AUSTIN, Minn. – Two-year Bruins forward Andy Willis opts to stay in the “State of Hockey”, after announcing his commitment to St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Willis, 21, played for two NAHL teams in his junior career starting with the Lone Star Brahmas where he played in 12 games, before becoming a Bruin early in the 2017-18 season. During his time in Austin, Willis racked up 70 points in 110 games played. In total, the Ballwin, MO native tallied 73 total points during his entire tenure in the NAHL. In addition to his on-ice talent, Willis displayed many leadership traits and was given the role of assistant captain by Head Coach Steve Howard for the 2018-19 season.
“I really enjoyed having Andy for the last two seasons.,” said Head Coach Howard. “He provided a lot of offense during his time here and he’ll be missed both on and off the ice. We’re happy he is playing college hockey close by and we look forward to seeing him soon.”
Despite only playing 12 games for the Lone Star Brahmas early in his career, Willis was a member of the 2016-17 Robertson Cup Championship team. In 2017-18, he was named to the NAHL All-Central Division Rookie Team and NAHL All-Rookie Second Team. As a Bruin, Willis also earned two invites to the NAHL Top Prospects tournament including this most recent season.
“I am very thankful for all the Bruins organization has done for me. I have really enjoyed my time and have met some great people along the way,” commented Willis. “I feel like playing here the past two years has prepared me both on and off the ice for college. That being said, I couldn’t be more excited to head to St. Thomas in the fall and be able to attend such a great academic and athletic school.”
Willis becomes the third player this offseason to announce collegiate intentions after Terry Ryder and Dante Zapata. In total, the final Bruins roster from the 2018-19 season claims 11 players who have made NCAA commitments.
The Bruins are looking ahead to the 2019-20 season, the team’s Tenth Anniversary. Special promo nights, giveaways, and added experiences are already being scheduled for the upcoming anniversary year. Season tickets are on sale now starting as low as $175 with reserved seats going for $25. To sign up as a season ticket holder or to market your business through the Austin Bruins, call the Bruins front office at 507-434-4978.
