Osoyoos Coyote Levi Holz (left) and goalie Daniel Paul during the team’s last game of the season in March. Paul has signed with the University of Victoria Vikes. (Vanessa broadbent / Osoyoos Times)

By Vanessa Broadbent

Osoyoos Times

Former Osoyoos Coyotes goaltender Daniel Paul’s hockey career is continuing in Victoria.

Paul will be joining the University of Victoria Vikes for the upcoming 2019/20 BC Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to go to university and become a student athlete,” Paul stated in a BCIHL news release. “I’ve heard many great things about the quality of education at the University of Victoria and you definitely can’t beat the location.”

Coyotes head coach Dean Maynard praised Paul’s move.

“I think that’s a great asset for UVIC to have picked him up. I think he’ll do excellent on that team and I encourage him to continue his hockey career because that’s what he wanted.”

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Had Paul not signed with the Vikes, he was going to join Coyotes staff as a goalie coach, Maynard said.

“But it was good that he got that position,” he said. “He’s a very passionate hockey player and he competes well; very strong communicator on the ice, strong leader, and definitely a huge asset for anybody to have him on the team – just a great goalie overall.”

Paul, from Kelowna, finished his season with the KIJHL with a goals against average of 3.02 and a saves percentage of 0.912. Between the Coyotes and the North Okanagan Knights, he played 136 games in the junior hockey league.

He plans to study general sciences at UVIC, pursuing an interest in “human life.”

“I take great pride in the human body and living a healthy lifestyle,” he told the BCIHL. “My goal is to be a very effective and responsible student throughout my studies at the UVIC.”