Vees announce initial 2023-24 recruiting class
PENTICTON, B.C. – The Penticton Vees are enjoying a record-breaking start and sit first in the BC Hockey League, but plans are already coming together for next year, as the team is excited to announce their first wave of recruits for the 2023-24 season.
Eight players, four defencemen and four forwards, are set to wear Vees colours next fall. The 2023-24 recruiting class:
| Name | Birthyear | Position | 2022-23 Team |
| Anselmo Rego | ‘05 | Forward | St. Andrew’s College |
| Jonathan Castagna | ‘05 | Forward | St. Andrew’s College |
| Francesco Dell’Elce | ‘05 | Defenceman | St. Andrew’s College |
| Attila Lippai | ‘04 | Forward | Cretin-Derham Hall |
| Larry Keenan | ‘05 | Defenceman | Culver Military Academy |
| Landon Cowper | ‘06 | Defenceman | Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna |
| Noah Dziver | ‘05 | Forward | South Alberta Hockey Academy |
| Nolan Stevenson | ‘05 | Defenceman | Regina Pat Canadians |
“With likely just two, three players returning next season, it has been a priority for our coaching staff to identify players that will help continue to build upon the success we have had over the last number of years,” began Vees’ President, General Manager & Head Coach, Fred Harbinson. “We believe this group of players will bring a tremendous level of skill but more importantly excellent character. They will be great ambassadors for our program.”
The Vees 2023 Spring Camp runs May 26-28, 2023, at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Anselmo Rego, Forward | The 17-year-old is in his second season at St. Andrew’s College (SAC) in Ontario. The Brampton, ON product is off to a great start, putting up 41 points (22G, 19A) in 25 games, as he leads SAC’s Varsity team in scoring. Last season, Rego had 33 points (14G, 19A) in 36 games. Rego is an Alternate Captain.
Jonathan Castagna, Forward | Castagna, the second SAC player in the recruiting class, is also off to great start, sitting second in team scoring with 37 points (12G, 25A) in 25 games. The product of Etobicoke, ON is in his second season and is the Captain of SAC’s Varsity squad. The 17-year-old is committed to Cornell University.
Francesco Dell’Elce, Defenceman | Dell’Elce is the third member of the SAC trio that has committed to the Vees for next season. The 17-year-old is in his second season and has compiled 21 points (7G, 14A) in 23 games from the blueline. Dell’Elce, who hails from Nobleton, ON, is an Alternate Captain and committed to the University of Massachusetts.
Attila Lippai, Forward | Lippai, who turned 18 last month, is currently playing high school hockey at Cretin-Durham Hall in his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota. The 2022-23 Minnesota High School Hockey League (MSHSL) season is just underway and Lippai already has three points (1G, 2A) in three games. Prior to the start of the MSHSL season, the high school senior played in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League with Team TDS Transportation. Lippai amassed 30 points (11G, 19 A) in 20 games. The 5’9, 180-pound forward is committed to St. Thomas University.
Larry Keenan, Defenceman | Keenan, 17, is currently a senior at Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. The product of Midhurst, ON, has averaged a point per-game from the blueline this season, putting up 14 points (6G, 8A) in 14 games. Last season, with Culver’s U16 team, Keenan tallied 13 points (4G, 9A) in 28 games. Keenan is also committed to the University of Massachusetts. Keenan’s grandfather, Larry Keenan Sr., played six seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Landon Cowper, Defenceman | Cowper had already donned the Vees jersey this season. The 16-year-old defenceman made his BCHL debut with Penticton as an Affiliate Player on November 11th, against the Vernon Vipers. The Whitehorse, YT native is the Captain of Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna’s U18 Prep team. The 5’11, 195-pound blueliner has 14 points (1G, 13A) in 14 games.
Noah Dziver, Forward | Dziver hails from Winnipeg, MB and plays this season at the South Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA) in Medicine Hat, AB. The 17-year-old has a knack for scoring, as he already has 19 goals and 36 points in 19 games for SAHA. He is third in both goals and points in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s U18 Prep Division. Last season, Dziver played for his hometown Winnipeg Wild U18 AAA and amassed 71 points (29G, 42A) in just 43 games.
Nolan Stevenson, Defenceman | Stevenson is in his third season with the Regina Pat Canadians and is his team’s Captain. The Shaunavon, SK product is the top scoring defenceman in the Saskatchewan AAA Hockey League with 23 points (8G, 15A) in 21 games. The 6’2, 160-pound rearguard has 44 points (11G, 33A) in 55 career games with the Pat C’s.
The Vees organization would like to welcome the 2023-24 recruiting class and their families to Penticton and the South Okanagan.