Jordan Eberle is a quick study on and off the ice.

The 17-year-old sniper has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his first two seasons with the Regina Pats, but it's in the classroom where he might do his best work.

Eberle was named the WHL's scholastic player-of-the-year on Wednesday when the league handed out its annual awards in Calgary. He received the Doc Seaman Trophy, beating out Spokane Chiefs defenceman Jared Cowen.

"I know for sure my mom will love this award," Eberle, a Regina native who now resides in Calgary, said Wednesday night from his home in Cowtown. "Education has always been important to me and my family. It was kind of cool to look at the trophy. You figured you wouldn't know many guys but you look at it and there's Gilbert Brule and those guys. To get recognized for something other than hockey is really neat too."

Eberle, a Grade 12 student who attended O'Neill High School in Regina during the season, is slated to graduate this summer from Bishop O'Byrne High School in Calgary. He was creditted with an 85 per cent average, but noted that it's actually closer to 90.

On the ice, Eberle led the Pats this season with 42 goals (ranked third in the league) and 75 points in 70 games. He recently helped Canada win a gold medal at the world under-18 hockey championship in Kazan, Russia, and is a top prospect for the 2008 NHL entry draft (June 20-21 in Ottawa).

Eberle is the third member of the Pats to win the WHL's scholastic award, following Perry Johnson (1995) and Mark Janssens (back-to-back in 1985 and '86). Other players to win the award include current NHLers Brule (formerly of the Vancouver Giants) and Scott Niedermayer (Kamloops Blazers).

Meanwhile, Linden Rowat of the Pats was beaten out for goalie-of-the-year honours by Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans. Eberle, Rowat and Pats captain Logan Pyett were all named first team all-stars in the Eastern Conference this season.

Calgary Hitmen captain Karl Alzner was the big winner at the awards luncheon, where he was named the league's player-of-the-year and top defenceman. Colton Yellow Horn of the Americans was the runner-up to Alzner for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as league MVP. T.J. Fast of the Americans was the other nominee for top blueliner.

The rookie-of-the-year award went to Brandon Wheat Kings sniper Brayden Schenn, who beat out Evander Kane of the Giants. Tyler Ennis of the Medicine Hat Tigers was named the most-sportsmanlike-player ahead of Colin Long of the Kelowna Rockets. Ashton Hewson of the Prince Albert Raiders picked up the humanitarian-of-the-year award, beating out Vancouver's Mitch Czibere.

Tri-City's Don Nachbaur got the nod in coach-of-the-year voting. Michael Dyck of the Lethbridge Hurricanes was the runner-up. The Americans also added the executive-of-the-year title, with Bob Tory beating out Kelly Kisio of the Hitmen.

Andy Thiessen was named the league's top referee. Kip Reghenas of the Hitmen received the marketing and communications award.

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