Brayden Crampton is one of a handful of WHLers who have announced their commitments to the NCAA for the 2025-26 season.
On November 7, it was announced that CHL players would be eligible to play in the NCAA. The change is groundbreaking as it opens up more options for players in the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL. While this rule has only been in place for a few weeks, a number of players have already announced their commitments for next season, including Spokane Chiefs defenceman Brayden Crampton, who will attend Bowling Green State University next fall.
CHL players will be eligible to join the NCAA starting on August 1, 2025. While the decision was only recently announced, rumours about this agreement have been swirling for about a year. As Crampton explains, while this has been a long process, he is excited about the opportunity to play in the NCAA next season.
"I heard about it a little bit at the end of last season," said Crampton. "I heard that it was going to take about 12 months for them to make a decision. That was honestly a huge motivation and confidence booster hearing that. It just opened up so many more doors. Obviously, if anything pro came my way, then I'd take that, but knowing that in the back of your head is huge. Then, over those 12 months, I heard here and there that it was happening; it wasn't happening. Then, at the start of this year, I heard it's going to go through, and it was exciting."
As mentioned, Crampton will be attending Bowling Green State University next season, where he plans to take business and sports management classes. The program has been around for over 50 years and won the NCAA Championship in 1984. According to Crampton, while he couldn't officially commit until the rule was in place, he had an idea that the University was interested in recruiting him.
"A week or two before the rule actually came out. They didn't really reach out to me personally. It was more towards my agent and general managers to keep an eye on me and see how I'm doing. Then, as soon as I heard the rules were changing and it was coming out, they started to talk to me right away. It was awesome. Great university. I've seen the campus a little bit and only heard good things about it."
Crampton isn't the only current WHLer set to join Bowling Green State University next year. He will be joined by Tri-City Americans Jake Sloan and Victoria Royals Tanner Scott, who both announced their commitments around the same time. While Crampton wasn't aware the two would be joining him in the NCAA, he is excited to play with two players who have also had long careers in the WHL.
"I never really heard anything about it. They told me they were talking to a couple of WHL guys, and they couldn't tell me who. As soon as I committed, I heard the news, and I contacted them right away. I was super pumped because that's two really good players that we got."
In addition to the players, there is another WHL connection, as Crampton will be playing for Dennis Williams next season. Williams spent several seasons as coach and GM of the Everett Silverips before making the jump to the NCAA at the end of last season. While Crampton never played for Williams, he is looking forward to the opportunity as he has heard great things about his future coach.
"Everett has always been good in my three years before when Dennis was coaching. They were an amazing team, and some good D-men came out of that. I've heard good things about Dennis. I heard he's a really good coach, and he pushes you pretty hard, so I'm excited."
The move to allow CHLers into the NCAA has had a ripple effect throughout Junior Hockey in Canada. There have already been a number of players who have left Junior A and signed with teams across the CHL. According to Crampton, while this decision is a major victory for the players, he also sees this decision as an opportunity to make the entire CHL stronger.
"100%. Some so many guys go the BCHL routes, or the AJHL or the SJHL. All those good players are going to come to the CHL now that you're eligible to go to the NCAA, which is a huge opportunity for the WHL. Just opens up so many more spots for guys, and there's going to be a whole lot of talent coming in."
While the idea of playing in the NCAA is exciting, for now, Crompton remains focused on finishing his WHL career on a high note. The Chilliwack, BC-born defender has played over 200 games with Spokane and is off to a hot start to the season with 21 points in 25 games. As his time in the WHL slowly comes to a close, Crompton was able to reflect on the last four seasons, detailing just how special his time with the Chiefs organization has been.
"I was blessed to come to Spokane. Honestly, it's the best organization in the WHL, and I say that proudly and unbiased. It is awesome here. The development is top-notch, the facilities top-notch, and all the staff are so welcoming. It almost made life easier coming here. Usually, you'd say it's hard to live away from home, but everything Spokane has done for me has made it a lot easier."
In the end, Crampton is just one of the many players that will benefit from this decision. Not only does he get to play hockey at a Division I school, but he can use his WHL scholarship to continue his studies and obtain a degree. A solid two-way defenceman who is on pace to tie his career high in points, it is clear Crampton has a bright future both on and off the ice.
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