Devon Mussio has committed to Anchorage Alaska in the NCAA Division I for the 2020-2021 season. This makes him the eighth player on the Nanaimo Clippers with an NCAA Division I commitment for next year. It shows the incredible depth of the Clippers this year with the expectation that several more players will follow shortly.
Mussio has played the second most games in the BCHL of all current players with 186 games under his belt spanning over five seasons. The 20-year-old veteran defenceman has been a big part of the reason behind the on-ice success of the Clippers this year as they currently sit in first place in the Island Division. The Clippers top the league in penalty killing with Mussio on the first pairing. The Clippers are also second in Goals Against Average and 6th on the power play.
Not only is Mussio a shutdown defenceman who has thrown a few dozen huge mid-ice body checks this season but he’s also contributing offensively. He sits at 15 points after 24 games and leads the team in assists while being 5th in team scoring. League wide, he sits 9th in defenceman scoring, an impressive feat since Mussio is a key part of the defensive zone success this year with the Clippers.
Darren Naylor, GM and Head Coach of the Clippers noted: “I am Proud of Devon and his determination and hard work. Devon’s mental toughness is off the charts. He has overcome many obstacles over the past few seasons but never wavered in his believe that he was a Div 1 hockey player. Confidence is so important to hockey players and Devon’s confidence upon his arrival to the Clippers has grown daily. Good job Devon.”
Devon Mussio commented: “I was seeing quite a bit of interest in a number of NCAA Division I programs this year but I chose Anchorage because I was very impressed with the coaching staff and I believe I can step right in next year to contribute on the team. I see a lot of upside with Anchorage and a bunch of my friends from the BCHL are at the program including last year’s captain Marcus Mitchell. I can’t wait to make the next step in my hockey career hopefully after winning the Nationals this year.”
