For Immediate Release: February 16, 2001
FREDONIA, NY – The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has announced the All-SUNYAC Ice Hockey honors for 2000-2001 as well as the conference Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
Fredonia's Will Hamele (Dearborn, MI/Cleveland Jr. A) has been named the SUNYAC Ice Hockey Player of the Year. Hamele, a sophomore goalkeeper for the Blue Devils, has enjoyed a successful season thus far with 527 saves for an impressive 2.40 goals-against-average and .926 save percentage. Fredonia ended its regular season with a 7-5-2 conference record, 12-9-3 overall. The Blue Devils are seeded fourth in the SUNYAC Tournament and will play host to fifth seed Geneseo this weekend.
Rookie of the Year honors went to Oswego's Mike Lukajic (Oakville, ONT/Oakville Blades). Lukajic enjoyed his solid inaugural SUNYAC campaign by racking up 13 goals and four assists for 17 points. Lukajic and his Oswego Laker teammates are seeded second in the SUNYAC tournament, which earns them a first-round bye. They finished the regular season with a 10-4 SUNYAC record, 17-7-1 overall.
Cortland's Head Coach Tim Vanini was voted the 2000-01 Ice Hockey Coach of the Year by fellow conference coaches. Vanini is in his fourth season with the Red Dragons who reached the SUNYAC tournament for the first time since 1993. The Red Dragons have continued to improve since Vanini's arrival four years ago. After just missing the SUNAYC Tournament last year, sixth seed Cortland will look to make their presence known this year as they travel to third seed Potsdam this weekend for the play-in round of the tournament. Cortland has a conference record of 4-8-2 (9-14-2 overall) entering the SUNYAC Championships.
2000-01 SUNYAC Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last Team
Aaron Coleman Geneseo F Sr. 6-0 190 Buffalo/Rochester (MN) Mustangs
Brendon Hodge Plattsburgh F So. 6-2 196 Lynnfield, MA/Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Jason Kilcan Plattsburgh F So. 5-8 182 London ONT/Aylmer Aces (OHA)
Bryan Murray Plattsburgh D Sr. 6-1 194 Barry's Bay, ONT/Brockville Braves (CJHL)
Dave Weagle Potsdam D So. 5-11 180 Smith Falls, ONT/Smiths Falls Bears
Will Hamele Fredonia G So. 5-9 160 Dearborn, MI/Cleveland Jr. A
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last Team
Sean Darke Potsdam F Sr. 5-11 190 Grosse Pt. Park, MI/Gaylord Grizzlies
Derek Kern Oswego F Sr. 5-9 165 Kings Park/NY Apple Core
John Sullivan Oswego F Sr. 5-9 170 Suffern/NY Apple Core
B.J. Bouschor Fredonia D Sr. 5-10 165 Sault Ste. Marie, MI/Soo Jr. A
Kyle Langdon Geneseo D Sr. 6-0 175 Rochester/Rochester Midgets
Niklas Sundberg Plattsburgh G Jr. 6-3 220 Stockholm, Sweden/Boston Jr. Bruins (EJHL)
2000-01 Player of the Year: Will Hamele, Fredonia
2000-01 Rookie of the Year: Mike Lukajic, Oswego
2000-01 Coach of the Year: Tim Vanini, Cortland