SFU Hockey is pleased to announce a commitment for the 2019/20 BCIHL season from Nipawin Hawks defenceman Colten Gerlib.

Gerlib, an offensive puck-moving defeceman, netted 21 points in 54 games and finished atop the SJHL standings in 2018/19 with Nipawin. The Kamloops native also played 70 games in the BCHL split between the Merritt Centennials and Surrey Eagles. Gerlib’s strength is his skating, which SFU head coach Mark Coletta is hoping will ease his transition to the BCIHL.

“Most players coming in need to adjust to the size of the players and speed of our game,” says Coletta. “Colten’s skating should help him quite a bit, we’re hoping he can be an impact player for us.”

Gerlib, who plans on entering the Business Administration program at SFU alongside Hawks teammate Christian Bosa, also had a brief WHL appearance for the Tri-City Americans in 2016. He is also a graduate of the Valley West Giants (BCMML) and Burnaby Winter Club where he averaged nearly a point per game.

Gerlib joins a 2019/20 SFU recruiting class which includes:

– Nipawin Hawks (SJHL) forward Christian Bosa
– Connecticut Jr. Rangers (USPHL) forward Takato Cox
– AJHL veteran Adamu Tanaka
– Surrey Eagles (BCHL) captain Ty Westgard
– Richmond Sockeyes captain Matt Brown
– Edmonton Oil King (WHL) defenceman Jordan Dawson
– Red Lake Miners (SIJHL) defenceman Matt Krawiec
– North Van Wolf Pack (PJHL) captain Justin Lee
– Richmond Sockeyes (PJHL) Assistant Captain Jake Keremidschieff

SFU takes on TWU and UBC for the 2019 Captain’s Cup in September prior to kicking off the 2019/20 BCIHL season in October.

Additional announcements are expected in the coming weeks.