News from the

AMERICAN HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION

For immediate release: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Finalists Announced for 2017-18 Sid Watson Award Given to AHCA Division II-III Men’s Player of the Year Ten players who have distinguished themselves on the ice in 2017-18 have been named finalists for the 2018 Sid Watson Award, given annually to the best NCAA Division II-III men’s ice hockey player in the country. Two of the finalists are repeat honorees from last year: University of New England junior forward Brady Fleurent and UMass Boston senior forward Colin Larkin. Eight of the finalists are from the United States and two are from Canada. Two players come from the same hometown of Williamstown, NJ: Utica College senior forward Roman Ammirato and UMass Dartmouth junior forward Jonathan Ruiz. Sponsored by the American Hockey Coaches Association, the Sid Watson Award honors the memory of former head coach and athletic director Sid Watson. A three-time AHCA Coach of the Year, Watson served Bowdoin for more than 30 years, winning 326 games in 24 seasons as head coach. The recipient of this year's Sid Watson Award will be announced on Thursday, March 22, during the 2018 NCAA Division III Men's Championship student-athlete banquet in Lake Placid, NY.

2017-18 Finalists for the Sid Watson Award Roman Ammirato, Senior Forward, Utica College Tanner Karty, Junior Forward, Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Williamstown, NJ) UCHC Player of the Year (Oklahoma City, OK) WIAC Player of the Year

Logan Day, Junior Defenseman, Endicott College Colin Larkin, Senior, Forward, UMass Boston* (Seminole, FL) CCC Player of the Year (Waterford, MI) NEHC Player of the Year

Cory Dunn, Junior Defenseman, Adrian College Connor Rodericks, Sophomore Goaltender, Connecticut College (Trenton, MI) Two-Time All-American (Buzzards Bay, MA) NESCAC Player of the Year

Brady Fleurent, Junior Forward, U. of New England* Jonathan Ruiz, Junior Forward, UMass Dartmouth (Biddeford, ME) 2016-17 CCC Player of the Year (Williamstown, NJ) MASCAC Player of the Year

Mitchell Herlihey, Senior Forward, Oswego State Mathew Thompson, Senior Forward, Adrian College (Ottawa, ON) SUNYAC Player of the Year (Bolton, ON) NCHA Player of the Year * Was also a finalist in 2017 Past Winners of the Sid Watson Award 1993 Frank Cirone, Wisconsin-Stevens Point 2006 Adam Hanna, St. John's University 1994 Ray Alcindor, Middlebury College 2007 Andrew Gallant, Manhattanville College 1995 Charlie Gaffney, Bowdoin College 2008 Kyle Jones, St. Norbert College 1996 Ian Smith, Middlebury College 2009 Jeff Landers, 1997 Steve Toll, RIT 2010 David Martinson, Gustavus Adolphus College 1998 Mark Spence, Middlebury College 2011 Chris Berenguer, Hamline University 1999 Rob Smillie, St. Norbert College 2012 Jonathan LaRose, Amherst College 2000 Steve Aronson, University of St. Thomas 2013 Paul Rodrigues, Oswego State 2001 Keith Aucoin, 2014 David Jacobson, St. Norbert College 2002 Jerry Galway, RIT 2015 Drew Fielding, University of St. Thomas 2003 Maris Ziedins, St. Norbert College 2016 Jamie Murray, Babson College 2004 Kevin Cooper, Middlebury College 2017 Evan Buitenhuis, 2005 Kurtis McLean, Norwich University

CONTACT: Joe Bertagna (781-245-4177)

JOE BERTAGNA ENRICO BLASI BRUCE DELVENTHAL Executive Director President Treasurer 7 Concord Street Miami University 7298 Salerno Court Gloucester, MA 01930 Oxford, OH 45056 Naples, FL 34114 (978) 376-5494 (513) 529-9816 (518) 420-7479 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]