Justin Fillion likes the idea of becoming a two-sport college athlete.
Ever since he was a kid growing up in Prince George he's had a hard time choosing between hockey and baseball - his favorite sports. Now it appears he'll be able to play both at the NCAA level.
"I'm going to try to play baseball too, so I'll get to play two sports that I really enjoy," said Fillion, who will be in action on the baseball diamond with the Queensway Auto World Red Sox tonight at Citizen Field.
"Hockey season ends in late February or early March and baseball doesn't start until late March."
After two seasons patrolling the blueline for the Michigan Tech Huskies and one red-shirt season while he recovered from back surgery, the 24-year-old Fillion has transferred to Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisc., where he plans to play hockey for the Sabres this fall/winter season, then switch to baseball in the spring.
Attending Marian also means Fillion will be reunited with RJay Berra, his longtime hockey teammate and soon-to-be roommate. They played together for two-and-a-half seasons in the BCHL with the Spruce Kings. Fillion got traded to the Victoria Grizzlies midway through the 2010-11 season. Berra, a forward, followed a similar pattern, sent to the AJHL Grande Prairie Storm at the same time Fillion left.
"I'm excited to go to a new university and play with RJay again," said Fillion. "We played together ever since we were eight years old. Going to school with him is going to make it a lot easier and it's going to be fun. We'll be living together and I'm sure we'll be getting into some mischief.
"We've been wanting to play together since we left the Spruce Kings."
In 33 games over two seasons with the Huskies, Fillion picked up two goals and 10 points. Fillion is entering his third year studying sports and business management and has one-and-a-half years of studying left to finish his degree.
Berra, a business administration major, totaled four goals and six assists in 27 games with the Sabres in 2013-14, after two years at State University of New York.
Marian competes in the Northern Athletics Conference ( NCAA Division 3). Fillion began his college hockey career at the Division 1 level with Michigan Tech. He suffered a back injury when he got hit during a game halfway through the 2011-12 season, which left him with two herniated discs. He tried to play through his injury but required surgery last September to correct the problem.
"It was just time for a change for me from Tech," said Fillion. "After going through an injury like I did, it was a rough time and I just needed a change."
Tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Citizen Field, Fillion will be the starting pitcher for the Red Sox when they take on the Inland Control and Services Tigers in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Prince George Senior Baseball League final.
Fillion is one the top hitters for the Red Sox and can plan any position. He's usually in at shortstop when he's not pitching. The Red Sox went 16-4 while winning the regular season title and are heavily favoured in the playoff final.
"It's my last game and it's tough to leave, every year I have to miss playoffs," said Fillion. "My first year in the league when I was 19 we won the league and I got to stay that year. Since then I don't think we've got to the final."
