Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and raised in Zionsville, Indiana, Liles played most of his minor hockey in nearby Carmel before entering the Culver Military Academy in Culver.[citation needed] As a youth, he played in the 1994 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Indianapolis.\n', '

At Culver, Liles lettered in ice hockey and golf. In hockey, he was the varsity "B" team\'s MVP. He also played on the Varsity "A" team as a sophomore. Liles was then invited and selected to play in the U.S. National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in which he was an integral part of the blueline in both the under-17s and −18 squads. In the 1999–2000 season, he was recruited to play collegiate hockey with Michigan State University of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and as a Freshman led the defensemen in scoring with an impressive 28 points in 40 games.[citation needed]\n', '

Emerging as an offensive talent, though hindered by size, Liles was drafted in the fifth round, 159th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. Alongside teammate Brad Fast, Liles formed a star offensive duo among Spartan defensemen and in his sophomore year, he scored 25 points in 42 contests to be named to the All-CCHA Second Team. In the 2001–02 season, Liles led the entire Spartans team in scoring with 35 points, earning him a selection to the All-CCHA First Team and Second All-American Team. On October 6, 2001, Liles also took part in the famous Cold War outdoor game, which at that time held the attendance record for an ice hockey game, against the University of Michigan.[citation needed]\n', '

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