Freshman Kapcheck Named Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year

2018 Apr 3

Freshman defenseman Brennan Kapcheck of the American International College ice hockey team was named the 2017-18 Atlantic Hockey Conference Rookie of the Year. Kapcheck is the first AIC athlete to win an individual major conference award from Atlantic Hockey in the program's history.

During the 2017-18 regular season, Kapcheck led AIC in scoring with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) after appearing in all 34 conference contests. He ranked fifth in points among the conference's defensemen and third in points among conference rookies. He also ranked first among the conference's rookies in assists.

Kapcheck added a goal and three assists to his total during the Yellow Jackets' five-game postseason run to set the AIC Division I single-season record for scoring by a defenseman at 26 points. His efforts helped propel the team a two-game first-round sweep of Niagara, the program's first Division I best-of-three series win.

Kapcheck was the Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Month in October, a nominee Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is presented annually to the top player in Division I men's ice hockey, and a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, which is given annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. He was also previously named to the league's All-Rookie Team.