2024 SUNYAC Men's Ice Hockey Individual Awards Released
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC announces the 2024 men's ice hockey top awards which are nominated and voted on by the conference coaches. The honors include the Herb Hammond Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Goaltender of the Year and Rookie of the Year. The SUNYAC ice hockey final is set for Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. with No. 3 Plattsburgh hosting No. 4 Cortland.
Herb Hammond Player of the Year - Shane Bull, Oswego
Bull led the league in goals and points with 17 goals and 29 points in conference play and 22 goals and 42 points overall. He was also first in the league with a +21 in SUNYAC play and is second with a +23 overall. Bull had two hat tricks, one was when he scored a season high four goals in a win vs. Brockport on February 2. Bull helped lead his team to a No. 2 seed going into post season, but the Lakers lost to No. 3 Plattsburgh in overtime, 3-2, in the semifinal game. Oswego ended the season 16-9-1.
Herb Hammond coached at Oswego (1969-80) and Plattsburgh (1981-83), compiling a 176-122-5 mark for the Lakers and a 52-17-4 record for the Cardinals. He was named the 1982 Division III Coach of the Year. From 1983-88, Hammond coached at Division I Brown University before leaving coaching to become a National Hockey League scout for 11 seasons. Hammond passed away on July 22, 2009.
Defensive Player of the Year - Tristan Francis, Oswego
Francis helped the Lakers finish 12-4 in conference play to clinch the second seed and earn a bye into the semifinals. Francis started 14 of 26 games for Oswego and accumulated 17 blocks and 11 points with two goals and nine assists.
Goaltender of the Year - Adam Harris, Geneseo
Harris led the Knights to the No. 1 seed after regular season play. Over the 2023-24 season he tied for No. 1 with nine conference wins (.900 win percentage) and was second with 12 overall victories (.800 win percentage) in goal. Harris had a goals against average of 1.99 and a save percentage of .938 with 287 saves in league play. Overall he stopped 425 shots for a .928 save percentage and a 2.33 goals against average.
Rookie of the Year - Tio D'Addario, Plattsburgh
D'Addario started 14 of 27 games so far in his first year with the Cardinals. He tallied 13 points in conference play with seven goals and six assists. Overall he has 22 points with 10 goals and 12 assists. D'Addario has three game-winning goals and a +15 overall. He was also named the SUNYAC Men's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week two times this season. Plattsburgh earned the No. 3 seed after regular season conference play and won two games to advance to the final game. They will host No. 4 Cortland in the SUNYAC championship, Saturday at 7 p.m. The Cardinals look to defend the SUNYAC crown and win their 25 overall title.
