Cash Anderson's hockey career is moving from the banks of a mighty river (Fraser River) to the shores of a Great Lake (Lake Erie).
Anderson, from Armstrong, has committed to play for the Fredonia State Blue Devils, an NCAA Div. 3 college, located in Fredonia, NY.
The State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia, founded in 1826, is the second-oldest public college in New York State. Fredonia rests along Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes.
Anderson, 20, played the 2024-25 hockey season with the Quesnel River Rush in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, where he led the team's inaugural season in the Cariboo with 55 points in 38 games.
The River Rush relocated to Quesnel for 2024-25 from Armstrong, where the team was known for years as the North Okanagan Knights.
"I am super-honoured to commit to such an amazing university and hockey program at Fredonia State," said Anderson. "I'd like to thank my current and previous coaches that I've been so lucky to work with that helped me get to this point.
"I'd like to thank the Rush organization for the opportunity to play out my last year of junior hockey in Quesnel, and to my great teammates who pushed me every single day."
The River Rush finished third in the Doug Birks Division (19-19-3-3) but were swept out of the playoffs in the opening round by the Kamloops Storm.
In an interview with KIJHL communications, Anderson said the organization made the West Fraser Centre (home rink) feel like home, and exciting to come to the rink. The six-foot-tall, 180-pound forward improved his patience with the puck, something he worked on all season.
"That helped with my confidence," said Anderson. "My skating has always been one of my strengths, but I found I took it to another level this year with training on and off the ice."
Two-a-day practices and dryland training also helped his development under the watchful eye of first-year River Rush coach Logan Maxwell.
"Cash became an elite player in the league, and was a true leader on and off the ice for us this year," said Maxwell, who is also the team's general manager. "Everyone in the Rush organization is extremely happy for Cash and the opportunity he has earned with the Blue Devils."
Fredonia State University's men's hockey team ended 2024-25 with a final record of 7-18 and 5-9 in SUNY Athletic Conference play.
Fredonia, NY is a village with a population of 9,871 (2020 Census) in the town of Pornfret south of Lake Erie. Incorporated in 1829, the village's original name was Canadaway (from the Indian word Ganadawao, meaning 'among the hemlocks'). The name Fredonia coupled the word 'freedom' with a Latin ending. It was proposed as a replacement name for the United States which failed, but became the name of many towns and cities.
