HALIFAX – Windsor Lancer fourth year forward Spencer Pommells has been named the CIS men's hockey player of the year.
 
A native of Grande Prairie, Alta., Pommells became the first Lancer to claim the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy and only the third Windsor player to capture a CIS major award in men's hockey. Forwards Chris Gignac (1999) and Ken Minello (1989) had previously merited the R.W. Pugh Award presented annually to the most sportsmanlike player.
 
Pommells established himself as one of the premier players in CIS this season. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound forward had an explosive campaign as he racked up 50 points in 27 league games, including 16 goals and a CIS-leading 34 assists, to win the national scoring race by eight points and the OUA crown by 11. Of his team-leading 16 goals, five were game-winners, leaving him one short of the nation's lead.
 
Pommells, who appeared in every game this season, helped lead the Lancers to a first-place overall finish in the very tough OUA conference with a 22-4-1 record and a top-10 ranking nationally for 17 straight weeks. In addition to winning the Sullivan Trophy, he was named a first-team all-Canadian and an OUA West Division first-team all-star.
 
A former standout with the AJHL's St. Albert Steel, the Liberal Studies student has now accumulated 140 career points in 108 regular season contests with the Lancers, including 43 goals and 97 assists.
 
"We are very proud of Spencer's accomplishments and his many contributions to our Lancer hockey program," said head coach Kevin Hamlin. "From the time he arrived in Windsor four years ago, Spencer has worked extremely hard and has developed into one of the premier players in CIS. His tremendous play this year has been a big part of our team's success."
 
Joining Pommells as a first team all-Canadian is teammate Kenny Bradford. Bradford led the CIS in scoring by a defenceman with 28 points, scoring eight goals and adding 20 assists. He was a key cog in the Lancers third-ranked power play, scoring six of his eight goals on the man advantage, tying him for second most with all OUA defencemen.