Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams presented their end-of-the-year awards last month.
The men’s team held a ceremony April 14 at Northeastern’s Alumni Center. Freshman goaltender Brad Thiessen garnered the team’s top awards, as he was named team MVP and given the Ed Arrington Memorial Rookie of the Year Award.
Thiessen was also an unanimous selection to the Hockey East All-Rookie team and named the College Hockey News’ All-Rookie goalie.
The Aldergrove, British Columbia native posted an 11-17-5 mark in 33 games with a 2.48 goals against average, good for second in NU history. His .921 save percentage broke the regular season mark for a Northeastern goalkeeper, while his four shutouts were the most for a freshman and second most all-time in a season.
Senior center Ray Ortiz received the NU Hockey Veteran’s Unsung Hero award and fellow classmate and forward Yale Lewis was honored with the Don McKenney Coach’s Award for team dedication.
Bryan Esner, whose four shorthanded goals tied him for second in the nation, was honored with the Huskies Radio Award as the most exciting player during Huskies Radio Broadcasts and was given the Doghouse Award for generating the loudest response from Husky fans. Additionally, he garnered the Frank Jones Award, given to New England’s best defensive forward.
Sophomore defenseman Jacques Perreault received the Manager’s Award for Most Improved Player, while freshman forward Chad Costello was honored as the team’s leading scorer. Costello posted 11 goals and 11 assists in 32 games as a freshman in 2006-07.
Junior journalism major Katie Condon was presented the Ferny Flaman Award by the Friends of NU Hockey. The award is given to a benefactor who has shown the commitment and dedication of Flaman to making NU Hockey a success. Condon has worked the past four seasons at Northeastern, helping the team with statistics and organization. She is the daughter of former NU hockey player Dan Condon, who lettered from 1972-74.
Nine seniors: defensemen Steve Birnstill and Brian Deeth; forwards Esner, Lewis, Ortiz, Aaron Moore, Mike Morris and Joe Santilli; and goalie Adam Geragosian, were given their game jerseys by head coach Greg Cronin.
On the women’s side, freshman forward Chelsey Jones also swept the team’s top two awards, taking both Rookie of the Year and MVP at the annual awards banquet April 20 at the Northeastern Alumni Center.
Jones led the team in scoring with 16 goals and 11 assists, good for 27 points, the 23rd most by an NU freshman. Her 27 points also ranked her No. 6 in the Hockey East among freshmen.
Senior forwards Jessica Coppney and Marie Desrosiers were honored with the Ironman Award. Both played in all 132 games during their Husky careers and combined for 35 goals and 32 assists.
The team’s five seniors: forwards Ashley Bielawski, Amy Goodney, Coppney, Desrosiers and Crystal Rochon were honored as well. Head coach Laura Schuler also announced the captains for the 2007-08 season. Junior forward Nikki Petrich will serve as captain, assisted by sophomore defensemen Brenna Frost and Erin Reil.
Prior to the team’s award ceremony, Petrich was honored with the Reggie Lewis Athletic Award, given by the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute to a student-athlete who has shown exceptional atheltic ability and outstanding sportsmanship in intercollegiate and intramural sports.
Petrich, one of the few African-American’s playing Div. 1 women’s ice hockey, finished second on the team this year with 16 points (8-8).
