Cunningham named to preseason all-AHA team
9/16/2026 1:24:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force senior defenseman Nolan Cunningham was named to the preseason all-Atlantic Hockey America team, as voted on by the league's coaches.
Cunningham, from Helena, Mont., was a third-team all-AHA selection last season. He was third in the league in points (16) and plus-minus (+7) among league defensemen in conference games. His two power-play goals tied for first among AHA blueliners and his six goals were second in the league. In all games, Cunningham was fifth on the team in points (20) and goals (7) in 37 games. His three-game winners led the team and he added 36 blocked shots.
Three Falcons also received votes for the preseason all-conference team. Senior forward Brendan Gibbons, senior defenseman Will Staring and junior center Nick Sajevic all received votes. Gibbons played in all 37 games last season and was tied for fifth on the team with 20 points (6-14-20). Staring played in all 37 games last season and was sixth on the team with 19 points (6-13-19). Sajevic played in all 37 games last season and tied for second on the team with 32 points (9-23-32). He led the team and was fifth in the league with 23 assists. Sajevic was also fourth in the league and 25th in the nation with 364 faceoff wins.
Air Force was picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' poll. Air Force finished sixth in the AHA last season. The Falcons closed out the 2025-26 season with an 18-15-4 record, the first winning season since 2018-19. Air Force went 8-4-2 in the final 14 games of the season. Head coach Frank Serratore enters his 30th season at Air Force, and 34th as a college head coach. His 539 career NCAA Division I wins (490 at Air Force and 49 at Denver) are the second most among all active NCAA coaches and the 14th most in NCAA hockey history.
Preseason Poll
1. Sacred Heart (3 first place votes), 59 points
2. Bentley (5), 58 points
3. RIT (1), 51 points
4. Holy Cross, 42 points
5. Air Force, 34 points
6. Robert Morris, 27 points
7. Army West Point, 25 points
T-8. Canisius, 14 points
T-8. Niagara, 14 points
Preseason All-Conference
F: Jack Ivey, JR, Army West Point
F: Kellan Hjartarson, SR, Bentley
F: Walter Zacher, SR, Canisius
D: Nolan Cunningham, SR, Air Force
D: Dominic Elliott, JR, Robert Morris
G: Ajeet Gundarah, JR, Sacred Heart
Also receiving votes:
Forwards: Matt Kursonis (JR, Holy Cross), Nick Sajevic (JR, Air Force), Matthew Wilde (SR, RIT), Brendan Gibbons (SR, Air Force), Michael Mesic (JR, Bentley), Christian Catalano (SR, RIT), Jackson Reinecke (SR, Robert Morris), Devin Phillips (GR, Sacred Heart), Gavin Bryant (SO, Sacred Heart)
Defensemen: Will Staring (SR, Air Force), Ben Roger (SR, RIT), John Babcock (SO, Robert Morris), Garrett Horsager (SR, Bentley), Tristan Allen (JR, RIT), Aiden VanRooyan (JR, Sacred Heart)
Goaltenders: JJ Cataldo (JR, Army West Point), Danick Leroux (SO, Holy Cross)
Preseason Player of the Year:
Ajeet Gundarah, Jr, G, Sacred Heart
--30--
Cunningham, from Helena, Mont., was a third-team all-AHA selection last season. He was third in the league in points (16) and plus-minus (+7) among league defensemen in conference games. His two power-play goals tied for first among AHA blueliners and his six goals were second in the league. In all games, Cunningham was fifth on the team in points (20) and goals (7) in 37 games. His three-game winners led the team and he added 36 blocked shots.
Three Falcons also received votes for the preseason all-conference team. Senior forward Brendan Gibbons, senior defenseman Will Staring and junior center Nick Sajevic all received votes. Gibbons played in all 37 games last season and was tied for fifth on the team with 20 points (6-14-20). Staring played in all 37 games last season and was sixth on the team with 19 points (6-13-19). Sajevic played in all 37 games last season and tied for second on the team with 32 points (9-23-32). He led the team and was fifth in the league with 23 assists. Sajevic was also fourth in the league and 25th in the nation with 364 faceoff wins.
Air Force was picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' poll. Air Force finished sixth in the AHA last season. The Falcons closed out the 2025-26 season with an 18-15-4 record, the first winning season since 2018-19. Air Force went 8-4-2 in the final 14 games of the season. Head coach Frank Serratore enters his 30th season at Air Force, and 34th as a college head coach. His 539 career NCAA Division I wins (490 at Air Force and 49 at Denver) are the second most among all active NCAA coaches and the 14th most in NCAA hockey history.
Preseason Poll
1. Sacred Heart (3 first place votes), 59 points
2. Bentley (5), 58 points
3. RIT (1), 51 points
4. Holy Cross, 42 points
5. Air Force, 34 points
6. Robert Morris, 27 points
7. Army West Point, 25 points
T-8. Canisius, 14 points
T-8. Niagara, 14 points
Preseason All-Conference
F: Jack Ivey, JR, Army West Point
F: Kellan Hjartarson, SR, Bentley
F: Walter Zacher, SR, Canisius
D: Nolan Cunningham, SR, Air Force
D: Dominic Elliott, JR, Robert Morris
G: Ajeet Gundarah, JR, Sacred Heart
Also receiving votes:
Forwards: Matt Kursonis (JR, Holy Cross), Nick Sajevic (JR, Air Force), Matthew Wilde (SR, RIT), Brendan Gibbons (SR, Air Force), Michael Mesic (JR, Bentley), Christian Catalano (SR, RIT), Jackson Reinecke (SR, Robert Morris), Devin Phillips (GR, Sacred Heart), Gavin Bryant (SO, Sacred Heart)
Defensemen: Will Staring (SR, Air Force), Ben Roger (SR, RIT), John Babcock (SO, Robert Morris), Garrett Horsager (SR, Bentley), Tristan Allen (JR, RIT), Aiden VanRooyan (JR, Sacred Heart)
Goaltenders: JJ Cataldo (JR, Army West Point), Danick Leroux (SO, Holy Cross)
Preseason Player of the Year:
Ajeet Gundarah, Jr, G, Sacred Heart
--30--
Players Mentioned
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