Hockey team announces 2021-22 awards
4/13/2022 8:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force hockey team announced its award winners for the 2021-22 season.
Sophomore defenseman Luke Rowe earned three awards, while senior goalie Alex Schilling and junior Andrew Kruse each earned two.
Rowe was the co-recipient of the Vic Heyliger Award, while also earning the Larry Cronk Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Heyliger, voted on by the team, is the cornerstone of Air Force hockey. It is awarded to the player whose dedication, character, leadership and work ethic exemplifies Falcon hockey. The Cronk, voted on by the team, is awarded to the team's most inspirational player. The team's defensive player of the year award is presented to the player who the coaching staff feels was the team's most diligent defensive performer.
Entering the 2021-22 season, Rowe was selected as a team captain by his teammates. His leadership with the young Falcons was key to team's success this season. His physicality set the tone for a team that was picked ninth in the preseason poll to reach the championship game. Rowe, from Succasunna, N.J., played in 35 games and was tied for fifth on the team with six goals and was ninth on the team with 16 points. He led the team with 57 blocked shots, was second on the team with three power-play goals and scored the game-winner against Canisius, Dec. 3.
Schilling was the co-recipient of the Vic Heyliger Award and also earned the Chuck Delich MVP Award. The Delich, voted on by the team, is named after the Falcons' all-time leading scorer and No. 1 goal scorer in the history of college hockey.
Schilling, from Medina, Minn., was selected as a team captain by his teammates, the first goalie to serve as a captain at Air Force since 1991-92. His leadership was critical for the Falcons to exceed expectations and reach the AHA championship game. Schilling, who also earned the Delich award as a sophomore, started 34 of the 36 games. He led the Falcons to wins over Michigan State and Colorado College and had a career high 42 saves against third-ranked Denver. He earned his first shutout of the season, and second of his career, with a 1-0 overtime victory over RIT on senior night. He then stopped 64 of 70 in a pair of overtime wins at West Point to send the Falcons to the AHA Final Four.
Kruse, from Delano, Minn., was the co-recipient of the Most Improved Player Award, voted on by the team, and the Jim Bowman Scholar-Athlete Award. Kruse's versatility proved extremely valuable for the Falcons this season. A defenseman, Kruse stepped in to play right wing in several games due to injuries. He was one of the team's top six defensemen for the final six games as the team made a run to the AHA title game. Off the ice, Kruse has a GPA of 3.85 this season for an overall cumulative GPA of 3.60 as an economics major.
Clayton Cosentino earned the John Matchefts Award, voted on by the team, as the team's top freshman. Cosentino was among the league's top scoring freshmen all season. He finished fourth on the team with seven goals and 24 points. The center from San Carlos, Calif., was also among the league's top faceoff men. He led the team with 358 faceoff wins and a .547 winning percentage and led the league in defensive zone draws, winning 62 percent.
Brandon Koch, from Hastings, Minn., was the co-recipient of the Jim Bowman Scholar Athlete award. Koch was a third-team all-conference defenseman as he was second in the league in assists with 22. He tied for second on the team with 25 points, including two power play goals and one game-winner. He played in all 36 games and was the AHA Defensive Player of the Month for February. Off the ice, Koch has a GPA this season of 3.81 for an overall cumulative GPA of 3.78 as an operations research major.
Jasper Lester, from Colorado Springs, Colo., was the co-recipient of the Most Improved Player Award. After not seeing much ice time in the first half of the season, Lester was a regular on the Falcon blue line in the second half. He played in 27 games and was among the Falcons' top six defensemen for the majority of the second half of the season.
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Sophomore defenseman Luke Rowe earned three awards, while senior goalie Alex Schilling and junior Andrew Kruse each earned two.
Rowe was the co-recipient of the Vic Heyliger Award, while also earning the Larry Cronk Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Heyliger, voted on by the team, is the cornerstone of Air Force hockey. It is awarded to the player whose dedication, character, leadership and work ethic exemplifies Falcon hockey. The Cronk, voted on by the team, is awarded to the team's most inspirational player. The team's defensive player of the year award is presented to the player who the coaching staff feels was the team's most diligent defensive performer.
Entering the 2021-22 season, Rowe was selected as a team captain by his teammates. His leadership with the young Falcons was key to team's success this season. His physicality set the tone for a team that was picked ninth in the preseason poll to reach the championship game. Rowe, from Succasunna, N.J., played in 35 games and was tied for fifth on the team with six goals and was ninth on the team with 16 points. He led the team with 57 blocked shots, was second on the team with three power-play goals and scored the game-winner against Canisius, Dec. 3.
Schilling was the co-recipient of the Vic Heyliger Award and also earned the Chuck Delich MVP Award. The Delich, voted on by the team, is named after the Falcons' all-time leading scorer and No. 1 goal scorer in the history of college hockey.
Schilling, from Medina, Minn., was selected as a team captain by his teammates, the first goalie to serve as a captain at Air Force since 1991-92. His leadership was critical for the Falcons to exceed expectations and reach the AHA championship game. Schilling, who also earned the Delich award as a sophomore, started 34 of the 36 games. He led the Falcons to wins over Michigan State and Colorado College and had a career high 42 saves against third-ranked Denver. He earned his first shutout of the season, and second of his career, with a 1-0 overtime victory over RIT on senior night. He then stopped 64 of 70 in a pair of overtime wins at West Point to send the Falcons to the AHA Final Four.
Kruse, from Delano, Minn., was the co-recipient of the Most Improved Player Award, voted on by the team, and the Jim Bowman Scholar-Athlete Award. Kruse's versatility proved extremely valuable for the Falcons this season. A defenseman, Kruse stepped in to play right wing in several games due to injuries. He was one of the team's top six defensemen for the final six games as the team made a run to the AHA title game. Off the ice, Kruse has a GPA of 3.85 this season for an overall cumulative GPA of 3.60 as an economics major.
Clayton Cosentino earned the John Matchefts Award, voted on by the team, as the team's top freshman. Cosentino was among the league's top scoring freshmen all season. He finished fourth on the team with seven goals and 24 points. The center from San Carlos, Calif., was also among the league's top faceoff men. He led the team with 358 faceoff wins and a .547 winning percentage and led the league in defensive zone draws, winning 62 percent.
Brandon Koch, from Hastings, Minn., was the co-recipient of the Jim Bowman Scholar Athlete award. Koch was a third-team all-conference defenseman as he was second in the league in assists with 22. He tied for second on the team with 25 points, including two power play goals and one game-winner. He played in all 36 games and was the AHA Defensive Player of the Month for February. Off the ice, Koch has a GPA this season of 3.81 for an overall cumulative GPA of 3.78 as an operations research major.
Jasper Lester, from Colorado Springs, Colo., was the co-recipient of the Most Improved Player Award. After not seeing much ice time in the first half of the season, Lester was a regular on the Falcon blue line in the second half. He played in 27 games and was among the Falcons' top six defensemen for the majority of the second half of the season.
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Players Mentioned
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