Seger, O’Leary Tabbed Alternate Captains
ITHACA, N.Y. — Junior forward Kyle Penney has been named captain of the Cornell men’s hockey program for the 2023-24 season, it was announced by the program.
Penney is the first non-senior captain of the Big Red hockey program since Morgan Barron was also named a captain as a junior during the 2019-20 season.
Joining Penney on the Big Red leadership group this season are senior forward Gabriel Seger and junior forward Jack O’Leary, who will both serve as alternate captains.
“We are thrilled to introduce our newly appointed leadership group, which includes a dynamic group of young individuals who embody the essential qualities of captains and leaders alike,” said Mike Schafer ’86, the Jay R. Bloom ’77 Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey. “These remarkable individuals possess an unwavering work ethic, boundless empathy, unwavering courage, deep respect, self-awareness, and exceptional communication skills. As stewards of our team, department, university, and alumni, they will carry out their roles with the utmost pride and dedication.
“Their mission is to lead our team forward, continuing the illustrious legacy of Cornell hockey alongside the many other talented leaders within our ranks. Under their guidance, we anticipate an exciting and successful journey ahead for our team. Together, they will inspire and steer us toward new heights on and off the ice.”
Last season with the Big Red, Penney had seven goals and 11 assists for a career-high 18 points. His 11 helpers were also his most in a single season. In addition to his scoring outputs, Penney was an All-Ivy First Team selection after having 10 points in eight Ancient Eight contests.
Seger paced Cornell’s offense in his first season with the Big Red after transferring from ECAC Hockey rival Union, logging 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in as many games. He became the first Cornell player to have a 30-point season in his inaugural season with the Big Red since 2007-08, when Riley Nash registered 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in his freshman campaign. His 23 assists were the most by a Cornell player since former defenseman Yanni Kaldis (24 in 2018-19) and were the most by a forward since Greg Miller (25 in 2010-11).
O’Leary had a breakout sophomore season with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists). He had seven points (three goals, four assists) over the team’s final seven games, including multi-point performances against Brown (Feb. 24), Yale (Feb. 25), and Denver (March 23) in the regional semifinal of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Championship.
Cornell will begin its 2023-24 season with a pair of exhibitions against Toronto Metropolitan University (Oct. 14) and the United States National Team Development Program Under-18 team (Oct. 21). The regular season begins Oct. 27 when the Big Red opens a two-game series with Minnesota Duluth at Lynah Rink.
(Cornell Men’s Hockey Photo)
