By Mark Jagord
The National Junior College Athletic Association named three Kats to its All-American squads with one member earning first team honors and two others recognized on the second team.
Region III Player-of-the-Year Anthony Cybulski was the lone Kat to make the first team. Cybulski finished tied-3rd in NJCAA scoring with 21 goals and 19 assists for 40 points.
Joining Cybulski as All-Americans, but on the second team were Michael Krause and Alex Suchan. Krause was named as a defenseman, where he finished tied-4th among all defensive players with two goals and a dozen assists.
Suchan was named to a forward position after finishing seventh in the league in scoring with 16 goals and 19 assists for 35points. Both Suchan and Krause were second-year players, while Cybulski was in his first season with the Kats.
ECC finished the final season of NJCAA play with a 21-5-1 record and as national champion runner-up for the second time in as many years.
Each of the final four teams received at least one player to the 2017 All-American squads with Dakota College leading the way with five members. Tying Erie with three selections was Hudson Valley, while Mohawk Valley had one member.
While the trio of Kats also earned Region III First team accolades, freshman Joshua Dake was named to the All-Region Second team and All-Rookie team as a forward. Dake was also the region’s rookie-of-the-year, while freshman teammate Ryan Piniewski was also named to the All-Rookie team as a defenseman.
Erie coach Gary Rost shared Region III Coach-of-the-Year honors with Hudson Valley’s Ken Lancto.
