Kamloops products Hicks, Milburn win NCAA national championship with Denver

Image Credit - Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Kamloops natives Johnny Hicks and Brady Milburn are NCAA national champions.

The two were part of the University of Denver roster that defeated Wisconsin 2-1 on April 11 in Las Vegas to capture the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey National Championship.

Hicks played a central role in the championship run.

The freshman goaltender stopped 29 of 30 shots in the national title game and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He also delivered one of the defining performances of the Frozen Four in the semifinal, making 49 saves in a double overtime win over Michigan.

Through the two games at the Frozen Four, Hicks turned aside 78 of 80 shots, posting a .975 save percentage.

Milburn, a forward out of Kamloops, was also part of the championship roster. During the 2025-26 season, Milburn appeared in 41 games for Denver, contributing within the lineup throughout the year leading into the national championship run.

Denver’s title was secured with a third period comeback in the final, scoring twice to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Wisconsin.

The championship marks another high-level accomplishment for Kamloops-developed players, with Hicks earning individual honours and Milburn adding a national title at the NCAA level.