PETE GALLIVAN INTERVIEW

From earlier this year, here is an excellent Eagles Nest interview with hockey alumnus Pete Gallivan, reflecting on his Brockport hockey career as well as his adventures at WGRZ TV 2 in Buffalo...

UNGER MOVES ON

Brockport's assistant coach Nick Unger has moved on. He has assumed the head coaching role for the boys' ice hockey team at the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid.

Congratulations to Nick. We will miss him at Tuttle North, but are very happy for his new career.

Here is the National Sports Academy's look at Nick and his hockey career....

http://www.nationalsportsacademy.com/boys-hockey.html

ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT: AUGUST 23

The Golden Eagles cordially invite you to their annual Brockport Ice Hockey Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament.

This year the tournament will take place on Saturday August 23, 2014 with a shotgun start at 7:30am, at Salmon Creek Country Club in Spencerport, NY.

This will be a great opportunity to reconnect with old teammates, recent and distant alumni, parents of current players, friends and fans of Brockport hockey. This opportunity will include 18 holes of golf with a cart, lunch at the turn, buffet dinner along with prizes and giveaways.

The coaching staff hopes you will join them for a lot of fun and a great opportunity to raise funds to provide the players of the Brockport hockey team the resources and opportunities needed to achieve great success out on the ice.

To reserve your spot in this tournament please print the flyer (click here) and send with a check made out to the “Golden Eagle Society” to:

Nick Unger, Assistant Ice Hockey Coach
350 New Campus Drive -- Athletics
Brockport, NY 14420

Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you out on the course in August!

SUNYAC ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS

The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has announced the Spring 2014 All-Academic teams, and members of The College at Brockport's sports teams were well-represented on the honor roll list.

74 student-athletes earned spots on the SUNYAC Commissioners List for maintaining a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or higher for three consecutive semesters. 135 Golden Eagles earned All-Academic team honors for having a spring semester grade-point average of 3.3 or higher.

The hockey team was represented by:

Bobby Chayka, Bobby Conner, Matt DeLuca, Aaron Green, Jared Lockhurst, Andrew Parks, Brendon Rothfuss, James Ryan, Kody Vaisanen, Sean Wallace, Michael Zagari

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Mark your calendars: The annual golf tournament for alumni, friends and supporters of the hockey team will take place on Saturday, August 23 with a 7:30am shotgun start at Salmon Creek.

Details and registration info will be posted here at a later date.

DELUCA IS TOP SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

Senior Matt DeLuca (Skippack, PA) from the Hockey team and junior Richie Welch (Avon, NY/Avon) from the Football team were voted the 2013-14 Co-Outstanding Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year as announced at the annual year-end awards reception Sunday, May 11 in the Union Ballroom on campus.

DeLuca was a senior captain of the Hockey team leading the Golden Eagles to the SUNYAC Tournament. The Exercise Physiology major and Biological Sciences minor was also named the George M. Rich Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete of the Year.

Welch was a key player on defense and special teams for the football team helping the squad to a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) regular season championship and an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northwest Bowl title with a win over Waynesburg State. The junior Kinesiology, Sport Science and Physical Education major with a concentration in Teacher Certification and Adapted Physical Education was also voted the Ed Matejkovic Special Teams Player of the Year.

The annual award is voted on by head coaches and administrators and the top players from each team are listed on the ballot for the award.

HOWATT COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

Buffalo Jr. Sabres defenceman Dylan Howatt (photo credit - Brian Watts/OJHL Images) has confirmed his commitment to join The College of Brockport Golden Eagles beginning with the 2014-15 SUNYAC season.

The Fairport, New York native recently completed his third full season as a member of the Jr. Sabres after joining the club as a 17-year old in 2011-12 out of his local high school program.  Howatt has been a stabilizing force on the blueline for the team as they have had their most successful OJHL run in franchise history, finishing as back-to-back (2013, 2014) West Division champions, as well as winning the South-West Conference regular season title in 2012-13, the first time in franchise history.

As a rookie in 2011-12, Howatt posted a respectable 14 points in 36 games played, while also providing a physical edge that saw him take 50 penalty minutes.  He became one of the club's offensive catalysts from the point in 2012-13, finishing second among rearguards with 25 assists and 28 points in 43 regular season games.  This earned an invitation to join the West Division All-Star Team at the 2012 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge, but he was forced to miss due to injury. Further injuries would force Howatt to miss much of the first part of the season and after returning to the lineup in late November, he helped turn-around the team's fortunes, posting 17 points in 27 games, en route to a second consecutive West Division crown.

BROCKPORT STANDOUT FINNERTY NETS ASSISTANT COACHING ROLE AT BRYN ATHYN

The Bryn Athyn College men's ice hockey program has recently announced the hiring of their new assistant coach. Director of Athletics, Matthew Kennedy, announced that Haverford, Pa native Ian Finnerty will be the program's new assistant coach.

