RIT standout goaltender Ali Binnington earns 2014 All-USCHO Third Team honors
ROCHESTER, NY – Junior goaltender Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs) of the RIT women’s hockey team was named to the 2013-14 All-United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) Third Team on Wednesday, April 2. Binnington is the first RIT player to earn this prestigious honor since the team moved to Division I in 2012.
Binnington enjoyed a tremendous year for the Tigers in 2013-14, leading the Tigers, in just their second season as a Division I program, to the College Hockey America Championship. On March 8, Binnington ended her season by stopping a career-high 62 shots in the championship game, a 2-1 double overtime victory over 2014 Frozen Four participant Mercyhurst University. The day before, Binnington made 25 saves in a 4-1 win over nationally-ranked Robert Morris in the conference semifinal. For her efforts, Binnington was named the CHA Tournament Most Valuable Player and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Overall, Binnington finished the season 16-9-2 with a 1.72 goals against average, .944 save percentage, and six shut outs. Her .944 save percentage ranked third nationally, she was tied for fifth in shut outs, and ninth nationally in goals against average. Binnington set RIT records for most games played (28), minutes played (1,640), and saves (788). She ended the season by winning seven straight contests, allowing just six goals on her last 240 shots faced (.975 save percentage and 0.77 goals against average) over that span. Binnington made at least 30 saves in a game 13 times this season and had four games with at least 40 stops.
“It is an incredibly deserving honor and I couldn’t be happier for Ali,” said RIT head coach Scott McDonald. “Ali is finally receiving the recognition she deserves for the season she had. Being a young Division I program, it’s great to have goalie of her caliber that gives our team a chance to win every game. I think Ali is as talented as any goalie in the country.”
Binnington won the CHA Regular Season Goaltender of the Year award, finishing league play with an 8-4-1 record with a tremendous 1.35 goals against average and .955 save percentage. She allowed two goals or less in 12 of the 14 contests and recorded three shutouts.
For her career, Binnington is 37-19-6 with a 1.69 goals against average and .937 save percentage to go along with 14 shut outs. She is second all-time at the university with 1,575 saves, third in games played (65), save percentage, minutes played (3,764), fourth in wins (37), and fifth in goals against average.
