HAMILTON — Colgate men’s hockey recently held its year-end banquet, celebrating its championship season and recognizing the program’s seniors and award-winners.
All the awards except the Best Offensive Player and Coaches Award were voted on by members of the team.
Best Defensive Player: Carter Gylander
Best Offensive Player: Alex Young
Dan Coley “Barrell” Award (Best Defenseman): Reid Irwin
Rob Ries Memorial Award: Arnaud Vachon
Steve Riggs Memorial Award: Matt Verboon
Whit Williams Award: Daniel Panetta
Terry Slater Trophy: Arnaud Vachon and Matt Verboon
Coaches Award: 2022-23 Colgate men’s hockey team
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER – Carter Gylander
Gylander broke the program record for most saves in a season with 1,044, ranking fifth-most in the nation. He also posted a 2.46 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 2,385 minutes in net. The junior logged 13 games with 30-plus saves, four of which came during the ECAC Playoffs as he backstopped the Raiders to the Whitelaw Cup and earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award.
BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER – Alex Young
Young earned the Best Offensive Player Award after leading the team with 39 points this season, notching 21 goals and 18 assists. He was named ECAC Hockey First Team All-League after finishing tied for first in the conference and tied for fifth in the country in goals. Young also led the league in power-play goals with nine. The Calgary, Alberta native tallied a two-point performance in the ECAC championship game to earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
DAN COLEY “BARRELL” AWARD – Reid Irwin
Sophomore blueliner Irwin was honored with the “Dan Coley “Barrell” Award” given to the team’s best defenseman. Irwin made an immediate impact during his first season as a Raider finishing tied for third on the team and 11th in ECAC in blocked shots with 43. He also tallied 14 points with a goal and 13 assists, ranking second amongst the team’s defensemen and sixth overall in assists. The Victoria, British Columbia native was named ECAC Hockey Defender of the Week Dec. 5 after a five-assist weekend.
Dan Coley arrived at Colgate in the early 1940s from the Nichols School in Buffalo, New York. He was the captain of Colgate’s undefeated hockey team during the 1946-47 season. Following his graduation, he returned to Buffalo where he played semi-professional hockey and coached as well. He passed away in 1982 after a battle with cancer. The Silver Puck Award was given in Dan’s memory in 1983. Friends and family continue to remember him through the establishment of the Dan Coley Award.
ROB RIES MEMORIAL AWARD – Arnaud Vachon
The Rob Ries Memorial Award is given to the player who provided the most inspiration and leadership to the team. This year, the honor got presented to Vachon, who served as team captain. Despite missing some time due to injury, he recorded 23 blocked shots and five points, with two goals and three assists. Vachon also tallied two-multi point games and one power-play goal.
As a right wing, Rob “Rocket” Ries served the Red Raiders for three seasons from 1974-77. Just before his last final exam of his junior year, Ries was killed in a car accident just outside of Hamilton. He was known as a player that everyone counted on and one that gave 110% at all times. Many knew him as a loyal friend and a unique and spirited person. Aside from hockey, he was involved with his education courses and volunteered his time with needy and disabled children both in Hamilton and at home in Stillwater, Minnesota. His many friends and family continue to remember him and honor his time at Colgate with the Rob Ries Memorial Award.
STEVE RIGGS MEMORIAL AWARD – Matt Verboon
The Steve Riggs Memorial Award honors a player most known for gentlemanly play and a high standard of ability. Verboon succeeded on and off the ice during his final season as a Raider. The senior tallied 35 points with 16 goals and 19 assists, finishing second in all three categories on the team. Verboon also ranked fourth in ECACH in goals. He earned ECAC Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming the first player in program history to win the honor.
Steve Riggs came to Colgate from Potsdam, New York, and played for the Red Raiders from 1962 until his graduation in 1965. During most of his stay at Colgate, he led the team in points, goals, and assists, and is one of Colgate hockey’s all-time scoring leaders. He is known for his gentlemanly style of play which contributed a great deal to the success of his team. He was a leader in many ways: as a friend, a teammate, the 1964-65 team captain and later as a high school hockey coach. In 1968 he was killed in Vietnam while serving as a lieutenant in the Army. Since then, his friends and family have established the Steven Riggs Memorial Scholarship and have contributed funds for the men’s varsity locker room, which was dedicated in his name at the 25th reunion of the Class of 1965.
WHIT WILLIAMS AWARD – Daniel Panetta
The Whit Williams Award is presented annually to the player who, through his commitment, has improved the most over his career or season. Panetta made great strides during his first year in a Colgate sweater, finishing with 11 points by five goals and six assists. He ranked fourth on the team in shot percentage at .139. During the ECAC championship run, Panetta recorded two goals and two assists. He found the back of the net against St. Lawrence in Game 1 of the quarterfinals and against Quinnipiac in the semifinals.
Whit graduated from Colgate in 1943 and served for several years as an Army Air Force pilot. During his student years at Colgate, he played football, baseball, and hockey and remained active as an alumnus as a member of Colgate’s Alumni Corporation Board of Directors, Maroon Council Reunion Program Committee, and of course, served as a member of Colgate’s Silver Puck Organization for 25 years where he was president from 1977 until the time of his death. He was recognized for his service with a Maroon Citation in 1977, the Silver Puck Award in 1979, and in 1999 he was awarded the Gold Puck.
TERRY SLATER TROPHY – Arnaud Vachon and Matt Verboon
The Terry Slater Trophy is presented to the senior whose performance, leadership, and dedication on and off the ice during his career had the greatest impact on Colgate hockey. Seniors Vachon and Verboon provided excellent leadership while ending their careers strong. Vachon finished his Colgate tenure having played in 126 games, posting 17 goals and 19 assists. He recorded seven multi-point games during his four years. Verboon logged career-highs in goals, assists, and points during his final year. He completed his career with 79 points, registering 31 goals and 48 assists in 127 games.
Terry Slater served as head coach of the Raiders for 15 seasons from 1977 to 1992 and is known to be one of Colgate and college hockey’s coaching legends. He passed away during the 1991-92 season and is fondly remembered by many. Under his leadership, the team won 251 games and in 1989-90 made it to the NCAA Championships. Slater was named ECAC and NCAA Coach of the Year in 1990, was twice honored as a Howard Hartman Award winner, and was the winner of the Silver Puck Award in 1987. To honor his time at Colgate, the Terry Slater Memorial Scholarship was established in 1992 to provide financial assistance for hockey players.
COACHES AWARD — 2022-23 Colgate men’s hockey team
The Coaches Award is usually given to a player seen as an unsung hero who goes above and beyond for the program and his teammates. This year the honor went to the 2022-23 Colgate men’s hockey team. The squad won the program’s first ECAC Hockey championship since 1990 and helped the Raiders reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. Colgate defeated four nationally-ranked teams this season, including a victory over No. 1 Quinnipiac. The Raiders ended the year ranked No. 18 in the USCHO poll.
#37 Carter Gylander G 6′ 5″ Junior
#10 Arnaud Vachon F 6′ 2″ Senior
#13 Matt Verboon F 6′ 1″ Senior
#21 Alex Young F 5′ 11″ Junior
#4 Reid Irwin D 6′ 1″ Sophomore
#11 Daniel Panetta F 5′ 10″ Freshman Players Mentioned
#37 Carter Gylander 6′ 5″ Junior G
#10 Arnaud Vachon 6′ 2″ Senior F
#13 Matt Verboon 6′ 1″ Senior F
#21 Alex Young 5′ 11″ Junior F
#4 Reid Irwin 6′ 1″ Sophomore D
#11 Daniel Panetta 5′ 10″ Freshman F
Visit Source
