Bentley's Prewitt First Falcon named Semifinalist for Walter Brown Award

Gridiron Club Announces Semi-Finalists for 57th Walter Brown Award

Outstanding field of American-born Division One hockey players includes five repeat nominees, three players from Northeastern and two from Boston University



BOSTON – February 2, 2009 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Tim Whelan announced today that sixteen NCAA Division One players are semi-finalists for thefifty-seventh Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.



The candidates include eleven players from Hockey East, four from the ECAC Hockey League, and one from Atlantic Hockey. The slate comprises 12 forwards, one goalie, and three defensemen. Northeastern University, which did not have a semifinalist last year, boasts three in 2009 while Boston University has two. Boston College senior forward Benn Ferriero, Providence senior defenseman Matt Taormina, New Hampshire sophomore forward James van Riemsdyk, and Massachusetts sophomore forward James Marcou, were all semifinalists for last year’s award, which was won by New Hampshire goalie Kevin Regan.



The only goaltender on the 2009 semifinalists’ list is Brown University junior Dan Rosen, who was a semifinalist as a freshman two years ago. Defensemen in addition to Taormina are Boston University senior Matt Gilroy and Northeastern senior Louis Liotti.



The remaining forwards from Hockey East schools are Northeastern seniors Ryan Ginand and Joe Vitale; BU senior Chris Higgins; UMass-Lowell junior Kory Falite; and Vermont senior Peter Lenes.



ECAC Hockey League forwards are Yale junior Sean Backman; Dartmouth sophomore Adam Estoclet; and Quinnipiac senior David Marshall.



The lone nominee from Atlantic Hockey and the first ever from Bentley College is senior forward Dain Prewitt.



“This has been an interesting season in Eastern hockey, with more teams in contention for the respective league titles and home ice playoff berths than we’ve seen in previous years,” said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello.



“That has made drawing up a list of leading candidates for this year’s Walter Brown Award even more difficult than usual. Not everyone who received serious consideration could make the cut. We look forward to tracking the semifinalists closely through the stretch run.”



The Gridiron Club will announce the winner of the 57th Walter Brown Award in March, following league playoffs and before the start of NCAA Tournament play.