Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU's Class Of 2004
December 29, 1999 | Ice Hockey
Nov. 18, 1999
Bowling Green, Ohio - Bowling Green State University Head Hockey Coach Buddy Powers announced today the signing of four student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent. All four are currently playing in the Ontario Provincial Junior "A" League.
Forwards Phil Barski, D'Arcy McConvey and Mark Wires, along with defenseman Kevin Bieksa have all signed NLI to attend and play hockey at BGSU next fall.
Barski, a 6-2, 180-pound left wing currently skates with the Milton Merchants, and has recorded 13 goals and 23 assists for a team-leading 36 points in 16 games. He has also been assessed 25 penalty minutes. The Merchants are currently in second place in the 10-team Western Conference with a 14-4-0 (3-OTL) mark and are the top offensive team in the conference averaging 5.67 goals per game (119 goals in 21 games). He played last year for the Stouffville Spirit in the Ontario Provincial League scoring 77 points on 25 goals and 52 assists in 41 games.
Bieksa, a 6-1, 180-pound defenseman is playing with the Burlington Cougars, where he has four goals and 15 assists for 19 points with 75 penalty minutes. The Cougars have compiled a 13-7-2 mark and are in fourth place in the 10-team Western Conference. Burlington is the best defensive team in the Western Conference allowing 3.14 goals per game (69 goals allowed in 22 contests). He spent last year with the Cougars scoring 40 points on 10 goals and 30 assists in 47 games.
McConvey, a 5-10, 180-pound center comes to Bowling Green from the Wexford Raiders. He currently leads the Raiders in scoring with 38 points on 12 goals and 26 assists with 10 penalty minutes in 16 games. The Raiders are in third place of nine teams in the South Conference having compiled a 13-4-1 (3-OTL) record. Wexford is currently third in its conference in offense (4.57 goals for per game/96 goals in 21 games) and second in defense (3.14 goals against per game/66 goals allowed). McConvey split playing time last season between Wexford and the Vaughan Vipers.
Wires, the youngest of BG's four early signees for next season, is a 6-0, 175-pound center who will join the Falcons from the Wexford Raiders. This season as a 17-year-old, he has six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 17 games with 18 penalty minutes. In his rookie junior season last year, he scored 39 points for the Raiders on 19 goals and 20 assists in 46 games. He is one of the top forward prospects with an 1982 birthdate.
FALCON HOCKEY NLI SIGNEES
Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. Birthdate Hometown (Current Team) Phil Barski LW 6-2 180 06/08/79 Richmond Hill, Ontario (Milton Merchants) Kevin Bieksa D 6-1 180 06/16/81 Grimsby, Ontario (Burlington Cougars) D'Arcy McConvey C 5-10 180 10/23/81 Richmond Hill, Ontario (Wexford Raiders) Mark Wires C 6-0 175 03/20/82 Toronto, Ontario (Wexford Raiders)
