Port Hope Predators all-star defenceman Dan MacIntyre has secured a scholarship to an American university.

MacIntrye, 21, will attend Bemidji  State University, a Division I NCAA school in Minnesota, starting this fall. Securing a four-year hockey scholarship to this particular school is extra special, says MacIntyre. The first people he called when he learned of the scholarship were his parents.

"I wanted to go here because it is two hours away from Fort Frances, my home, just across the border in Ontario," explains MacIntrye.

MacIntyre has had an all-star season since joining Port Hope this season from his previous Junior A team in B.C. He was selected a conference all-star and posted 17 goals and 28 assists for 45 points in 49 games this year. He credits Predator management and the exposure of playing in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League with helping him secure the scholarship.

"There was exposure in British Columbia too, but the team has been really helpful in helping talk to schools and people," says MacIntyre. "We had a good year too, which helps."  Tim Clayden, Predators hockey operations director, says the team is proud of MacIntyre's accomplishment.

"He committed to our hockey club early last summer with the goals of coming to Port Hope to lead our hockey club to another championship and secure an NCAA scholarship along the way," says Clayden. "We wish Dan only the very best as he moves on to the NCAA level, both in hockey and his future career choices through his university education."

Brent Grieve, of Cardinal Sports Management, a firm which assists players in their pursuit of American scholarships, says MacIntyre deserves full credit for securing his scholarship.

"We helped by ensuring he had the right paperwork and exposure and contacts, but Dan scored really high on his SATs and is an honours student with Ivy League grades," says Grieve. "He also shows leadership with his captaincy of the Predators and is a highly-skilled, mobile defenceman with a great shot."

The Predators currently trail the Wellington Dukes 2-1 in their second round playoff series which resumes tonight, Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m., in Port Hope.

"We are still in it and it is not over until its over, as the old saying goes," adds MacIntyre.