The Trail Smoke Eaters announced that Troy Ring has committed to Marian University where he will suit up for the Sabres next season.
Marian University is located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and is part of the 12 team Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA), an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA Division III. The NCHA is a highly regarded Division III hockey league which routinely produces some of the highest ranking teams in the United States.
In 2017-2018, the Marian University Panthers compiled 20 regular season wins en route to its first NCAA Tournament bid in team history.
Ring has been with the Trail Smoke Eaters for the past two seasons after spending his first season in the BCHL with the Langley Rivermen. He came to the club as part of an off-season trade and immediately made an impact, playing all 58 games and registering 27 points in his first season in Trail.
Last season, after being named the Smoke Eaters captain, Troy contributed 29 points from the back end while helping the team to a third-round playoff berth. In his time in Trail, Troy was an involved member of the community and provided maturity and leadership for the younger players on the team.
“These past two seasons playing for the Trail Smoke Eaters have been an incredible experience for me,” Ring said in a release. “I’ve had the opportunity to represent the team and the community as the captain in one of the most successful seasons in franchise history and for that I am very proud.
“I’d like to thank my billet family, Rich and Annie Murphy, Craig Clare, the front office staff, our trainer Michelle, the coaching staff Cam Keith, Jesse Leung, Barry Zanier and Kyle Hope for giving me the opportunity to thrive on and off the ice. I am so excited to start the next chapter of my hockey career at Marian University in Wisconsin this coming fall.”
Joining the Marian Sabres is an excellent opportunity for Troy to continue playing hockey at the same time as continuing his post-secondary education. It is exciting for the team to see the hard work that the players have put in during their time in Trail be rewarded. The Trail Smoke Eaters organization would like to congratulate Troy on committing to Marian for the upcoming season and wish him success with his new team and school.