Tuesday, February 11, 2003

The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and the Western Hockey League are pleased to announce that forward STEVE SHRUM of the University of Alberta Golden Bears has been named the Canada West Hockey - WHL Graduate of the Month for January, 2003.

SHRUM, a 23-year-old Physical Education student from St. Albert, Alberta, is the third winner of the award in 2002-03, joining University of Saskatchewan Huskies defenceman Dan Hulak, and David Cameron of the University of Manitoba Bisons, who won the award in October and November, respectively. The former Kamloops Blazer finished ahead of University of Saskatchewan forward Dean Beuker and University of Calgary Dinos forward Jordan Walker in the voting conducted by the conference's seven coaches. SHRUM received three first place votes and three second place votes.

Celebrating its 14th season, the Canada West Hockey - WHL Graduate of the Month Award is presented monthly to a graduate of the Western Hockey League who is now playing on one of the seven teams in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association. Each monthly winner between October and March receives a cheque for $500.00 from the WHL to go towards the cost of his education.

Canadian intercollegiate hockey is a quality option for players who wish to combine both hockey and education. Over 50 WHL grads were members of Canada West Hockey's eight teams in 2001-02. CIS hockey in general, and Canada West Hockey in particular, has allowed these players to further their hockey careers as well as their education at some of Canada's finest academic institutions. During the 2001-02 season a total of 77 former Canada West Hockey players were playing professional hockey in North America and Europe, including former University of Alberta Golden Bears defenceman Cory Cross with the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators forward Stu Grimson, who played collegiate hockey with the University of Manitoba Bisons.

In his third season with Alberta, SHRUM scored 10 points in four Canada West Hockey games in January, netting eight goals and adding two assists. With the 10 points, the 5'10", 180-pound junior leads the Golden Bears scoring list and is second in the conference scoring race with 21-18-39 in 25 games. His 21 goals are tops in Canada West Hockey and he also leads the conference in overall scoring with 25-23-48 in 33 games.

After opening the month scoreless in a two-game non-conference series against Lakehead University on January 3rd-4th, the Alberta right winger scored points in his next four games. He recorded an assist in a 5-2 win versus the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns on January 10th and then registered multiple point games in the month's final three games.

SHRUM scored five points in two games at the University of Manitoba on January 24th-25th as the Golden Bears took three of four points from the Bisons in Winnipeg. In the series opener on January 24th, SHRUM registered his second hat trick of the season with three goals in an 8-2 victory. He added two more points in a 3-3 OT tie in the series finale, scoring the game-tying goal and adding an assist.

The month concluded with a four-goal game versus the University of Calgary as he led the Golden Bears to a 5-2 win over the Dinos before a crowd of 2,793 at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton on January 31st. SHRUM scored three of his four goals in the third period as he registered his conference leading third hat trick. Named the Canada West Hockey Player of the Week for the week ending February 2nd, SHRUM helped guide the Golden Bears to a 4-0-1 record in conference play during January.

Other nominees for the Canada West Hockey - WHL Graduate of the Month award for October were goaltender Shaun Lee of the University of Regina Cougars (Portland Winterhawks), UBC Thunderbirds defenceman Toni Bader and forwards Jordan Walker of the University of Calgary Dinos (Kamloops Blazers), Paul Deniset of the University of Manitoba Bisons (Prince Albert Raiders) and Dean Beuker of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies (Portland Winterhawks).

SHURM played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Kamloops Blazers from 1996-97 to 1999-00. It is the second time that he has received the award, having previously been named the Canada West Hockey - Western Hockey League Graduate of the Month in March, 2002.