1995 Prospect Cam Marks Commits to UNH

A high-scoring defenseman from the British Columbia Major Midget League (BC MML) has committed to play for the University of New Hampshire in the Fall of 2014. 6'0", 160 lbs. Cam Marks (DOB: 4/9/1995), a right shot defenseman from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is the second 1995-born defenseman from that Western Canadian province to accept an offer to play for UNH. Marks is planning to join Dylan Chanter - a big intimidating defenseman who recently completed his rookie season in the BCHL - for the 2014-15 season.

Despite missing 15 games due to injury, Cam Marks finished the regular season as the third leading scorer among defensemen on the Vancouver Northwest Giants. In 25 games, Marks scored a goal and 16 assists and remarkably, he had no penalties. His 17 points tied him for 12th place among all defensemen in the BC MML.

The Vancouver Northwest Giants are a perennial powerhouse in British Columbia. This season, the Giants won their 4th consecutive British Columbia Midget Major Playoff Title. Last weekend, Marks and the Giants challenged the Red Deer Rebels for the Pacific Regional Championship. The winner of Pacific Region advances to the Telus Cup competition, which determines the National Midget Championship in Canada. The Giants lost the best-of-three series with the Rebels winning the first game 1-0 and the second game 4-3 in overtime. Across the five playoff games this season, Cam Marks had 1 assist and no penalties.

The Vancouver Northwest Giants also won the 2010-11 Regular Season Title in the BC MML. Cam Marks scored 4 goals and 26 assists in 38 games and was the third leading scorer among all defensemen in the league. In the playoffs, the Giants won the Pacific Regional Championship and advanced to the National Championship Series in Saint John's Newfoundland. The Giants won 4 out of 5 games in the round-robin competition but lost in the semi-finals and bronze medal game. Across the 7 games of the 2011 Telus Cup Championship, Cam Marks was the leading scorer among defensemen with a goal and 8 assists. In fact, Marks tied for 4th overall in scoring.

As you might expect, a talented young Canadian like Cam Marks has attracted the attention of teams in the top Canadian Junior Leagues. In the 2010-11 season, Marks was "listed" by the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. Though he was not drafted by the WHL Giants, they acquired his WHL rights and added him to their protected list.

This past season, the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League maintained the BCHL rights to Cam Marks. In November, Marks was called up to play two games for the Vees. Marks scored an assist and had no penalties.

UNH fans who have followed the team's recruiting in recent years will recognize another former defenseman from the Vancouver Northwest Giants. In January, 2008, a 5'9", 135 lbs., 15-year-old defenseman named Joey Laleggia played an exhibition game at the Whittemore Center. At the time, Laleggia was the leading scorer among the defensemen on the Vancouver Northwest Giants. He finished the 2007-08 regular season with 7 goals and 34 assists which made him the third leading scorer among defensemen in the British Columbia Midget Major League. Soon after his visit to UNH, Laleggia verbally committed to play for the Wildcats in the 2010-11 season. However, in the summer of 2010, Laleggia withdrew his commitment to UNH stating that "looking back now, I'd say it [committing at age 15] was too early" and that the situation with UNH "got a little complicated."

Laleggia went on to commit to Denver University. A few days ago, Laleggia was named the Hockey Commissioner's Assocation National Rookie of the Year. Needless to say, UNH hopes that Cam Marks will enroll at UNH and achieve a level of success that approaches Laleggia's accomplishments.