Hockey team announces 2023-24 awards
4/7/2024 6:31:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force hockey team announced its award winners at the 2023-24 end of season banquet.
Senior Luke Robinson earned The Vic Heyliger Award and was a co-recipient of the Jim Bowman Scholar-Athlete 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.
A two-year team captain as selected by his teammates, Robinson was selected as the Academy's Captain of Captains, representing the 27 intercollegiate programs to the Academy leadership, serving more than 1000 cadet athletes. He played in 118 of the possible 122 career games and had four goals, 15 assists and 19 points. The native of Nashville, Tenn., recorded the best statistical season of his career with two goals, seven assists, nine points and 44 blocked shots as a senior. His +6 plus-minus ratio in 2023-24 was the best among the Falcon defensemen.
Robinson and fellow senior Sam Brennan were the co-recipients of the Jim Bowman Scholar Athlete Award.
Robinson is a three-time Coaches' Association All-American Scholar. He carries a 3.96 cumulative grade point average as an operations research major and will be going to graduate school after graduating from the Academy. Brennan was also a three-time Coaches' Association All-American Scholar. He carries a 3.91 GPA with a computer science major and will be going to graduate school after graduating from the Academy.
Senior Will Gavin earned the Chuck Delich Award as the team's most valuable player. Gavin was named first-team all-Atlantic Hockey. He led the AHA and was 19th in the nation with 19 goals this season. His 19 goals are the most by a Falcon since Jordan Himley's 22 in 2016-17. Gavin's 11 power-play goals led the AHA and are fourth in the nation. They are the most since Jacques Lamoureux had 13 in 2010-11.
Junior Austin Schwartz became the fourth forward in school history to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Schwartz was also named the Atlantic Hockey Defensive Forward of the Year as he led nation with four short-handed goals. Schwartz ranked third in the nation in blocked shots by a forward with 46 this season.
Schwartz and senior Brian Adams were the co-recipients of the Larry Cronk Award as the most inspirational players. The pair played on the same line for 20 of the 38 games. The energy and tenacity the pair brought every night helped the Falcons to 18 wins this season. The pair played a key role on the Falcon penalty kill that ranks sixth in the nation, killing 84.8 percent of the opponent's power plays. Schwartz played in all 38 games and had career-highs of 10 goals, 19 points and won 53.6 percent of his faceoffs. Adams played in 30 games and had two goals and eight assists. He had a short-handed goal, blocked 27 shots and his plus-minus ratio of +7 was the best on the team.
Forward Brendan Gibbons and defenseman Will Staring were the co-winners of the John Matchefts Award as the team's top freshman. Gibbons played in 34 games and led all Falcon freshmen with seven goals and 12 points, including a power-play goal and two game-winners. Staring played in 33 games and tied for third among the team's defensemen with nine points (1-8-9). He also blocked 29 shots, sixth on the team.
Freshmen defensemen James Callahan and Nolan Cunningham were the co-recipients of the Most Improved Player Award. Cunningham played in 26 games, including the last 19 straight. He had five assists on the season. Callahan's first game came on the road at No. 20 RIT, the eventual AHA champions, as he helped hold the Tigers to two goals in a 3-2 win in Rochester.
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Senior Luke Robinson earned The Vic Heyliger Award and was a co-recipient of the Jim Bowman Scholar-Athlete 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.
A two-year team captain as selected by his teammates, Robinson was selected as the Academy's Captain of Captains, representing the 27 intercollegiate programs to the Academy leadership, serving more than 1000 cadet athletes. He played in 118 of the possible 122 career games and had four goals, 15 assists and 19 points. The native of Nashville, Tenn., recorded the best statistical season of his career with two goals, seven assists, nine points and 44 blocked shots as a senior. His +6 plus-minus ratio in 2023-24 was the best among the Falcon defensemen.
Robinson and fellow senior Sam Brennan were the co-recipients of the Jim Bowman Scholar Athlete Award.
Robinson is a three-time Coaches' Association All-American Scholar. He carries a 3.96 cumulative grade point average as an operations research major and will be going to graduate school after graduating from the Academy. Brennan was also a three-time Coaches' Association All-American Scholar. He carries a 3.91 GPA with a computer science major and will be going to graduate school after graduating from the Academy.
Senior Will Gavin earned the Chuck Delich Award as the team's most valuable player. Gavin was named first-team all-Atlantic Hockey. He led the AHA and was 19th in the nation with 19 goals this season. His 19 goals are the most by a Falcon since Jordan Himley's 22 in 2016-17. Gavin's 11 power-play goals led the AHA and are fourth in the nation. They are the most since Jacques Lamoureux had 13 in 2010-11.
Junior Austin Schwartz became the fourth forward in school history to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Schwartz was also named the Atlantic Hockey Defensive Forward of the Year as he led nation with four short-handed goals. Schwartz ranked third in the nation in blocked shots by a forward with 46 this season.
Schwartz and senior Brian Adams were the co-recipients of the Larry Cronk Award as the most inspirational players. The pair played on the same line for 20 of the 38 games. The energy and tenacity the pair brought every night helped the Falcons to 18 wins this season. The pair played a key role on the Falcon penalty kill that ranks sixth in the nation, killing 84.8 percent of the opponent's power plays. Schwartz played in all 38 games and had career-highs of 10 goals, 19 points and won 53.6 percent of his faceoffs. Adams played in 30 games and had two goals and eight assists. He had a short-handed goal, blocked 27 shots and his plus-minus ratio of +7 was the best on the team.
Forward Brendan Gibbons and defenseman Will Staring were the co-winners of the John Matchefts Award as the team's top freshman. Gibbons played in 34 games and led all Falcon freshmen with seven goals and 12 points, including a power-play goal and two game-winners. Staring played in 33 games and tied for third among the team's defensemen with nine points (1-8-9). He also blocked 29 shots, sixth on the team.
Freshmen defensemen James Callahan and Nolan Cunningham were the co-recipients of the Most Improved Player Award. Cunningham played in 26 games, including the last 19 straight. He had five assists on the season. Callahan's first game came on the road at No. 20 RIT, the eventual AHA champions, as he helped hold the Tigers to two goals in a 3-2 win in Rochester.
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