UTICA, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team is receiving votes in the latest D3hockey.com National Poll released on Monday afternoon. The Pioneers are receiving five votes in the poll, good for eighth among teams in the receiving votes category.
The D3hockey.com Top 15 is voted on by a panel of 20 coaches, sports information directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly.
The Pioneers went 2-0 over the weekend and won the Radisson Thanksgiving Showcase at the Utica Memorial Auditorium after victories over Saint John’s and St. Thomas. Utica freshman Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) earned the showcase’s most valuable player honors after posting a tournament-best two goals and one assist, including the game-winner on Saturday in the championship game to lift the Pioneers’ past St. Thomas, 1-0.
Freshman goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)), who was named the ECAC Men’s West Rookie of the Week, totaled 58 saves over the course of two victories, including his first collegiate shutout in the championship game. Senior forward Joel Wetmore (Horseheads, NY/Lindsay (OJHL)) and freshman defender Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) also earned all-tournament team honors for the Pioneers.
Utica freshman forward Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) currently leads the ECAC West in freshman scoring with an average of 1.00 points per game.
The Pioneers (5-3-1, 2-3-1 ECAC West) return to action on the road Friday when they travel to Castleton University to take on the Spartans at 7 p.m. in Castleton, VT. UC defeated Castleton 5-2 on October 30, 2015 in its home opener at the Aud this season.
