OLIVER PAIPOONGE – Alex Enegren is a threat to score every time he takes to the ice for the Kam River Fighting Walleye.
Next season, he’ll try to duplicate that scoring prowess at the University of Oregon.
The 20-year-old forward on Friday announced his commitment to the Division 1 school, located about 800 kilometres southwest of his Coeur d’Alene, Idaho hometown.
“I'm very excited to have the opportunity to play for the University of Oregon and help build their D1 program while simultaneously earning my college degree,” said Enegren, in a release issued by the Fighting Walleye.
“During the recruiting process, I was able to visit University of Oregon and meet with the coaches and tour the school and I am confident it is a great match for me.”
Enegren is having a breakout season for the Superior International Junior Hockey League club, with 15 goals and 33 points in 26 games, his second campaign with the Fighting Walleye.
Kam River general manager Kevin McCallum said it’s great to see another player from the team taking the next step in achieving their hockey dream.
It’s what junior hockey is all about, he said.
“Our organization is extremely dedicated to seeing our players succeed and achieve their goals,” McCallum said.
“We couldn't be more excited for Alex as he has stuck by our organization through all the ups and downs that have been thrown our way. Being an American player, he had lots of options to play elsewhere. He stuck here and believed in the process, believed in our organization that we get our guys to the next level. I look forward to taking a trip to Eugene, Ore. to watch our future Duck play.
He's the second Fighting Walleye player to commit to the Ducks program, following in the footsteps of goaltender Austin Madge, who announced his decision earlier this month.
Enegren is the Fighting Walleye’s all-time leading scorer, with 39 career points.
Coach Matt Valley said Enegren deserves a chance to prove himself at the NCAA level.
“Alex has had a number of schools interested in him and it's nice to see him choose one that fits his needs perfectly. Oregon is basically a dream school for him and I have no doubt in my mind that he'll excel there both on and off the ice,” Valley said.
The SIJHL is currently in a pause, adhering to restrictions put in place by the Ontario government in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
