A player from Maple Ridge who soaked in the ultimate in junior B success last season will join the intercollegiate ranks next season.

The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack hockey team signed its first recruit from the Pacific International Junior Hockey League, and he is 20-year-old Kevin Lourens.

TRU general manager Chris Hans and head coach Don Schulz announced that Lourens will join the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League team this fall.

Lourens was a member of the Cyclone Taylor Cup and Keystone Cup winning Abbotsford Pilots in 2011/12. The 5 ft. 9 in. forward had 15 goals and 15 assists in 22 regular season games with the Pacific International Junior Hockey League team last year.

He added seven goals and nine assists in 16 playoff games.

"I've heard nothing but good things about the hockey program at TRU," said Lourens, who along with linemates Riley Lamb and Justin Dorey made up one of the top lines in B.C. junior B hockey this past season.

Hans is happy to have Lourens, who will take business courses at Thompson Rivers this season after starting the kinesiology program at the

University of the Fraser Valley in 2011/12.

"Kevin is a skilled forward who brings an impressive resume from his years with the Abbotsford Pilots of the PIJHL," Hans said. "Kevin comes highly recommended from coach Jim Cowden in Abbotsford."

The Pilots won the 2012 Western Canada Keystone Cup title with Lourens making a huge contribution, said Hans who added, "Kevin comes from a solid junior hockey program and he is a well-rounded player who competes in all three zones on the ice. I expect Kevin to push our returning veteran players for ice time."

Schulz believes Lourens will be able to make a contribution to the WolfPack.

"I am most pleased that Kevin decided to commit to us. He'll provide some offence and we hear good things from his former coach," Schulz said. "Kevin has shown the ability to put points on the board whether it's playoffs or regular season. It's a sign of consistency and being able to perform under pressure. I'm expecting him to do the same for us."

Lourens becomes the 11th player to commit to Thompson Rivers for the coming season.

The WolfPack begin their training camp the first week of September.