Brandon Weare, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Teck Cup championship MVP, has signed to play for the University of Jamestown Jimmies this fall.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies goalie said it’s awesome to join the ACHA Division 1 program.
“Dean’s a great coach. Ryan Parent, the coach in Revelstoke, speaks very highly of him and he really helped me get there,” said Weare. “I’m excited.”
The Calgary native felt the Jimmies program would be a good fit for him because from what he learned, the Jimmies program is very strong compared to other teams he considered. The Jimmies also have some former Grizzlies on their roster that Weare knows, adding familiarity.
“I liked Revelstoke so I think I will like Jamestown as well,” he said of the City of Jamestown, which has a population of 15,800 in North Dakota.
In a season that concluded with a league championship and a bronze medal at the Cyclone Taylor Cup, Weare said he has made “enormous strides” in becoming a better goalie as well a better person and leader.
“What I experienced this year being a 20-year-old, not having a year last year, I really got a leadership role and got better in that department. That’s the biggest area where I thought I made improvements,” said Weare, who plans to study business at the University of Jamestown.
In 50 career KIJHL regular season games (22 with Golden, 28 with Revelstoke), Weare won 30 games, and earned six shutouts with a .915 save percentage and a 2.63 goals against average. All of Weare’s playoff action came this season, winning 14 of 18 games with a .947 SP and a 1.53 GAA.