WESTFIELD – Plymouth State University has earned the top seed in the 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
Men’s Ice Hockey Championships, which begin on Saturday, February 23rd with quarterfinal round action and move to semi-final round play on Tuesday, February 26th before concluding with the league championship game on Saturday, March 2nd.
Plymouth State and second-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth earned byes into Tuesday’s semi-finals and will await the winners of Saturday’s quarterfinal round contests, which will feature third-seeded Salem State University hosting sixth-seeded Worcester State University in a 2:00 p.m. EST face-off and fourth-seeded Westfield State University hosting fifth-seeded Fitchburg State University in a contest that faces off at 5:35 p.m. EST.
The winner of the Westfield State-Fitchburg State quarterfinal advances to take on Plymouth State in semi-final round action on Tuesday evening in Plymouth, N.H. at 6:00 p.m. EST, while the Salem State-Worcester State winner will square off with UMass Dartmouth in Tuesday’s other semi-final match-up in New Bedford, Mass. at 7:30 p.m. EST.
The two semi-final winners will meet for the 2013 MASCAC Championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championships on Saturday, March 2nd at the site of the highest remaining seed beginning at a starting time that will be determined following Tuesday’s semi-final round contests.
Plymouth State captured its second straight MASCAC regular season crown under Head Coach Craig Russell this winter with an 18-6-1 overall mark and a 14-3-1 league slate that was good for 29 points, and the Panthers are led by senior forward Alex Cottle (West Chester, Pa.), who has notched seven goals and 23 assists for 30 points, as well as senior goalie Jack Astedt (Angelholm, Sweden), who has posted 14 victories and a conference-best 2.18 GAA.
UMass Dartmouth enters post-season play at 10-7-7 overall (9-3-6 in MASCAC action for 24 points) under Head Coach John Rolli, and the Corsairs are led in scoring by senior forward David McDonald (Wakefield, Mass.), who has registered 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points, and between the pipes by senior Ryan Williams (Milton, Ont.), who has a 2.59 GAA to go with eight triumphs.
Salem State posted a 13-11-1 regular season mark and a 10-7-1 MASCAC slate that was good for 21 points under Head Coach Bill O’Neill, and the Vikings are led in scoring by junior forward Kyle Phelan (Barnstable, Mass.), who has collected nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points, as well as junior netminder Ryan Sutliffe (Las Vegas, Nev.), who has nine victories and a 3.22 GAA.
Westfield State notched a 14-8-3 mark in regular season action, including a 9-6-3 slate in MASCAC play good for 21 points under Head Coach Bob Miele, and the Owls are paced in scoring by sophomore forward TJ Powers’ (East Greenwich, R.I.) 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points and between the pipes by sophomore Ian Perrier (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory), who has 11 wins and a 2.87 GAA.
Fitchburg State posted 10 victories overall and a 9-8-1 mark in conference action that was good for 19 points under Head Coach Dean Fuller, and the Falcons are led by senior forward Joseph Caveney’s (Fitchburg, Mass.) league-leading 16 goals and 29 assists for 45 points as well as junior goalie Randy Wolcott (East Haven, Conn.), who has 10 wins and a 2.79 GAA.
Worcester State rounds out this year’s championship field after collecting six wins overall and three in MASCAC action under Head Coach John Guiney, as sophomore forward Nathan Stanley (Meridian, Idaho) paces the Lancers in scoring with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points while freshman goalie Salvatore Tecci (Franklin, Mass.) has posted four triumphs to go with a 2.62 GAA this season.
Plymouth State captured the 2012 MASCAC tournament title and the conference’s first-ever NCAA automatic berth with a 5-4 double overtime victory over Salem State in last year’s championship game played at Hanaway Rink in Plymouth, N.H. 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Ice Hockey Championships.
VAZQUEZ SELECTED MASCAC PLAYER OF YEAR: Westfield State University senior guard Lee Vazquez (Attleboro, Mass.) has been named as the 2012-13 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and heads the league’s all-conference squad in a vote taken of the conference’s seven coaches.
