NESCAC All-Conference Teams announced, Jackson Brewer (Trinity) selected as Player of the Year

Jackson Brewer, already winner of the fictitious Best Hair in the 'Cac Award.
took home 2014 NESCAC Men's Hockey Player of the Year honors

Today the NESCAC released its 2013-14 1st and 2nd All-NESCAC teams, as well as Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Trinity forward Jackson Brewer (F, '15), who leads the conference and D-III MIH with 56 points (14-42-56), becomes the first ever Bantam to win NESCAC men's hockey Player of the Year honors. It is the first All-NESCAC selection for the Newton, MA native, who ended the regular season with 50 points to become the first NESCAC men's hockey player to reach the 50 point plateau in a season since Mickey Gilchrist (Middlebury, '08) did it for the Panthers in 2005-06, the last of their record eight NCAA championship seasons. Gilchrist, then a sophomore, took 30 games to reach the 50 point mark while Brewer did it in just 24.

A six point performance in the 9-1 rout of Wesleyan in the NESCAC quarterfinals put Mike Hawkrigg (F, '16) in the 50 point club along with his teammate. Hawkrigg, whose 22 goals lead D-III and 56 points are second in the nation, joins Brewer and fellow Bantam Ryan Cole (F, '17) on the First Team. The Alaska native Cole was selected as the NESCAC Rookie of the Year, another first for the Trinity program. The trio of Trinity forwards rank one, two and three in D-III in scoring and have combined for a whopping 155 points (54-101-55).

The Bantams dominance on the First Team doesn't stop at the blue line, as Michael Flynn (D, '15)'s 28 points (7-21-28) - best among NESCAC d-men (if you don't consider Bowdoin's Downey a d-man) - landed him alongside the triumvirate of Trinity forwards. Middlebury's Quebecois assassin, Louis Belisle (D, '14, joins Flynn on the blue line and represents the only senior member of the First Team. Williams goalie Sean Dougherty (G, '15), last year's Second Team goalie, rounds out the top team and is the only member of the First Team that had garnered All-NESCAC honors in a previous year.

The Second Team is crowded this year with eight players (four forwards, three defensemen, one goalie) earning silver team honors. Hamilton's Mike Dimare (F, '14) - 2012 NESCAC First Team selection and 2011 Rookie of the Year winner -rebounded from an injury plagued 2012-13 to lead the Conts in scoring (9-18-27). He's joined up front with first time selections Nick Lanza (F, '14), a two time Concannon Award semifinalist at Colby, and Derek Pimentel (F, '15) of Middlebury.  Bowdoin junior Connor Quinn (F, '15) completes the list of All-Conference forwards.

On the Second-Team backline, Bowdoin's hybrid Colin Downey (D/F, '14) has a career high 37 points (21-16-37) and stepped up big this season after 2013 Second Team All-NESCAC fellow Polar Bear D/F Ollie Koo (D/F, '14) was riddled by injuries this season. Tufts' Blake Edwards (D, '14) becomes the first Jumbo to make an All-NESCAC team since 2012, while Williams freshman Frankie Mork (D, '17) is the first Williams skater to be All-NESCAC since 2012 as well.

Amherst sophomore goalie Dave Cunningham (G, '16) beat out 2013 First Team All-NESCAC goalie Ben Coulthard (G, '14) for the final goalie spot. Cunningham is the only player on the second place Lord Jeffs roster to make the All-NESCAC teams. Last year, sophomore Dougherty was the only player of the second place Ephs roster to make All-NESCAC.

Cunningham's teammate Aaaron Deutsch (D, '15), perhaps the best skating defenseman in the 'Cac, was a Concannon award semifinalist but couldn't crack the All-NESCAC squad. Other players that could be considered snubs include Colby's Ben Chwick (F,'14), who led the NESCAC in conference scoring among non-Bantams players, and Conn College's JC Cangelosi, a Concannon semifinalist and the leading goal scorer among non-Trinityites in the 'Cac.

Cangelosi's coach, Jim Ward, was selected as the NESCAC Coach of the Year. It is the first Coach of The Year honors for Ward, who in his eleventh season led the Camels to a seventh place finish and their first birth in the NESCAC playoffs since 2009.

Men's Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams

First Team All-NESCAC Position Name Institution Class Hometown F Jackson Brewer Trinity Jr. Newton, Mass. F Ryan Cole Trinity Fy. Anchorage, Alaska F Michael Hawkrigg Trinity So. Toronto, Ontario D Louis Belisle Middlebury Sr. Repentigny, Quebec D Michael Flynn Trinity Jr. Chesire, Conn. G Sean Dougherty Williams Jr. Smithtown, N.Y. Second Team All-NESCAC Position Name Institution Class Hometown F Mike DiMare Hamilton Sr. Medford, Mass. F Nick Lanza Colby Sr. Rocky Hill, Conn. F Derek Pimentel Middlebury Jr. Laval, Quebec F Connor Quinn Bowdoin Jr. Sudbury, Mass. D Colin Downey Bowdoin Sr. East Sandwich, Mass. D Blake Edwards Tufts Jr. Columbus, Ohio D Frankie Mork Williams Fy. Victoria, Minn. G Dave Cunningham Amherst So. Arlington, Mass.

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