CALGARY, AB – Western Hockey League Commissioner Ron Robison announced today that a total of 253 WHL graduate players have been awarded WHL Scholarships for the 2009-10 academic year.

The WHL Scholarship recipients are enrolled as full-time students in 64 different post-secondary institutions throughout North America.

This season 106 of the 253 WHL Scholarship recipients are furthering their education while playing elite hockey in the Canada West University Hockey League of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Association. These students have combined their WHL Scholarship with additional financial assistance from their Canada West University to receive Western Canada’s Premier Hockey Scholarship.

The University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) leads the way with 26 WHL graduates enrolled in full time studies while 22 former WHL players are registered at the University of Alberta (Edmonton). The University of Calgary has 19 WHL graduates attending full time classes; the University of British Columbia in Vancouver has 18; the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg) has 17; the University of Regina has 15 while the University of Lethbridge has 14 WHL graduates enrolled in full time studies.

The WHL Scholarship recipients include 195 graduates attending a Canadian University, 151 of which are attending University in Western Canada. 44 WHL graduates are enrolled at Universities in Eastern Canada with 39 currently playing hockey in the Ontario and Atlantic Conferences of the CIS. Another 49 WHL graduates are enrolled at Canadian Colleges with nine playing hockey in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) and nine are attending other post-secondary institutions throughout North America.

The WHL Scholarship is solely funded by the member Clubs of the WHL. This season WHL Clubs will contribute over $1 million to graduates utilizing the WHL Scholarship.

“The WHL Scholarship continues to provide our players with an opportunity to continue their education at Universities and Colleges right here in Canada,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, “Our Clubs are fully committed to providing the most comprehensive education and scholarship program available in North America and we are delighted our graduates are taking full advantage of the opportunity to pursue their studies at a post-secondary institution of their choice.”

All players who play in the WHL are eligible to receive the WHL scholarship. For every season a player plays in the WHL, they receive a full year guaranteed WHL Scholarship, including tuition, textbooks and compulsory fees, to a post-secondary institution of their choice. In addition, over 100 current WHL players receive financial assistance for education expenses to enroll in post secondary classes while playing throughout the course of the season. The WHL and Athabasca University recently entered into a new partnership that offers, through online and other distance education vehicles, fully accredited university courses to any WHL player interested in further pursuing post-secondary studies while playing in the WHL.

The WHL continues to be the leading provider of Hockey Scholarships in Western Canada. Since 1993, the Western Hockey League has awarded more than 3,500 Scholarships representing a contribution of more than $11 million.

The WHL gratefully acknowledges the support of Husky Energy as an Associate Partner of the WHL Education Program.