Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Academic Players of the Month for January including Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm, Mason Vaccari of the Kingston Frontenacs, Joey Willis of the Saginaw Spirit and Wyatt Kennedy of the North Bay Battalion.
East Division: Kingston Frontenacs rookie netminder Mason Vaccari is the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for January.
Vaccari is achieving an overall average of 94 percent across three university-level courses, with a 92 percent average in Financial Accounting and a 95 percent average in both Canadian Law and Advanced Functions at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School.
“Mason is as laser focused a student as he is a goalie,” said Frontenacs academic advisor Kristi LeSarge. His math teacher, Joanne Van Nest shared that “Mason has maintained his 95% in her Advanced Functions course, which is amazing considering his demanding schedule and the challenging nature of the Advanced Functions material. He is a conscientious, dedicated, mature student and an all-around nice, humble person.”
The 17-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. has played 17 games this season, recording a 3.08 goals-against-average and .908 save percentage for the Fronts. In the 2021-2022 season, Vaccari played 16 games for the OJHL’s Coburg Cougars, accumulating nine wins. The 5-foot-9, 178lb. goaltender was Kingston’s fourth round (61st overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
Central Division: North Bay Battalion defenceman Wyatt Kennedy is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month for January.
Kennedy is currently achieving academic excellence in grade 12 level courses, including high grades in Equity and Social Justice, Business Leadership and Careers at Chippewa Secondary School.
“Wyatt is described by his teachers as a kind, polite and courteous leader, who is an equally strong student,” said Battalion academic advisor Stephanie Silverthorn. “He is respected by staff, students, and his teammates. Wyatt’s approach to learning is positive and his work habits are strong. He regularly shows initiative, is conscientious and displays a principled and open-minded approach within the classroom while managing his time between the ice and school.”
The 17-year-old from Vars, Ont. has played 46 games this season, recording two goals, four assists and six points for the Battalion. The 6-foot-5, 186Ib. blueliner was selected in the third round (50th overall) by North Bay in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
Midwest Division: Guelph Storm rookie forward Jett Luchanko is the OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for January.
Luchanko is achieving an 85 percent average in grade 11 university-level Physics, Mathematics and English at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School.
“Jett’s ability to effectively balance the demands of his academic course load with his on-ice commitments is a direct reflection of his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence,” said Storm academic advisor Coleen Driscoll. “He is to be commended for his conscientious and dedicated approach to his studies.”
The 16-year-old from London, Ont. has played 33 games this season, recording three goals, six assists and nine points for the Storm. The 5-foot-10, 165Ib. right-winger was selected in the first round (12th overall) by Guelph in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program.
West Division: Saginaw Spirit rookie forward Joey Willis is the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for January.
Willis is achieving an overall first semester average of 87 percent, with an 88 percent average in grade 12 English, 83 percent average in Advanced Placement Environmental Science, 88 percent average in Marketing, 81 percent average in Advanced Placement Statistics and a 93 percent average in Work Based Learning at Heritage High School.
“Joey is a very hard working student with an outstanding work ethic,” said Saginaw’s academic advisor Pamela Moretuzzo. “He is scholastically gifted and very dedicated to his studies. Joey is a strong-willed and driven individual. He commits a great deal of time in and out of school to be successful in his academics, as he is currently taking two Advanced Placements courses and often attends additional study sessions outside of his class hours to improve his understanding of the course material. He is a well-rounded, conscientious individual.”
“Joey is also committed to improving his hockey skills as a member of the Saginaw Spirit team. As a rookie, he is currently second in scoring for first year players,” Moretuzzo continued. “Joey welcomes hockey, academic, and personal challenges and works diligently to accomplish his goals. He has outstanding sportsmanship and a positive attitude both on and off of the ice.”
The 17-year-old from Elmhurst, Ill. has played 45 games this season, recording nine goals, 17 assists and 26 points for the Spirit. The 5-foot-10, 170Ib. centreman was selected in the fourth round (79th overall) by Saginaw in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
2022-23 OHL Academic Players of the Month:
East Division:
January – Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
December – Callum Cheynowski (Hamilton Bulldogs)
November – James Guo (Peterborough Petes)
October – Brad Gardiner (Ottawa 67’s)
Central Division:
January – Wyatt Kennedy (North Bay Battalion)
December – Grayson Tiller (Barrie Colts)
November – Finn Harding (Mississauga Steelheads)
October – Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves)
Midwest Division:
January – Jett Luchanko (Guelph Storm)
December – Nathan Sauder (Erie Otters)
November – Braedyn Rogers (Owen Sound Attack)
October – Denver Barkey (London Knights)
West Division:
January – Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit)
December – Tristan Bertucci (Flint Firebirds)
November – Bronson Ride (Windsor Spitfires)
October – Alex Kostov (Soo Greyhounds)
The OHL continues to produce student-athletes that move on to both professional and U SPORTS men’s hockey endeavours.
A total of 349 graduates utilized their OHL Scholarship at post-secondary institutions across North America during the 2021-22 academic year, with a total contribution by teams of over $3.5 million. Over the past 10 seasons, OHL Scholarship payments have totalled more than $25 million.
A total of 217 OHL Alumni were included on U SPORTS men’s hockey rosters to open the 2022-23 season.
Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.