Finnerty comes from a strong playing and coaching background. He played junior hockey in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League (AJHL) from 2005 – 2008, where he helped his team reach the postseason every season. Finnerty attended SUNY-Brockport (SUNYAC- NCAA DIII) where he was a pivotal piece in the growth of Brockport's hockey program. He finished his college career totaling 87 points in 89 career games. Finnerty earned the 7th man award while at Brockport from 2009 – 2012.  Ian graduated in 2012 with a degree in Business Management.

Shortly after graduating from Brockport, he signed a pro hockey contract with the Mississippi River Kings in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).  During his time in the SPHL, Finnerty contributed 14 goals and 15 assist for a total of 29 points.

This past year Ian took his hockey knowledge off the ice and to the UMBC Terriers (ACHA DII) bench. Ian was UMBC's assistant coach for the 2013 – 2014 season. Finnerty helped coach the UMBC Terriers all the way to the ACHA national semi-final and to a 3rd place finish in the nation.

Coach Burke expressed, "I am extremely excited and pleased to have Ian join the staff next season. I knew he would be a perfect fit for our hockey program. In my opinion, Ian has a great hockey mind and fully understands every aspect of the game. Ian has played at very high levels of hockey throughout his entire life, which will provide higher end knowledge to our boys.  Another positive is that Ian fully understands the junior hockey world and what it takes to play at the college level so he will help solidify our recruiting plans and expectations. From a personal perspective, Ian is a great person who will fit perfectly here at Bryn Athyn College and within the community. Overall, I am happy to have Ian join the staff and look forward to getting next season underway with him. I know we both have high expectations for our 2014-2015 team."

Coach Finnerty shared "I'm very excited to be a part of the Bryn Athyn College hockey program and the community. I look forward to helping the program compete for a national championship. I am also thrilled with the opportunity to reunite with my former teammate Andrew Burke, this time around on a coaching staff."

THE GOLDEN EAGLES HOCKEY FAMILY HAS LOST A GOOD ONE IN AL MAERZ

Albert Paul Maerz III of Irondequoit passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at the age of 67 after a sudden diagnosis of cancer. He is survived by his wife, Joan; daughters, Jeri (Damian) Rippon and Jody DuFort; grandchildren, Kiersten & Kaitlyn Rippon; Zachary, Aidan, Sebastien and Remington DuFort; and fox terrier, Newman Noggs.

Al was born and raised in Summerville, where he sold hotdogs outside his parents' restaurant, The Dutchman's Grill, delivered newspapers, and attended school at St. Thomas under the watchful eye of Sister Theodosia ("Sit down, Mr. Maerz, you're rocking the boat!") From grandfather Ole Carlson, he learned to love boats and sailing (and polishing brass).

Before graduating from Irondequoit High School, he began his hockey career playing for the Junior Amerks. During the Vietnam War, Al served in the Army as an M.P., returning home to earn his B.A. and M.A. from SUNY Brockport, where he played hockey for the Golden Eagles.

As a career teacher in West Irondequoit, Al taught physical education at every grade level, introducing his students not only to traditional activities, but also to table tennis, archery, and square dancing.

However, Al is perhaps best remembered as a coach of soccer, lacrosse, and hockey, for which he was inducted into the NYS High School Hockey Assc. Hall of Fame in 2001; his plaque hangs in the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid. Many of his former players have become coaches, and all of them still share and embellish memories of Coach Maerz that have become the stuff of Irondequoit folklore.

In the summer, Al lived on his sailboat (Kililani, Joanie B. I and II) and was welcomed in ports around Lake Ontario, especially Cobourg, Ontario, where he was the only American member of the Cobourg Yacht Club and a lunchtime denizen of Kelly's Homelike Inn. He also served as chaplain of the Ira Jacobsen Post of the American Legion, delivered Meals on Wheels several days each week, and supported the Irondequoit Community Cupboard, Cornell Women's Hockey, Geva Theatre, and WXXI (he seldom missed Diane Rehm).

His family will receive friends MONDAY 1-3pm & 6-9pm at the funeral home (570 Kings Hwy South).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Meals on Wheels 2180 Empire Blvd, Webster, NY 14580 or Irondequoit Community Cupboard, 4275 Culver Rd, Rochester, NY 14622

To share a memory or send the family a condolence, please visit www.harrisfuneralhome.com

2014-2015 SCHEDULE RELEASED

The 2014-2015 schedule is now out! You can see it in the tool bar on the right side of this blog.

