Center of Excellence Student Wins Two National Championships in Two Months

What defenseman Xan Gurney accomplished during the 2016-17 campaign was certainly one of the rarer feats seen in the youth hockey world.

The Grosse Ile native started the 2016-17 season skating for Compuware 16U. By the end of it, Gurney became a national champion in not one, but two leagues.

Gurney, a Total Package Hockey Center of Excellence student, brought home a USA Hockey national title with Compuware on April 10 in Pittsburgh after his squad took down Shattuck St. Mary’s.

A month later, Gurney helped the Chicago Steel capture the USHL’s Clark Cup in five games over the Sioux City Musketeers. The Steel captured the junior league’s title on May 23.

“It was an unbelievable ride with both teams really and it was just a great experience for both of them,” Gurney said. “It’s definitely been a year to remember.”

Gurney, a Western Michigan commit, was a late-season call up for the Steel, skating in one regular season game – in which he recorded an assist – and ten postseason games en route to the championship.

“It was an unbelievable experience winning it,” Gurney said of the Clark Cup run. “The guys here took me in and made me a part of the team. It was awesome seeing everyone come together.”

The TPH student-athlete credited his experience with the program helping him reach the next level of hockey.

“TPH really has helped me make the step up to the next level,” Gurney said. “It’s an unbelievable school that I believe is the reason I’ve had such a great year.”

Written by Stefan Kubus

http://mihockeynow.com/2017/05/rare-feat-sees-xan-gurney-capture-two-national-championships-in-two-months/