Pittsburgh, Pa. - Another academic accolade has been handed out to the Robert Morris University men's hockey program. The American Hockey Coaches Association has recognized thirteen men's hockey student-athletes for their outstanding marks in the classroom.
The new initiative of the AHCA recognizes varsity ice hockey players who averaged at least a 3.6 GPA and participated in at least 40% of their school's games during the 2016-17 season. In the first year of this program, a total of 285 Division I men's ice hockey players reached this standard. A small number of waivers for the 40% participation requirement were granted due to injury or for back-up goaltenders. Of the 22 RMU student-athletes that met the participation requirements, 13 held a 3.6 GPA or higher.
"We have been recognizing on-ice excellence with our All-American program since 1957," said AHCA executive director Joe Bertagna. "It is long overdue for us to formally recognize excellence in the classroom."
Of the programs honored, Robert Morris has the second-highest number of student-athletes named All-American Scholars, tied with fellow Atlantic Hockey Conference foe Air Force, and also Ferris State University. Atlantic Hockey also boasts the school with the most honorees in AIC which has 14.
2016-17 AHCA All-American Scholars
Alex Bontje
Alex Dagnal
Sean Giles
Matthew Graham
Kyle Horsman
Eric Israel
Kevin Lavoie
Luke Lynch
Daniel Mantenuto
Francis Marotte
Timmy Moore
Ben Robillard
Brandon Watt
This is one of multiple academic lauds handed down to members of the men's hockey team and the Colonials program as a whole. Robert Morris is a four-time recipient of the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for an Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the top ten percent of division I men's hockey over a four-year span. RMU has earned that nod for four consecutive seasons.
Following the 2016-17 season, 21 of 26 eligible Colonials student-athletes were named to the Atlantic Hockey all-academic team and four earned Student-Athlete of the Year marks with a 4.0 GPA (Dagnal, Coyne, Lynch and Marotte).
Robert Morris (RV) was predicted to finish second in the Atlantic Hockey Preseason Coaches Poll. The Colonials will play en exhibition contest against the University of Ottawa on Saturday, September 30 at 7:05pm at Colonials Arena at the RMU Island Sports Center, before opening the regular season on October 6 at Niagara University.
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