"T.J. made his mind up that he was going to be the best player in our league" stated Head Coach Rod Taylor. "He achieved that by leading the league in goals and total points, leading to being awarded league MVP honors.  He truly was an asset to our team.  He's got the mind set to be the best player at the next level and I believe that he will.  Oswego is getting a great player in T.J."

The Hampton Roads Jr. Whalers are proud to announce that 5’10, 185lb, 1994 forward TJ Sneath has committed to play NCAA hockey for the Oswego State Lakers in the fall.

The crafty forward, and Chino, CA native, just completed his 2nd season with the Whalers, notching a league high 42 goals and 51 assists this season for 93 points in 40 games for the Whalers.  TJ tallied 7 power play goals and 18 power play assists, 3 shorthanded goals, and a league high 7 game winning goals this season.  He also lead the team in playoff scoring, tallying 7 assists in 8 playoffs games, helping the Whalers reach their 2nd straight USPHL Final Four appearance and claim the USPHL Southern Conference regular season championship.  T.J. was named to the USPHL All-Star team and recognized as the USPHL MVP and USPHL Offensive player of the year awards.

“The best decision I ever made for my hockey career was leaving my team in Canada to come and play for the Hampton Roads Jr. Whalers”, stated Sneath. “Over the course of two seasons I grew more as a player and as a person than I thought was possible. The scouting in the USPHL was incredibly impressive, and our GM Patrick Cavanagh is the best GM I've ever had for helping players move on to a higher level. My coaches Rod Taylor and JJ Crew were amazing, they taught and allowed me to grow as a player and ultimately helped me get to the next level. My teammates were like brothers to me and I'll always think of them as my teammates and family.  It was an honor for me to play for such an amazing, player promoting organization and I'm proud to say I'll always be a Hampton Roads Jr. Whaler.”

"TJ is an extraordinary player and person who truly represents Whaler Nations standards of excellence", stated Whalers GM Patrick Cavanagh. "His work ethic and commitment to be the best set him apart and led him to develop into the dominant player he is today.  The footprint he left in the Hampton Roads community will forever be remembered which is a testament to his on-ice performance and highlighted by the personal relationships he established with the entire hockey community. The Oswego State hockey program has a rich tradition and high standards under Coach Gosek, TJ will be a big part of that future". 

Oswego is located in Oswego, NY and competes in the NCAA's SUNYAC conference.

The Lakers are a perennial NCAA powerhouse, having won 10 SUNYAC Conference titles, making 15 NCAA tournament appearances, 8 times reaching the frozen four and winning the 2007 Division 3 National Championship.

Sneath is the 2nd Whaler from this year’s squad to announce his college commitment, joining Trevor Voelker who is committed to St. Anselm.  The Whalers will be announcing many more NCAA commitments in the next few weeks; stay tuned to www.whalernation.com for more commitment announcements.