POTSDAM, N.Y.-Academic excellence has long been an attribute of both SUNY Potsdam ice hockey programs, but especially recently under men’s coach Chris Bernard and women’s coach Jay Green. 16 Bears, eight men and eight women, have been named Krampade All American Scholars by the American Hockey Coaches Association for the 2017-18 season.
Players eligible must have a minimum 3.6 GPA and have played in at least 40 percent of their team’s contests.
The men are represented by seniors Joey Gilhooly (Brooklyn, N.Y./New York Bobcats), Brendan McMenimen (Merrimac, Mass./Islanders Hockey Club) and captain Kyle Thacker (Mississauga, Ontario/North York Rangers), juniors Ben Mariano (Harrisburg, Pa./Hartford Wolfpack) and Mike Sweeney (Pittsburgh, Pa./PAL Islanders), sophomore Nate Skidmore (Syracuse, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and freshmen Kyle VanWagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Long Beach Sharks) and Joseph Richardson (Palm Beach, Fla./PAL Islanders).
The women matched the men with senior captain Brenna Wilson (Kanata, Ontario/Ottawa Senators) and fellow senior Taylor Marcellus (Waddington, N.Y./Ontario Hockey Academy), junior Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Honeybaked), sophomores Alexa Pfeiffer (Sylvania, Ohio/Little Caesar’s) and Delphine Léonard (Anjou, Quebec/Dawson College Prep) and freshmen Allie Banas (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons), Samantha White (Oceanside, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) and Keira Thacker (Oakville, Ontario/Hamilton Hawks).
The Bears’ men posted an 10-11-5 (6-8-2 SUNYAC) record last season to earn a spot in the conference playoffs. The women matched a program record for wins with a 12-12-2 mark (4-10-2 NEWHL) and reached the NEWHL’s inaugural postseason.
