Senior Robbie Dorgan who was selected unanimously to the NE-10 All-Conference first team, headlines four returning All-Conference performers for the Skyhawks from last season. |
Skyhawks are coming off back-to-back regular season NE-10 titles
EASTON, Mass. (October 22, 2015) – Stonehill College has been picked to finish third out of six teams in the 2015-16 Northeast-10 Conference ice hockey preseason coaches' poll, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon. This is the third consecutive year Stonehill has been selected to finish third in the conference, winning the regular season title the previous two seasons.
Saint Anselm College was selected as the preseason favorite, with 25 total points including five first place votes, while Saint Michael's College was picked second with 19 points, with one first place tally. Stonehill came in at third with 17 points, two points ahead of Southern New Hampshire University who garnered 15. Assumption College and Franklin Pierce University rounded out the poll with nine and five points, respectively.
Stonehill finished with a share of the Northeast-10 regular season title a year ago, posting an 8-0-2 record in conference play and a 14-6-4 overall mark. In the semifinal of last year's Northeast-10 Championship, the Skyhawks fell to number three seed Saint Anselm. Stonehill took an early 1-0 advantage on a first period goal by junior forward Robbie Dorgan (Ossining, New York/Ossining). The Hawks responded with three unanswered goals, defeating the Skyhawks 3-1, and advancing to the NE-10 championship where they would claim the title with a 6-3 victory over Saint Michael's College.
Stonehill returns four players that earned All-Conference accolades a season ago, headlined by Robbie Dorgan who was selected unanimously to the first team. In 2014-15, Dorgan led the Skyhawks with 30 points on ten goals and 20 assists. The Ossining, New York native finished top three in the NE-10 in assists (20), points per game (1.25), and finished top five in goals (10) and points (30) last season.
Sophomore defender Brendan White was named the NE-10 Rookie of the Year during the 2014/15 campaign after recording eight points on two goals and six assists. |
Senior defenseman Travis Army (Englewood, Colorado/Worcester Academy) returns for the 15/16 season after receiving his second straight, second team all-conference honors. Army posted a stat line of five goals and four assist for nine points, all while leading a Stonehill backline that was the top scoring defense in the NE-10 a year ago.
Rounding out Stonehill's returning All-Conference honorees are sophomore defender Brendan White (North Reading, Massachusetts/Kimball Union Academy) and classmate Tommy Newton (Hollis, New Hampshire/Portland Jr. Pirates). White was chosen as the NE-10 freshman of the year and was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie team, while Newton was also placed on the All-Rookie team.
Stonehill returns eight of its top ten scorers from a year ago, losing Kevin Aufiero and Brendan Greene. Senior Anthony D'Elia (Stamford, Connecticut/Gunnery School) is the top returning goal scorer, registering 11 last season.
Coach David Borges returns for his third season at the helm of the Stonehill men's ice hockey program. Borges has reached unparalleled heights in his first two seasons, winning back-to-back NE-10 regular season titles without dropping a regular season conference match since he's taken over, going a perfect 19-0-2. Borges received NE-10 coach of the year honors for the 2014-15 season.
Stonehill opens its 2015-16 campaign a week from Saturday on October 31st, when they host Endicott College at the Foxboro Sports Center. The Skyhawks will take on the Division III CCC members at 4:40 p.m. Stonehill opens its NE-10 Conference slate on Thursday, November 5th, when they host Assumption College at 7:00 p.m.
2015-16 Northeast-10 Conference Men's Ice Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Saint Anselm (5) (11-13-3, 2-1-2) – 25
2. Saint Michael's (1) (9-16-2, 3-0-2) – 19
3. Stonehill (14-6-4, 8-0-2) – 17
4. So. New Hampshire (10-12-2, 3-7-1) – 15
5. Assumption (8-16, 4-6) – 9
6. Franklin Pierce (3-20-1, 2-8-1) – 5
