Ice Hockey

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY

Trinity’s men’s ice hockey team completed the greatest season in program history, capping a 25-3-1 campaign with a 5-2 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the NCAA Division III Championships Finals in Minneapolis. The Bantams used a 16-1-1 record in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play to finish at the top of the league standings for the second consecutive year. Recovering from a 2-1 loss to Tufts in the NESCAC Quarterfinals, the Bantams rattled off four wins in the NCAA Tournament to capture Trinity’s first NCAA title. Trinity defeated Nichols 4-2 in the opening round and Plattsburgh State 5-1 in the quarterfinals to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four and handed Adrian a 5-3 setback in the semifinals to reach the finals. Against Wisconsin-Stevens Point, sophomore Ethan Holdaway broke a 2-2 tie with the game-winning goal in the third period, while junior Nathaniel Heilbron made 35 saves and earned MVP honors for the weekend. Trinity Head Coach Matthew Greason ’03 was honored as the U.S. College Hockey Online.com (USCHO.com) Division II/III National Coach of the Year, while sophomore forward Ryan Cole was named to the American Hockey Coaches Association All-American East First Team, junior forward Michael Hawkrigg earned All-American Second Team honors, and senior captain defenseman Michael Flynn and Heilbron graced the All-American Third Team. Cole and Hawkrigg also made the New England Hockey Writers Division II/III New England All-Star Team, Cole was selected as the NESCAC Player of the Year, and Cole, Hawkrigg, Flynn, and Heilbron represented Trinity on the All-NESCAC First Team.

WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY

The Bantam women’s ice hockey team caught fire at the end of the season, finishing with an 18-7-2 overall record and winning the first NESCAC Championship title in the 16-year history of the program. The Bantams downed Williams 1-0 at home on a goal by junior forward Emma Tani in the NESCAC Quarterfinals before ousting Amherst 2-1 and Middlebury 3-2 in the final two rounds of the league tourney. Both NESCAC Final Four wins came in overtime with the clinching goals coming off the stick of junior forward Cheeky Herr. Trinity qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the second time and took Elmira to an extra period before falling 3-2 in the quarterfinals.