GLOUCESTER, Mass. – The American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) has released its second annual All-American Scholar listings. The Trine University men's hockey team produced eight honorees during their inaugural season.
That tally ties the Thunder for the second largest representation among Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) member teams. Lake Forest led the way in the conference with twelve, while Adrian, Lawrence and Marian joined Trine with eight apiece.
One of the few seniors on the team forward Lucas Bombardier (Pittsford, Vermont) served as captain throughout the season. Besides his contribution as a leader, Bombardier led the team with 14 points including eight assists.
Joining Bombardier on the AHCA list were sophomores forward Tanner Bennett (Columbus, Ind.), defender Henry Hearon (Chicago, Ill.) and goaltender Brett Young (Livonia, Mich.). Bennett finished the season with eight points including five assists and three goals. Hearon was an anchor on defense playing in all of the team's 25 games.
Young led the way for the Thunder in goal, starting all of the team's games and ending the season with 644 saves, the fourth most among Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) members.
Rounding out Trine's delegation of All-American Scholars was a group of freshmen including forwards Alex Johanson (Skokie, Ill.), Michael Meisenbacher (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and Corey Robertson as well as defenseman Bret Schwengler (Eau Claire, Wis.). Robertson made a huge impact in his freshman season leading the team with seven goals. Johanson came away with eight points including seven assists, second-most on the team. Meisenbacher picked up as the season progressed and ended the year with four assists and a goal for five points.
The AHCA recognizes varsity ice hockey players who attained a 3.6 grade-point average each semester and participated in 40 percent of their school's games in the 2017-18 season as "Krampade All American Scholars." The names of 821 Division II-Ill men and women have been announced this week, a month after 489 of their Division I counterparts were revealed. In the first year of this awards program during the 2016-17 season, a total of 1,261 student-athletes reached the 3.60 standard. The 2017-18 total is 1,310. A small number of waivers to the 40 percent participation requirement were granted due to injury or for back-up goaltenders.
"We are extremely proud of this group of student-athletes who have competed at the highest levels of the game on the ice and matched that performance in the classroom," said AHCA executive director Joe Bertagna. "The sport demands a great deal from these athletes so it is a great statement they make, individually and collectively, with their ability to attain this level of academic achievement."