from the start. Being able to get my education while still playing hockey at a high level. Finishing on top was definitely a bonus that most guys don’t get to do. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”