The number of players on the 2019-20 Diamond Energy Female Midget AAA Wildcats' roster signed/committed to play post-secondary hockey is now up to nine after defenseman Madison Garrett joined the list on Monday.

The Wildcats announced on Twitter that the Kindersley product will be playing for the Calgary-based Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Trojans in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) starting in the 2020-21 season.

"It's pretty exciting. I've worked really hard for this opportunity, and I'm just really excited to become part of the Trojan family next year," said Garrett before the team's Tuesday afternoon practice.

The grade 12 product said the program and school really stood out during the recruitment process.

"Just going there, seeing everything - the campus, it was a really cool experience," she said. "Getting to meet the coach and stuff, they were really friendly. I'm just really excited about it."

The current SFMAAAHL season has stood head and shoulders above the previous two for the blueliner.

In her final regular season at the AAA level, Garrett has set career highs in goals (2), assists (7), and by that math, points as well (9) in 28 games. Over the previous two years, she amassed eight points (8 A) in 63 combined regular-season and playoff games.

This season really ramped up once Garrett's first-career goal went in the back of the net January 5 on the road against the Prince Albert Northern Bears. Including that game, she boasts two goals and seven points in the final 16 games of the regular-season.

"That first goal really made me realize that I can actually score," she laughed about the secret to the increase in offense - though noting more seriously that donning 'alternate captain' status has aided in the growth process.

"That leadership made me realize I've got to step up and help the team out," she said.

Garrett will be joining a SAIT Trojans club in the fall that's coming off a 7-16-1-0 regular-season record, falling to the first-place MacEwen University Griffins in the ACAC semi-finals.

She's also enrolled in their Dental Assisting program.

However, it's still business as usual for Garrett, who will be looking to end off her SFMAAAHL career in style with the second-seeded Wildcats.

"After Christmas, our team has become a lot closer. I think we're ready to take on playoffs, and hopefully win league this year," she said. "Just knowing how ready everyone is makes us more excited about it in our push for playoffs."

The Wildcats (21-7-1-1) open playoffs in the league quarter-finals against the seventh-place Weyburn Gold Wings (2-23-3-2).

"They like to play rough and they do come out strong," said Garrett on their first-round opponent. "We just need to be disciplined, stay out of the penalty box, and we'll hopefully beat them out."

We'll have a full series preview on Swift Current Online on Thursday.

Game 1 of their best-of-three series is Saturday at 6:30 p.m. from Fairview West.