2017-18 GARNET GANG YEARBOOK Union Announces Award Winners at Team Banquet
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2017-18 GARNET GANG YEARBOOK Union announces award winners at team banquet The Union College men’s hockey team presented its team awards during its annual banquet on Thursday, April 12 at Key Hall. In addition to the end of the year awards presentation, President Stephen C. Ainlay and Judith Gardner Ainlay were thanked for all of their service that they have provided Union College and the hockey program over the past 12 years. In that span, the Dutchmen have posted a 253-156-54 overall record, a 143-88-33 record in ECAC Hockey, claimed three Whitelaw Cups, four Cleary Cups, made five NCAA tournament appearances, two Frozen Four appearances and won the 2014 National Championship. Senior Ryan Scarfo was named the team’s Most Valuable Player and also earned the Coaches Award. The North Chelmsford, MA native led the Dutchmen in scoring this season, posting 20 goals and 16 assists in his final season at Union. Following the conclusion of the season, he signed with the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. Sophomore forward Anthony Rinaldi was named this year’s Most Improved Player. After a three-goal, one-assist rookie season, the Pierrefonds, Quebec native was fourth on the team in points, totaling 17 goals and 11 assists, including five game-winners. Goaltender Darion Hanson was named the team’s Rookie of the Year. The East Bethel, MN native had a tremendous start to his collegiate career, earning wins in six of his first seven starts. He finished the year with a .908 save percentage and a 10-4-0 record. For the second-straight year, Ryan Walker was named the recipient of the Scott Richardson Unsung Hero Award. A junior assistant captain, Walker played in all 38 games for the Dutchmen and skated most of the year with first year forwards, helping them adjust to the collegiate level. He totaled 11 goals and six assists on the year, almost doubling his career total from the past two seasons. Local favorite Tyler Hynes was named the recipient of the Charlie N. Morrison Award, presented annually to a player who participates in extracurricular activities while demonstrating academic interest and achievement. The senior from Guilderland, NY capped off a four-year career with the Dutchmen, highlighted by a goal against RPI in the Mayor’s Cup game on Jan. 27. Senior defenseman Connor Light was honored with the Thomas Van Arden Dukehart Award, present to the player with the highest grade- point average. A managerial economics major, Light holds a 3.60 cumulative GPA and recorded a 4.0 during the 2017-18 Winter Term. On the ice he skated in 35 games this season and scored one goal from the blue line. Union finished the 2017-18 season with a record of 21-15-2 and finished the regular season in second place in ECAC Hockey with a conference record of 16-5-1. Women’s hockey makes strides in year two of Sciba coaching era During Head Coach Josh Sciba’s second year at the helm of the Union College women’s hockey team, the Dutchwomen made illustrious strides in rebuilding the program, finishing off the season with a 7-22-5 record, tying the record for the second most wins in program history. Th 2017-18 team also had five ECAC wins, which broke the program record for the most conference wins during a single season. The Dutchwomen have also broken the record for ECAC points earned during the Division I era with nine, and are second in program history with five home wins at Messa Rink. Union kicked off the conference season in remarkable fashion, sweeping ECAC opponents Brown and Yale University during back-to-back contests. With the weekend sweep, the Union College women’s hockey program opened up ECAC play at 2-0 and swept league opponents for the first time in program history. Netminder and first year Coco Francis earned both wins, tallying 61 saves in the two-game span. With the victories, Francis became the first Union goalie to win her first ECAC start and naturally became the first Union goaltender to win her first two ECAC starts with the completion of the sweep. Thanks to Francis, the Dutchwomen opened up conference play in first place and she earned herself ECAC Rookie of the Week honors for her performances. Along with improvements in the win column, the Dutchwomen saw record breaking performances from several other key players. Perhaps none were more notable than sophomore Katelynn Russ’ explosive second season for Union. During her rookie season, the Illinois native had just nine points