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FSU
Posted: Mar 04, 2019

Ferris State's Ryker Killins Inks Pro Deal With South Carolina Stingrays

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State hockey senior defenseman Ryker Killins (Wawa, Ontario) has officially signed a deal to join the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL to begin his professional hockey career after wrapping up his final collegiate season with the Bulldogs.

Killins, an alternate captain on the 2018-19 Bulldog squad, was an All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Third Team member as a junior in 2017-18 and a three-time WCHA Defenseman of the Week Award winner last season. Killins also has twice been named an All-WCHA All Academic performer.

The Wawa, Ontario, native played in integral role on the 2016 Broadmoor Champion Bulldogs, who advanced to the NCAA Final Eight. Killins played in every postseason contest as a freshman and set up the game-winning goal in game one of the 2016 WCHA Quarterfinal against Northern Michigan University.

Killins is on track to graduate this coming May and will officially become Ferris State's 25th alum active in professional hockey in the 2018-19 season, joining Brandon Anselmini, Chad Billins, Jason Binkley, Kyle Bonis, Justin Buzzeo, Brendan Connolly, Simon Denis, Mike Embach, Cory Kane, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Lowney, Mitch Maloney, Gerald Mayhew, Troy Milam, Adam Miller, CJ Motte, Pat Nagle, Derek Nesbitt, Zach Redmond, Blair Riley, Matt Roberston, Kyle Schempp, Garrett Thompson, Jared VanWormer and Charles Williams. 

In South Carolina, Killins joins Stingrays' broadcaster and former voice of Ferris State Hockey Jared Shafran, who serves as the team's play-by-play broadcaster and director of communications. Shafran was Ferris State's broadcaster when Killins was a freshman in 2015-16.

Killins is expected to be in the lineup on Friday, March 8, when the Stingrays visit the Maine Mariners for a 7:15 p.m. (ET) puck drop. He was assigned the #10 jersey and will join the Stingrays, who are currently in the final ECHL Kelly Cup Playoff spot in the South Division with a one-point lead and 14 games to play in the regular season.