 |  |
Quinnipiac's Cashman and Nelson Earn National Monthly Honors
March 4, 2005
Quinnipiac University earned a sweep in the CSTV: College Sports Television/Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Division I Monthly awards for February. Sophomore defenseman Reid Cashman has been selected as the CSTV/HCA National Division I Player of the Month, while teammate freshman forward Ben Nelson was named as the CSTV/HCA National Division I Rookie of the Month.
It is the first time that any student-athlete from the Atlantic Hockey Association has ever received the CSTV/HCA National Division I Player or Rookie of the Month award. It is also the first time that two players from the same team have been recognized in the same month.
Cashman not only led Atlantic Hockey but also paced the nation in scoring in the month of February. Totaling 5-15-20 through nine games, Cashman became part of a one-two punch that helped the Bobcats (17-12-3, 14-6-2 AHA) to a 7-2-0 record and the top of the Atlantic Hockey standings for the first time this season. Cashman failed to register a point only once in his nine appearances while patrolling the blue line, averaging 2.22 points per game and posting a +/- of +12.
Currently the leader among all defensemen nationwide in points with 12-25-37 and 26th among all skaters, Cashman achieved new career marks in the final full month of the regular season. Against Mercyhurst on Feb. 5, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Cashman collected four assists, a career-high for points and assists in a single game, helping the Bobcats close out a weekend sweep of Mercyhurst. Two weeks later, Cashman tied the single-game points mark against Canisius on Feb. 19 with a goal and three assists. He has already surpassed last season's point totals of 2-19-21.
A native of Red Wing, Minn., Cashman is making his case for the regular season scoring title in Atlantic Hockey. Cashman collected three goals and three assists in a 3-0-0 final week of February, increasing his season total to 11-20-31 in conference play, one point shy of the league lead. Cashman is the first defenseman this season to earn the CSTV/HCA National Division I Player of the Month award.
Nelson went on a torrid scoring streak during February, leading all rookies with 11-8-19, and was only second to Cashman in terms of points scored nationally among all skaters. Currently riding a 12-game point scoring streak, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Nelson averaged 2.11 points and posted six multi-point outings in the nine games he appeared in through February.
Nelson netted the first hat trick of his collegiate career on Feb. 5 against Mercyhurst, adding in two assists for a career-best five-point evening. His first hat trick was shortly followed two weeks later on Feb. 19 with his second, posting three markers against Canisius. Of the 41 goals Quinnipiac scored during February, Nelson potted 11 alone, a mark that included 4 power-play goals and 2 game-winners.
While Nelson’s overall statistics this season of 16-10-26 – all coming in conference play – are impressive for a rookie, what is even more impressive is the fact that the point totals have come in only 20 games played. The native of Spokane, Wash., missed the first 11 games of this season due to injury, making his first appearance in the lineup in December. Nelson leads all rookies in Atlantic Hockey in scoring, and is second among all league skaters in goals scored.
[back to top]
