NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY | Friday, March 26th – 2021: The Niagara University Purple Eagles are pleased to formally introduce their latest commitment, from the Carleton Place Canadians in the Central Canadian Hockey League – [F] Rylan Clemons. Prior to the cancellation of his final junior season, the natural goal-scoring right winger found a favorable amount of statistical success during his tenure on the Canadian Junior ‘A’ circuit. Hailing from Franklin, MI – Clemons’ performance with the Soo Thunderbirds in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League is what immediately grabbed the attention of the head-coaching staff throughout last year’s recruiting process. He is expected to add a plethora of offensive flare to the Purps’ lineup card, right out of the gate next season.

Head Coach Tom Mooradian had this to say about the latest addition to their roster …

“Rylan’s offensive upside captivates your attention, each and every time he touches the ice. Sure, he possesses a tremendous amount of skill, but it’s his ability to consistently create scoring opportunities that drove us to make a compelling pitch to him earlier in the year. He is a naturally gifted offensive threat who is being brought in for one purpose – to generate goals. Obviously, we live in a time where numbers get the most notoriety and he certainly has the statistical backing to compliment the praise, but I truly feel as if his commitment to team and two-way play ultimately flies under the radar. Fortunately for our program, we’ve built up a pretty good rapport with several junior coaches and GM’s in the province of Ontario. Every call that we made or received regarding Rylan was incredibly positive and complimentary. I do feel bad that he wasn’t given the opportunity to showcase his skillset during what would’ve been the final year of his junior career, but I’m incredibly excited to add him into the mix, here at Niagara. He is the type of player that will allow us to compete with some of the best teams in the country, each and every night.”

Clemons is set to start off the season penciled in to the right of reigning / defending Northeast Collegiate Hockey League player of the year – [C] David Christopher. With his commitment, late last week, Rylan has officially completed the Purple Eagles’ offensive remodel heading into the 2021-2022 regular season. With the graduation of former captains Christopher Gasiewicz, Ryan Peters, Robbie McNamara and David Fish – Niagara was looking to reload prior to touching back down into ACHA Division 1 competition. With the additions of Clemons, AJ Campbell, Tristan Taillefer, Reid Manning, David Bunn & Austin Robinson, it seems as if they’re locked and loaded for next season.

Rylan Clemons on his 4-year commitment to Niagara:

“I look forward to becoming a purple eagle because of the prestigious academic and athletic programs that Niagara has to offer. The coaching staff was so supportive throughout the process and that really made the decision very easy. I am excited to get back on the ice and hopefully make an immediate impact on the team. More importantly, I look forward to furthering my academic career in Business Administration.”

Covid-19 has taken a major chunk out of Niagara’s hockey protocol over the last 12 months. However, it’s evident that they’re doing everything they can to ensure an optimal compete level once they do eventually return to game-action in September of this year. As of last week, the team has resumed on-ice workouts in a limited capacity, here at Dwyer Arena. They are set to return to full-team practices at the beginning of next week, barring any changes in Covid-19 protocol. Follow our social media pages for the latest team updates as we navigate through the back-half of this year. [@NUachaD1]