Former Rockets Have Success in CIS

A trio of former Kelowna Rockets have been honoured with awards playing under the Western Hockey League scholarship in post secondary institutions across Canada.

First year collegiate players Zach Franko and MacKenzie Johnston as well as former Rockets goaltender Kris Lazaruk were all honoured for their stellar play in Canadian Interuniversity Sport in the 2014-15 season.

In all there were 22 WHL graduates that earned a Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) award or were named to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) conference all-star teams.

Of the 22 WHL Alumni taking home honours, 18 were recognized as either a CWUAA award winner or all-star team member while four WHL graduates were named to all-star teams by Atlantic University Sport (AUS). All 22 award winners are recipients of the WHL Scholarship.

Both Franko and Johnston spent the majority of their WHL careers in Kelowna and both were named to all-star teams in their first seasons after junior.

In his first year at Acadia in the AUS, Franko was named to the All-Rookie Team while Johnston was named to the CWUAA All-Rookie Team (WHL Alumni) after his first season at Mount Royal University.

Franko played over 250 games as a Rocket between 2010 and 2014. Johnston played parts of five seasons with the Rockets, skating in more than 250 games between regular season and playoffs.

Lazaruk, who played 26 games with the Rockets in 2008-09 was named the Canada West Goaltender of the Year with the University of Calgary.

Here is a look at all WHL alumni winning awards.

CWUAA Award Winners (WHL Alumni)
Award: Name, Team ( WHL Club(s) )

Outstanding Player of the Year: T.J. Foster, University of Alberta (Edmonton)

Top Scorer: T.J. Foster, University of Alberta (Edmonton)

Outstanding Defenceman of the Year: Jesse Craige, University of Alberta (Lethbridge/Chilliwack)

Rookie of the Year: Stephane Legault, University of Alberta (Edmonton)

Goaltender of the Year: Kris Lazaruk, University of Calgary (Kootenay/Kelowna)

Best Team GAA: Kris Lazaruk and Jacob DeSerres, University of Calgary (Kootenay/Kelowna – Seattle/Brandon)

Sportsmanship & Athletic Ability Award: Elgin Pearce, University of Calgary (Kootenay/Medicine Hat)

Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Jordan DePape, University of Manitoba (Brandon/Kamloops/Red Deer)

CWUAA First All-Star Team (WHL Alumni)
Name, Position, Team ( WHL Club(s) )

Kris Lazaruk, Goaltender, University of Calgary (Kootenay/Kelowna)

Jesse Craige, Defence, University of Alberta (Lethbridge/Chilliwack)

T.J. Foster, Forward, University of Alberta (Edmonton)

Jordan Hickmott, Forward, University of Alberta (Medicine Hat/Prince Albert/Edmonton)

CWUAA Second All-Star Team (WHL Alumni)

Ryan Holfeld, Goaltender, University of Saskatchewan (Medicine Hat)

Matthew Delahey, Defence, University of Saskatchewan (Regina/Chilliwack)

Jordan Rowley, Defence, University of Alberta (Kamloops/Prince Albert)

Tyler Fiddler, Forward, Mount Royal University (Calgary)

Elgin Pearce, Forward, University of Calgary (Kootenay/Medicine Hat)

Kruise Reddick, Forward, University of Alberta (Tri-City)

CWUAA All-Rookie Team (WHL Alumni)

Eric Williams, Goaltender, University of British Columbia (Prince Albert/Spokane)

Dylan Bredo, Defence, University of Alberta (Medicine Hat)

MacKenzie Johnston, Defence, Mount Royal University (Kelowna/Prince Albert/Saskatoon)

Riley Kieser, Forward, University of Alberta (Vancouver/Edmonton)

Stephane Legault, Forward, University of Alberta (Edmonton)

Michael Soffilas, Forward, University of Saskatchewan (Lethbridge)

AUS Second All-Star Team (WHL Alumni)

Drew Owsley, Goaltender, St. Francis Xavier University (Tri-City/Prince George)

AUS All-Rookie Team (WHL Alumni)

Corbin Boes, Goaltender, Dalhousie University (Brandon/Lethbridge/Portland)

Jagger Dirk, Forward, St. Francis Xavier University (Kootenay)

Zach Franko, Forward, Acadia University (Kelowna/Kootenay)