Jason Davenport of the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Leamington Flyers (photo credit – Tim Bates | OJHL Images) has confirmed his commitment to join the NCAA Division I Miami University RedHawks in Oxford, Ohio.
“I believe Miami is the right fit for me as a player and a person,” Davenport said on the Flyers’ website. “They have an amazing campus, facility and culture at Miami. As soon as I stepped foot on campus it felt like home.”
Davenport, who hails from Shelby Township, Michigan, has been a mainstay on the Flyers blueline this season, dressing in 43 games and scoring three goals to go along with 10 assists for 13 points. He is averaging the second most ice time of any Flyers defenseman, at just under 19 minutes per game.
“Leamington has been a great organization to play for in my first year of junior hockey,” Davenport said. “Everyone from the coaches, staff and teammates have been amazing and pushed me every day to be a better player and teammate.”
The Flyers share the enthusiasm.
“I’m really happy for Jason and his family,” Flyers head coach Dale Mitchell said. “He’s a big part of why we have had success this season and glad her has been recognized for that. He will have no problem adjusting to the NCAA when he is a freshman.”
The 17-year-old has made himself known in the OJHL, being selected to play in the Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge and the league’s Hudl-InStat Prospects Game.
Miami has made 12 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, with two Frozen Four runs and a second-place finish in 2009. NHLers Dan Boyle, Andy Green, Kevyn Adams and Blake Coleman are alumni.
Davenport is the second Flyer to commit to a D1 program this season, joining Darian Anderson (Clarkson).
Nicholas Beneteau (St. Lawrence), Ryan MacPherson (New Hampshire), Connor MacPherson (New Hampshire), Hayden Reid (Minnesota), Zack Borgiel (Merrimack) and Adam Jeffery (RIT) have also made their NCAA commitments out of Leamington in the past five years.
Next action for the Flyers comes Thursday when they host the Brantford 99ers.
Congratulations to Jason and best of luck in the OJHL and NCAA!
The OJHL has had more than 45 NCAA Division I scholarship commitments already this season.
Check out all our commitments here: https://www.ojhl.ca/committments/
