Dartmouth Men's Hockey Hands Out 2014-15 Team Awards

HANOVER, N.H. – The latest incarnation of the Dartmouth men's hockey team met for the final time Wednesday evening in a small ceremony to hand out team awards for the 2014-15 season.

Once again it was Eric Neiley who came away from the gathering as the big winner, taking home the Phelan Award as the team MVP as well as the Friends of Dartmouth Men's Hockey Leading Scorer Award for finishing the season with the most points amongst all Big Green players.

Neiley became the first player since Lee Stempniak '05 to be named the solo recipient of the Phelan Award in consecutive seasons after taking the award last season. Stempniak claimed the honor in both 2002-03 and 2003-04 before sharing with Mike Ouellette '06 as a senior in 2004-05.

The Warminster, Pennsylvania, native was an offensive force all season and was the lone player in Division I to lead his team in goals (14), assists (16), points (30), game-winning goals (6) and penalties (18). The 30 points in 33 games led the team and helped him earn Second-Team All-ECAC Hockey honors and unanimous First-Team All-Ivy recognition. His play down the stretch also earned the elder Neiley brother the ECAC Hockey Player of the Month honor for February.

The Phelan Award is annually chosen by teammates and presented to the player who, by demonstrating outstanding skill at his position, continued aggressiveness and team spirit, deserves to be named the 'Most Valuable Player of The Year'. This award is in honor of ardent Dartmouth hockey enthusiast, Martha M. Phelan, wife of John Phelan '28 and mother of John Phelan, Jr. '63, captain of the 1963 Dartmouth men's hockey team.

Freshman Carl Hesler was tabbed as the recipient of the Booma Award as the team's top rookie. Hesler — a Boxborough, Massachusetts, native — was the lone first-year player to appear in all 33 games in 2014-15, finishing second in rookie scoring with six points on three goals and three assists. His first goal couldn't have come at a better time as he netted the game-winner at home against Union in the final two minutes of play on Jan. 31.

The Booma Award is presented to the player who through determination, desire, dedication, and ability earns the 'Rookie of The Year' award. This award is given in honor of Roland C. Booma '30, an all-around Dartmouth athlete, including football and baseball in addition to his role with the hockey program.

You can make a case that the student-athlete who was named the winner of the John Manser Award as the team's most improved player could have also been voted the team's MVP. In his first season as Dartmouth's No. 1 netminder, James Kruger put together one of the best individual seasons by a Big Green goalie in 109 seasons of play. His 1.98 goals against average and .926 save percentage were both single-season program records and helped the Minnetonka, Minnesota, native earn two ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week honors.

The Manser Award is named for and given in honor of George 'Johnny' Manser '26, captain of the 1926 varsity team and the first president of the Friends of Dartmouth Men's Hockey.

Senior Andy Simpson was presented with the Smoyer Award, given to the player who has made the most unusual contribution to Dartmouth men's hockey each year. These contributions are measured more by intangible factors than statistical results and is commonly referred to as the team's “Unsung Hero”. The award is in honor of Bill Smoyer '67, captain of the 1967 team and an outstanding soccer player who was sadly killed in Vietnam.

Simpson's play is often overlooked due to his lack of flash. However, few players made the type of contributions to his team in 2014-15 that the Chesterfield, Missouri, native made for the Big Green. A Second-Team All-Ivy League player in his final season, Simpson led all of ECAC Hockey in blocked shots (83) and blocks per game (2.52). The former figure ranked 10th nationally, while the latter was the third-best mark in all of Division I.

Eric Robinson — another senior — was tabbed as this year's honoree of the McInnis Award as the Sportsman of the Year. The award is chosen by the players to honor the individual who has best reflected spirit, camaraderie, loyalty and dedication to Dartmouth men's hockey and to Dartmouth College. Those same characteristics were demonstrated throughout his lifetime by Philip McInnis '36, president of the Friends of Men's Hockey from 1979 through 1984 and in whose honor this award is given each year.

Robinson overcame a devastating shoulder injury in 2013-14 that cost the Foxborough, Massachusetts, native all but two games of his true senior year. He returned following surgery to finish third on the team in scoring with 23 points on nine goals and 14 assists. His plus-13 rating led all players in Hanover, while he tied for second on the team in helpers.

In recognition of his dedication to returning to play for Dartmouth this past winter, Robinson was named the 2015 recipient of the Joe Tomasello Award, which is presented annually by the New England Hockey Writers Association to one individual playing college hockey in New England judged to be the region's 'Unsung Hero.'


Eric Neiley '15 Phelan Award (MVP) Leading Scorer	Andy Simpson '15 Smoyer Award (Unsung Hero)	Eric Robinson '14 McInnis Award (Sportsman of the Year)	Carl Hesler '18 Booma Award (Rookie of the Year)	James Kruger '16 John Manser Award (Most Improved)