LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Second-year forward Nick Ford ’20 was named the 20th All-American in the long and illustrious history of the Elmira College men’s ice hockey program, as announced Thursday evening by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) at the NCAA Division III Championship Banquet.
Ford, a native of New Lenox, Illinois, was included on the CCM/AHCA All-America Second Team after an astounding season which culminated in a career-high 50 points (25g-25a). He led the Soaring Eagles to a 15-10-3 overall record in 2017-18 – a seven-game improvement in the win column as compared to his rookie season – and a berth in the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Tournament Championship Game.
“Nick worked extremely hard during the offseason and made significant improvement to his game,” said Elmira Head Coach Aaron Saul ’98. “He had an outstanding season, and this honor is well deserved.”
Heading into this weekend’s national semifinal and final rounds, Ford ranks second in all of Division III with a points-per-game average of 1.79 and is one of just two players in the country with at least 50 points. He’s also second nationally in total goals (25) and goals per game (0.89). An All-UCHC First Teamer, Ford tallied at least one point in all but five games and registered multiple points in 14 outings. He logged five points on two occasions, once in a four-goal performance to guide EC past King’s (Pa.) in early November. His second five-point effort came in the UCHC Tournament Semifinal against Stevenson University, as he had a hand in all five Elmira goals (2g-3a) in a 5-3 upset over the Mustangs.
The 6-foot-1-inch sophomore is the first Soaring Eagle to receive All-America accolades since Jarryd ten Vaanholt ’16 did so with a Second-Team bid as a junior in 2014-15. In addition, Ford’s 50 points are the most by an Elmira skater since Dave Evans ’97 racked up 54 in 1996-97.