off four goals and five assists. This season, she led the team with 24 points from 16 goals and eight assists. With those numbers, Russ shattered the program records for most goals and points scored in a single season as well as the most points scored during conference play, with 21. Arianna Kosakowski, Cheyenne Harris and Caitlyn McLaren were also critical in Union’s success this season. Kosakowski more than doubled her career point totals this season, going from two goals and four assists total during her first two seasons to having five goals and 11 assists during her junior year alone. She is tied for first place, with the most goals by a defender in a single season and also led the team with 57 blocked shots. Harris, a forward from Minnesota, broke the program record for game-winning goals in a season with four this year, and also had the team-high 15 assists. Senior McLaren capped off her career by tying in second for the most points scored by a defender in a single season with 18. She also stands alone in second place for all time points by a defenseman in a career, with 31, 18 of which came from this just this season. Union will return its four of its five leading scorers for next season, heading into year three of Sciba’s coaching era. Can you guess these Union first years? I was my team’s Rookie of the I recorded 714 saves with a .918 I was second on my team for Year and earned a win in six of save percentage this season. points by a first year with 13 my first seven starts. I finished I earned six wins for Union, points off four goals and nine the year with a .908 save which is tied for the second assists. My first career goal was percentage and a 10-4-0 record. most wins in a single season in on Oct. 21 against Niagara program history. University. POSSIBLE ANSWERS BELOW: #15 Jack Adams #34 Darion Hanson #31 Coco Francis Hometown: Boxford, MA Hometown: East Bethel, MN Hometown: Maple Grove, MN Position: Forward Position: Goalie Position: Goalie Year: First year Year: First year Year: First year Major: Political Science Major: Managerial Economics Major: Engineering Answers (from left to right): Darion Hanson, Coco Francis, Jack Adams Jack Francis, Coco Hanson, Darion right): to left (from Answers Getting to know U: Cheyenne Harris WHAT MADE YOU GET INTO THE SPORT OF HOCKEY? I was around four years old and my cousin, Derek, was playing hockey so my dad asked me if I wanted to give it a try. I started, but I actually wanted to quit halfway through my first season. But, my dad said I had to finish what I started. As the season went on, I met some of my best friends and decided to stick with it. WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE UNION? I chose Union because I loved the atmosphere of the campus. I went to a pretty small high school, so I knew I liked the small class sizes along with a community-based environment. On the hockey side, I knew that it was a building program and I wanted to go somewhere where I could potentially make an impact on the ice. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF BEING A DUTCHWOMAN SO FAR? My favorite memory was breaking the losing streak against Penn State during the 2016-17 season. It was amazing to be a part of that game and really changing the trajectory for the Union College women’s hockey program. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SEASON HEADING INTO YOUR JUNIOR YEAR? The biggest takeaway for me I think is to focus on being consistent with paying attention to detail. When we execute the finest details well, we’ve had success. We’re a gritty team, so when we’re down a few goals, those details become crucial to our success. #11 Cheyenne Harris Hometown: Minneapolis, MN Position: Forward Year: Sophomore Major: Economics In the CommUnity Help this hockey player skate through the maze! Color in the skater to help him get ready for Union’s game day! Help the Dutchmen unscramble these mispelled words! Drawn a line from each word to its matching anagram! ionnu faceoff heckyo goalie faecfof union lbeu nile power play ageoil blue line owpre lapy slap shot plas thso hockey Union Women’s Hockey 2018-2019 Schedule Sat. Sept. 22 Carleton University (Exh.) Schenectady, N.Y. Messa Rink 3 p.m. Fri. Sept. 28 at Merrimack North Andover, Mass. Lawler Rink 6 p.m. Sat. Sept. 29 at Merrimack North Andover, Mass. Lawler Rink 3 p.m. Fri. Oct. 5 Lindenwood Schenectady, N.Y. Messa Rink 6 p.m. Sat. Oct. 6 Lindenwood Schenectady, N.Y. Messa Rink 3 p.m. Fri. Oct. 12 Penn State Schenectady, N.Y. Messa Rink 3 p.m. Sat. Oct. 13 Penn State Schenectady, N.Y.