Hockey team announces 2022-23 awards
4/18/2023 7:55:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force hockey team announced its award winners at the 2022-23 end of season banquet.
Defenseman Luke Rowe claimed two of the team's seven awards by earning the Vic Heyliger Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Vic Heyliger Award, 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 Defensive Player of the Year Award is presented to the player who the coaching staff feels was the team's most diligent defensive performer. A team captain from Succasunna, N.J., Rowe was second on the team in points (24) and third in goals (7) from his defensive position. He was just as successful off the ice, carrying a 3.44 grade point average as a military strategic studies major. A second team all-Atlantic Hockey selection, he was also third on the team with 36 blocked shots.
Senior Willie Reim earned the Chuck Delich Award as the team's most valuable player. Reim, who was also the team MVP as a sophomore, led the team with 26 points and was tied for the team lead with 11 goals. The winger from North Oaks, Minn., also won 61 percent of his faceoffs, while taking the majority of the special teams draws.
Senior Brandon Koch and juniors Sam Brennan and Luke Robinson were tri-recipients of the Jim Bowman Award, presented to the team's top scholar-athlete who is an upper classman. Koch carries a 3.83 grade point average while majoring in operations research. The senior defenseman from Hastings, Minn., also had 24 points in 36 games. Brennan carries a 3.92 GPA as a computer science major. The junior defenseman from Brighton, Mich., also had 11 points in 22 games. Robinson has a 3.94 GPA with a major in operations research. The junior defenseman from Nashville, Tenn., also had a team high 43 blocked shots in 32 games.
Freshman Holt Oliphant earned the team's Most Improved Player Award. After missing the first nine games of the season, Oliphant scored a goal in his first career collegiate game to help Air Force to a 3-1 win over Alaska Anchorage. The winger from Northbrook, Ill., didn't miss a game the rest of the season, scoring four goals and five assists in 27 games.
Freshman Chris Hedden earned the John Matchefts award as the team's top freshman. A defenseman from Kalamazoo, Mich., Hedden played in 35 of the 36 games and had 11 points on three goals and eight assists. His 11 points were the third most by a Falcon blueliner. An Atlantic Hockey all-rookie team selection, he blocked 39 shots this season, second most on the team.
Sophomore Austin Schwartz earned the Larry Cronk award as the team's most inspirational player. A forward from Parker, Colo., Schwartz played in 34 of the 36 games and had 12 points on the season. While he was never the biggest player on the ice, his tenacity and physicality were always larger than his size. His ability and willingness to finish checks, block shots and win faceoffs were key factors in winning this award.
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Defenseman Luke Rowe claimed two of the team's seven awards by earning the Vic Heyliger Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Vic Heyliger Award, 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 Defensive Player of the Year Award is presented to the player who the coaching staff feels was the team's most diligent defensive performer. A team captain from Succasunna, N.J., Rowe was second on the team in points (24) and third in goals (7) from his defensive position. He was just as successful off the ice, carrying a 3.44 grade point average as a military strategic studies major. A second team all-Atlantic Hockey selection, he was also third on the team with 36 blocked shots.
Senior Willie Reim earned the Chuck Delich Award as the team's most valuable player. Reim, who was also the team MVP as a sophomore, led the team with 26 points and was tied for the team lead with 11 goals. The winger from North Oaks, Minn., also won 61 percent of his faceoffs, while taking the majority of the special teams draws.
Senior Brandon Koch and juniors Sam Brennan and Luke Robinson were tri-recipients of the Jim Bowman Award, presented to the team's top scholar-athlete who is an upper classman. Koch carries a 3.83 grade point average while majoring in operations research. The senior defenseman from Hastings, Minn., also had 24 points in 36 games. Brennan carries a 3.92 GPA as a computer science major. The junior defenseman from Brighton, Mich., also had 11 points in 22 games. Robinson has a 3.94 GPA with a major in operations research. The junior defenseman from Nashville, Tenn., also had a team high 43 blocked shots in 32 games.
Freshman Holt Oliphant earned the team's Most Improved Player Award. After missing the first nine games of the season, Oliphant scored a goal in his first career collegiate game to help Air Force to a 3-1 win over Alaska Anchorage. The winger from Northbrook, Ill., didn't miss a game the rest of the season, scoring four goals and five assists in 27 games.
Freshman Chris Hedden earned the John Matchefts award as the team's top freshman. A defenseman from Kalamazoo, Mich., Hedden played in 35 of the 36 games and had 11 points on three goals and eight assists. His 11 points were the third most by a Falcon blueliner. An Atlantic Hockey all-rookie team selection, he blocked 39 shots this season, second most on the team.
Sophomore Austin Schwartz earned the Larry Cronk award as the team's most inspirational player. A forward from Parker, Colo., Schwartz played in 34 of the 36 games and had 12 points on the season. While he was never the biggest player on the ice, his tenacity and physicality were always larger than his size. His ability and willingness to finish checks, block shots and win faceoffs were key factors in winning this award.
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Players Mentioned
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