HANOVER, N.H. - ECAC Hockey announced the league's annual awards, marking the start of the 2009 ECAC Hockey Championship week. The awards continue for rookie Jody O'Neill (Nepean, Ont.) as the freshman goaltender was named the ECAC's Rookie of the Year. O'Neill, along with classmate Doug Jones, (Marietta, Ga.) were both placed on the All-Rookie team.

O'Neill took home the League's top rookie honor after becoming the Big Green's starter in net early in the season. The freshman posted a goals-against average of 2.50 in logging the third-most minutes in League play among ECAC Hockey goaltenders. O'Neill recorded three shutouts in league play earning a record of 11-9-2. He is also just the second player in Dartmouth history to earn both Ivy League and ECAC Rookie of the Year awards. Hugh Jessiman '06 was the first recipient to be named both in 2003. O'Neill also landed a spot on the league's All-Rookie team.

Joining O'Neill on the All-Rookie team is Jones, one of Dartmouth's top scorers in 2008-09. He finished the season with 28 points, playing in all 31 games. Jones had the team's longest scoring streak twice with two 11-game streaks. He racked up 19 points in league games and finished as the ECAC's top scoring freshman as well as being sixth nationally.

Jones and O'Neill were just two of nine Big Green freshmen that played for the Dartmouth men's hockey team this season. Seven of the nine rookies notched at least one point while two made appearances between the pipes.

Doug Jones