Yale Hockey Academy forward Jesse Lansdell has committed to the University of Notre Dame’s NCAA Division I program, though he won’t suit up for the Fighting Irish until the 2016-17 season.
The Grade 11 Sardis Secondary student who currently billets with an Abbotsford family said the decision to attend the famous university was easy once he visited earlier this year.
“It’s a beautiful campus and the facilities were [redone] a few years ago,” said Lansdell, alluding to Notre Dame’s Compton Family Ice Arena, which went up in the fall of 2011.
The arena, located on campus, seats 5,022.
Lansdell said his academic interest is in business, but key in his decision was how welcoming the coaching staff were.
“They knew the kind of player I was,” said Lansdell, who described himself as a 200-foot player, who likes to use his body and size. “I’m more a playmaker.”
The 16-year-old spent the 2014-15 season with the Yale Hockey Academy prep team, with whom he registered 55 points and 106 penalty minutes in 25 games.
“Playing for Yale this past season has definitely made me a more rounded player,” said Landsell.
He is the fifth player from the 2014-15 prep team to have committed to an NCAA program, and will join teammate Alec Capstick at Notre Dame.
Lansdell also played seven regular season games with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League last season, netting one assist and seven penalty minutes and made four post-season appearances with the club.