Cortland junior goaltender Luca Durante (Brampton, ON/Aurora Tigers) has been chosen as a Division III men’s ice hockey All-American for the 2021-22 season by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA), in conjunction with CCM Hockey.
Durante was named to the All-America East second team. The All-America squad consists of five units – three East teams and two West squads. Durante is Cortland’s second-ever men’s ice hockey All-American; Nick Zappia was a second-team forward during the 2014-15 season.
Durante also was a finalist for the AHCA’s Sid Watson Award, which is given to the Division III national Player of the Year. Peter Bates of St. Norbert won the award.
The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Co-Player of the Year and Goaltender of the Year, Durante started 23 games this season and recorded a 2.09 GAA, a .941 save percentage and a 13-6-2 record with three shutouts. He set school single-season records for shutouts, lowest GAA and highest save percentage. In 15 regular-season league games, he finished 9-4-2 with a 1.97 GAA and .943 save percentage.
Durante recorded more than 40 saves in a game five times, including 41 saves in a 2-0 shutout versus nationally ranked Geneseo. He registered 28 saves each in home-and-away shutouts over Buffalo State, and he allowed two goals or less 16 times. Durante ranked first in the SUNYAC in save percentage and third in GAA in conference play.
Cortland finished the season with a 15-10-2 record for the second-highest win total in school history. The Red Dragons finished fourth in the SUNYAC regular-season standings with a 9-5-2 league mark and defeated fifth-seeded Fredonia, 5-1, in the conference tournament first round before losing at Oswego in the semifinals.
(Cortland Men’s Hockey Photo)
