UTICA, NY – Freshman forward Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) of the Utica College men’s ice hockey team has had a season unmatched by any rookie in the nineteen year history of the program. That season has placed him further into uncharted territory as the awards for his record breaking campaign continue to roll in. US College Hockey Online has announced that it has named Osmundson as its 2019-20 Division III Rookie of the Year. The honor was announced on Wednesday by the national website based in Minneapolis.
Osmundson is the first Utica player to ever win a National Rookie of the Year award. The USCHO Rookie of the Year award is the only national award of its kind in Division III men’s ice hockey. He was previously named the UCHC Rookie of the Year while also collecting spots on the All-UCHC Second Team and the UCHC All-Rookie Team. The forward was also named to the All-Rookie team as part of Wednesday’s announcement.
The sensational freshman had a season for the ages. Osmundson led Utica in points and assists as the Pioneers rolled up a school record 25 wins on their way to UCHC regular season and postseason championships. He finished the year with 42 points on 13 goals and 29 assists. The 42 points and 29 assists are both records for a freshman at Utica, as he surpassed the long-standing records in both categories set by Ryan Webb in the 2003-04 season.
He tied for the fourth highest point total by any player in a single season at Utica, and was just one assist away from tying the school’s single season assist record held by the program’s first All-American, Jimmy Sokol.
Osmundson led the nation this season in points per game by a rookie, and was also twelfth among all skaters nationally at an average of 1.45 points per game. He was one of just nine freshmen in the nation averaging a point a game or better. The graduate of the Hampton Roads Whalers organization was twelfth nationally in assists per game among all skaters at an even average of one assist per game.
He becomes the second member of the program to receive a national individual award from US College Hockey Online this week. Head Coach Gary Heenan was named the site’s coach of the year on Tuesday. Both awards mark a program first in the USCHO awards.
Up next for the Pioneers will be the release of the All-USCHO teams, and the announcement of the American Hockey Coaches’ Association major awards and All-America teams. The AHCA is set to release their honorees on Friday.
