As a high school senior in British Columbia, Josh Lunden juggled a heavy academic schedule with five school sports. He captained the soccer, basketball and golf teams, played lacrosse and tennis, and greatly exceeded the minimum classroom requirements to gain college acceptance.
That did not leave a lot of time for couch-surfing.
"Well, I did have weekends off to hang out with friends,'' Lunden said. "But my junior B (hockey) games were on weekends, so there was that.''
Not a lot has changed since for UAA's senior winger, who still has a lot of pucks in the air. Lunden, 23, is on pace to graduate in the spring, after four years at UAA, with a double major in business management and business marketing.
He is also the team's leading goal scorer with 41 career goals in 105 games, including two goals in four games this season as UAA prepares to entertain No. 2-ranked North Dakota tonight.
And although word persisted in the gossipy circles of local hockey that Lunden could have turned pro the last couple of years -- "Rumors, flattering rumors, but just rumors,'' Lunden said -- he has remained intent on graduating in four years.
"It's something that was preached by my parents and my grandparents,'' Lunden said. "They always said, 'Take care of that and everything else will fall into place.' ''
Lunden's success on the ice and in the classroom is no small feat, said Seawolves coach Dave Shyiak.
"The normal college student in this day and age does not finish in four years,'' Shyiak said. "The average, I think, is somewhere along the lines of five years, or four and a half.
"These guys are full-time students and full-time Division I hockey players, and that's a lot. For anyone to do both in four years is impressive. You have to be disciplined and good with time management, and you can't be a procrastinator.''
Lunden said his father Mark, a fireman, and mother Susan, a pharmacist's assistant, instilled the importance of education in their three children. Lunden has an older sister, Melissa, 25, who teaches elementary school in Canada, and a younger sister, Justyne, 20, who went to travel college and works at a resort in London.
Josh and Melissa both were enrolled in French immersion classes from kindergarten through high school, so they speak fluent French. The language skills came in handy when Lunden in the offseason attended a Philadelphia Flyers development camp, which included a handful of French-Canadian players.
When UAA recruited Lunden after two seasons of junior hockey with Chilliwack of the British Columbia Hockey League, Lunden jumped at the chance to not only continue playing hockey but to get a scholarship to pay for school.
"I'm grateful for the Seawolves to allow me to get a college education and push myself to the highest level, in school and hockey,'' he said.
Lunden said he obviously wants to try pro hockey, but one day intends to follow his father into fire fighting. He would also like to start a landscaping business on the side, something he's done with his father for a couple of years.
As for hockey, Lunden said he and his fellow seniors want to lead UAA to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Final Five, an achievement that requires winning a best-of-3, first-round playoff series. UAA has managed that once, in 2004, in 16 previous seasons in the league.
"Just team success,'' Lunden said of his goal. "We haven't had a chance to be in the Final Five the last three years, and that's what we want. Everyone's on board for that. Personal success will follow team success.''
And with that, Lunden was off to grab some dinner and head to a nearly three-hour night class in marketing research.
Seawolves notes
• Already hurting on the blue line -- literally -- the Seawolves could again be down to five defensemen tonight, as they were in Saturday's 5-3 loss to Robert Morris in Fairbanks. Teams generally dress six defensemen.
Shyiak said senior defenseman Nils Backstrom (wrist) remains out and has not been practicing. Senior Trevor Hunt (wrist surgery) is listed as questionable -- he's practicing with limited contact. And Shyiak lists junior Luka Vidmar (groin/hip) as doubtful.
Backstrom and Hunt have yet to play this season and Vidmar missed the loss to Robert Morris. Those three have a combined 221 games of college experience and all three play on special teams, so the Seawolves are hurting without them.
• A couple of promotions allow children 12 and younger to score free general admission tickets to UAA home games.
Kids who wear Seawolves colors on Green & Gold Fridays and are accompanied by a paying adult can get two complimentary tickets, as can kids who wear a hockey sweater on Youth Jersey Saturdays and are accompanied by a paying adult. The tickets are available only on game nights at Sullivan, starting an hour before opening face-off. Go to the student desk at the northwest (main) entrance to the arena to get the tickets.
Also, youth hockey teams at the squirt, U-12 and younger levels can sign up to help with jersey raffle tickets at UAA home games by e-mailing mleary@gci.net.
• Attention, Sioux alumni: A reception is set for 5-6 p.m. tonight at Sullivan, with beer, soda and food provided. More info: Robert Bredesen, 258-1747.
Find Doyle Woody's blog online at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
By DOYLE WOODY
dwoody@adn.com