Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs, Tnias Mathurin of the North Bay Battalion, Eric Uba of the Guelph Storm and Davis “T-Bone” Codd of the Saginaw Spirit have been named OHL Academic Players of the Month for December.
Though the puck has yet to drop on the 2020-21 OHL Regular Season, players are striving for excellence in the classroom through their studies. The League continues to work with government and public health agencies to prepare a safe return to play. Academic players of the month are listed in correspondence with their 2019-20 divisions. Details concerning the structure of 2020-21 team alignment will be made available upon release of the OHL Regular Season schedule.
Here’s a closer look at the OHL’s Academic Players of the Month for December:
East Division: Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs is being recognized as December’s East Division Academic Player of the Month. He completed two grade 11 courses heading into the school year and currently carries an 89% average.
“Shane continues to be an exceptional role model both on and off the ice. The staff at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School can always count on Shane’s commitment to his academic studies, his maturity, and his leadership as a student,” said Kim Hulton, Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School academic advisor for the Frontenacs.
The newly-turned 17-year-old exceptional talent led the Frontenacs with a record-breaking 39 goals and 66 points in 58 games as a rookie over the 2019-20 season. He was the recipient of the Emms Family Award, was named CHL Rookie of the Year and, at 16-years-old, was recently one of 18 OHL players invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Development Camp.
Central Division: North Bay’s Tnias Mathurin is December’s Central Division Academic Player of the Month. He boasts a 93% in English and as well as a 94% in Mathematics at Chippewa Secondary School and is described as a “very strong, diligent student with strong marks since grade 9.”
The 17-year-old defenceman was selected by the Battalion in the third round, 41st overall at the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. The Ajax, Ont. native scored seven goals and earned 12 assists for 19 points in 35 games with the Ajax-Pickering Raiders U16 squad in 2019-20.
Midwest Division: Eric Uba of the Guelph Storm has been named the Midwest Division’s Academic Player of the Month for December.
Uba is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Guelph where he has maintained an 88% grade in Business Math, an 86% in Life and Well-Being and a 76% in Macroeconomics. At the same time, he is also maintaining his on and off ice training regiments in preparation for the start of the 2021 season. He is described as a “very focused, determined and self-motivated student” and “an excellent role model for his teammates, exemplifying what it means to ‘embrace the best of both worlds.’’
Through 63 games over the 2019-20 campaign, the 20-year-old winger recorded a career-high 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points.
West Division: The Saginaw Spirit’s Davis “T-Bone” Codd is the West Division’s Academic Player of the Month for December. Codd earned an 87% in his International Baccalaurette Math Studies, a 92% in International Baccalaurette Language and Literature, 91% in his U.S. Government course and 88% in Economics for a 90% overall average at Heritage High School.
Saginaw Spirit academic advisor Pamela K. Moretuzzo described Codd as an “outstanding, conscientious individual with an excellent work ethic.”
“T-Bone’s personality and attitude are infectious, and he truly leads through example while focusing on his many scholastic, athletic and community service commitments. He volunteers at numerous events in his hometown of Brighton, Michigan as well as Saginaw, Michigan. He is well liked and respected by his peers and adults alike,” Moretuzzo continued. “T-Bone is an exceptional young man. He is polite, responsible, honest, hard-working, and a role model for others. T-Bone’s work ethic and perseverance are second to none and he will undoubtedly achieve any goals he sets.”
Codd put up five goals and nine assists for 14 points through 53 games as a rookie in 2019-20. A fourth round pick of the Spirit at the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, the 17-year-old forward scored 16 goals and added 33 assists for 49 points with the Little Caesars 16U team during the 2018-19 season.
2020-21 OHL Academic Players of the Month:
Players listed in correspondence with 2019-20 divisions. Details concerning the structure of 2020-21 team alignment will be made available upon release of the OHL Regular Season schedule.
East Division:
December – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
November – Lawson Sherk (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Central Division:
December – Tnias Mathurin (North Bay Battalion)
November – Hunter Haight (Barrie Colts)
Midwest Division:
December – Eric Uba (Guelph Storm)
November – Connor Lockhart (Erie Otters)
West Division:
December – Davis “T-Bone” Codd (Saginaw Spirit)
November – Gavin Hayes (Flint Firebirds)
A total of 334 graduates utilized their OHL Scholarship at post-secondary institutions across North America during the 2019-20 academic year, with a total contribution by teams of over $3 million. Over the past 10 seasons, OHL Scholarship payments have totalled more than $25 million.
Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.
About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.
OHL Writers 