The unanimous player of year selection, Vazquez led the league in both scoring at 21.4 ppg and in steals at 3.1 thefts per contest in regular season play, as the explosive 5-6 guard also topped the conference in free throw percentage (85.0) and three-point field goals made (69). Vazquez helped lead the Owls to their first outright MASCAC regular season title in school history and their third league title overall with a 21-4 overall mark that included a 10-2 conference slate.
Vazquez was joined on the 2012-13 MASCAC first-team all-conference squad for the seoond straight year by Westfield State senior teammate Matt Devine, The 6-7 center from Pembroke is averaging 11.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and ranks second nationally in blocked shots per game (3.4).
Other first-team honorees were MCLA’s John Jones, Worcester State’s Robert Hunter and Fitchburg State’s Zach Valliere. The 2012-13 MASCAC second-team all-conference squad consisted of Worcester State’s Dane Jobst, Bridgewater State’s Michael Lofton and Shawn Yard, Framingham State’s Tyrone Figueroa and Salem State’s Andrew White.
MCLA freshman guard Paul Maurice (Boston, Mass.) was tabbed as the 2012-13 MASCAC Rookie of the Year after averaging 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and two steals per game during his inaugural collegiate campaign for the Trailblazers, while MCLA’s Jamie Morrison was honored by his peers as the 2012-13 MASCAC Coach of the Year after leading the Trailblazers to 13 overall regular season victories and a second place finish in conference play at 9-3.
The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s oldest Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sports of football and men’s ice hockey, while Western Connecticut State University will join the conference as an affiliate member in the sport of football for the 2013-14 academic year.
DOLDOORIAN NAMED MASCAC ROOKIE OF YEAR: Westfield State University freshman Keri Doldoorian was named the 2012-2013 MASCAC women’s basketball Rookie of the Year and sophomore teammates Jen Ashton and Gabby Felix were selected second team all-conference.
Doldoorian (Whitinsville, Mass.) averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists per game during her inaugural
collegiate campaign, Ashton (Beverly, Mass.), who ranks nationally in steals and assists per game, was the MASCAC Rookie of the Year and second team all-conference during her freshman season. Felix, an imposing 6-0 center from Springfield (Commerce HS), leads the Owls in scoring (13.4) and rebounding (8.2).
Worcester State University senior center Meaghan O’Keefe wasd named as the 2012-13 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and heads the league’s all-conference squad in a vote taken of the conference’s seven coaches.
A native of Warren, Mass., O’Keefe led the league in rebounding at 12.6 caroms per contest while ranking third in scoring at 16 ppg during regular season play, as she also tied for the league lead in blocks per game (1.7) while tying for fourth in field goal percentage (48.6). O’Keefe led the Lancers to 13 overall regular season victories that included a second place 9-3 slate in MASCAC action.
O’Keefe was joined on the 2012-13 MASCAC first-team all-conference squad by Bridgewater State’s Michaela Cosby and Elisha Homich, Framingham State’s Kia Minor and Fitchburg State’s Amy Fahey. The 2012-13 MASCAC second-team all-conference squad consisted of MCLA’s Lucy Tremblay, Westfield State’s Jen Ashton and Gabby Felix, Worcester State’s Meaghan Burns and Bridgewater State’s Megan Boutilette.
Bridgewater State University’s Bridgett Casey and Worcester State’s Karen Tessmer were recognized by their peers as the 2012-13 MASCAC Co-Coaches of the Year, as Casey led the Bears to their third league regular season crown in four seasons with a 21-3 overall mark, including a 11-1 slate in conference play. Tessmer guided the Lancers to 13 overall triumphs and a runner-up regular season finish in MASCAC action with a 9-3 mark, including handing Bridgewater State its lone league setback.
The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s oldest Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University.
Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sports of football and men’s ice hockey, while Western Connecticut State University will join the conference as an affiliate member in the sport of football for the 2013-14 academic year.