AWARD WINNERS

The team had their annual end-of-year awards presentation yesterday. Here are the recipients of the honors:

BRIAN CAVANAUGH MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER—Chris Cangro
CHRIS PALIN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR—Jake Taylor
EJ McGUIRE 7th PLAYER AWARD— Chris Luker
JIMMY MAC MOST IMPROVED PLAYER— Aaron Green
BOB PEDERSEN COACHES AWARD— Matt DeLuca

Congratulations to all. Well-deserved!

In addition to the major awards these 7 seniors were awarded their Senior Chair:

Chris Cangro
Bobby Conner
Matt DeLuca
Joe Reagan
Brendon Rothfuss
Steve Sachman
Sean Wallace

DeLUCA IS OUTSTANDING SENIOR

Yesterday at the Annual Student Leadership Awards Ceremony on campus, which celebrates student excellence, Matt DeLuca -- 2013-2014 team captain -- was named the recipient of the George M. Rich Outstanding Senior Award for the Athletics Department.

This award is named after George Rich, “Mr. Brockport,” who was a constant fixture around the college and a fan of intercollegiate athletics. The winner of this award must be a four year letter winner who has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship, citizenship, ethical conduct and leadership throughout his/her career beyond what is generally expected of student-athletes at Brockport.

Congratulations to Matt -- a well-deserved honor by the man who was the leader of the hockey team, on the ice and off of it.

VERBEKE COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

The Granite City Lumberjacks of the NA3HL have announced that several members of the 2013-14 team have made college commitments. The list includes eight different players, five of which have committed to NCAA Division III schools.

Among them is the Lumberjacks second leading scorer, Aidan Verbeke,who is headed to Brockport. Verbeke was second in team scoring this season.

REGULAR SEASON
YEAR	TEAM	Lge.	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	PP	PPA	SH	SHA	GWG
2013/2014	Granite City	NA3HL	47	34	35	69	+33	51	11	13	7	0	5
2012/2013	Granite City	NA3HL	46	24	32	56	+32	45	6	13	1	1	5
TOTALS			93	58	67	125	+65	96	17	26	8	1	10

Following the 2011-12 Minnesota Junior Hockey League season, Verbeke, playing with the Dells Ducks was chosen as the league's Most Valuable Player. The Elmwood Park, Ill. native burst onto the MnJHL scene with a breakthrough season for the expansion Ducks. Verbeke played in all 48 regular season games, finishing with 37 goals and 39 assists. In the process, he amassed four hat tricks that winter, and posted 22 multiple point games. Verbeke was held pointless in just 11 games. He also had points in each of the Ducks’ two playoff games, assisting on all three goals in a 6-3 loss to Hudson, then scoring the Ducks lone goal in a 2-1 season ending defeat to the Crusaders. In all, Verbeke had 80 points as an MnJHL rookie, leading the Ducks to a 20-24-4 inaugural season.

SAVORY COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

Trenton Golden Hawks forward Dylan Savory has confirmed his commitment to join The College at Brockport Golden Eagles, beginning with the 2014-15 SUNYAC season.

The 20-year old Oshawa, Ontario native made his OJHL debut as a member of the Stouffville Spirit in 2010-11.  Savory would spend three full seasons from 2010-13 with the club.  He helped lead the team to it's first-ever OJHL title in 2011-12, defeating the Whitby Fury in six games, and was the club's leading scorer in 2012-13 with 22 goals and 48 points in 52 regular season games played.

After a stint with the GOJHL's Niagara Falls Canucks to start this season, Savory was picked-up by the Golden Hawks, adding some depth to their forward corps.  He would record 18 points in 24 contests with Trenton and another four points in 12 post-season games to close out his junior career.

Regular Season Playoffs Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM 2010-11 Stouffville Spirit OJHL 42 4 11 15 37   7 0 0 0 2 2011-12 Stouffville Spirit OJHL 39 2 8 10 38   16 1 1 2 4 2012-13 Stouffville Spirit OJHL 52 22 26 48 94   -- -- -- -- -- 2013-14 Trenton Golden Hawks OJHL 24 5 13 18 43   2013-14 Trenton Golden Hawks OJHL -- -- -- -- -- -- 12 2 2 4 32

DeLUCA, ROTHFUSS RECEIVE ACADEMIC HONORS

The College at Brockport Athletic Department recognized 26 student-athletes as the 2014 Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athletic Honor Society honorees at the annual Senior Student-Athlete Recognition Luncheon last week.

The yearly event honors the seniors from each sport for their time, commitment and dedication to Brockport Athletics.

In order to receive the prestigious Chi Alpha Sigma honor, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade point average and earn a letter in his or her particular sport.

The 2014 honorees from the ice hockey team -- Matt DeLuca and Brendon Rothfuss.

Congrats on being excellent student-athletes!