University of Regina men's hockey head coach Trevor Keeper announced Tuesday that Kurt Rookes (Waywayseecappo Wolverines) has committed to the Cougars for the 2026-27 season.

Rookes, who has played both forward and defence throughout his junior career, is enjoying a breakout offensive season for Waywayseecappo. The 20-year-old began the year at defence before moving up to the forward position and has piled up nine goals and 45 assists for a total of 54 points in 55 games played. Rookes serves as one of the alternate captains for the Wolverines, who will likely head into the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the MJHL's MGEU West Division.

A veteran of two Western Hockey League seasons, Rookes played 30 games with the Wenatchee Wild in 2023-24 before appearing in 48 contests with Swift Current in 2024-25. He started his junior career as a 17-year-old with Waywayseecappo, collecting 16 points in 54 games during the 2022-23 season before finding his way back to the Wolverines three seasons later.

"Kurt is the kind of player coaches love because he can do a little bit of everything and plays with an edge," Keeper said. "He's played forward, he's played defence, and he's produced in both of those roles. That versatility will give us a lot of options and we're excited to welcome him to our program in the fall."

Rookes, who hails from Manson, Man. and played AAA hockey with the Shoal Lake-based Yellowhead Chiefs program, plans to enroll in the U of R's Hill School of Business. He's the fifth member of the Cougars' 2026-27 recruiting class, joining forwards Noah Asmundson, Merik Boles, and Riley Fequet and defenceman Rylan Pearce.