WATERLOO, Ont. - Recent Golden Hawks graduates Grayden Gottschalk and Jake Payette will be making the jump to professional hockey, as they've each signed with IHC Leuven of the BeNe League for the 2023-2024 season. 

The BeNe League is an eight-team league with teams in Belgium and the Netherlands, and is the highest-level league in both countries. The town of Leuven sits just outside of the Belgian capital of Brussels. IHC Leuven finished sixth in the league standings in 2022-2023 and were eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals. 

Both Golden Hawks will bring size to Leuven's lineup, but the similarities in their game mostly end there. 

Gottschalk, a 6'4" scoring winger, was an offensive force in his final season, finishing second in goals among Laurier players with nine. He totaled 20 goals and 33 points in 69 career games with the purple and gold. 

Payette's 6'8" frame was an imposing presence on the Golden Hawks' blueline over his three-season career which, along with his defensive IQ, made him one of the team's most reliable defensemen. He finished his career with 12 points in 64 games played. 

Both players will be heading overseas to join their new team in early September. 

"It's always great to see your student-athletes move on to higher levels, even more so when they can go somewhere together - which always helps with such a big transition to not just the professional level but also doing so in a different country," said Golden Hawks manager of men's hockey operations and head coach Kevin Forrest. 

"We can't wait to see how they do and wish them all the best in this new chapter of their hockey careers and lives." 

"I am incredibly excited to begin the next part of my hockey journey in Leuven next season," echoed Payette. "Getting to play with Grayden for another season is great. We were roommates at school so getting to experience this together will be surreal."

"I am forever grateful for the opportunity to play hockey for Laurier. It not only allowed me to continue my hockey career but introduced me to lifelong friends." 

"Over my four years at Laurier, I played with some amazing people," agreed Gottschalk. "I'm grateful to them for making my experience as positive as it was."