Freshman defenseman Brennan Kapcheck of the American International College ice hockey team is one of 16 semifinalists for the 66th Walter Brown Award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced in a release on Monday, February 5.

Kapcheck is the first player to be nominated for the award since Austin Orszulakwas a semifinalist in 2015.

The freshman out of Mount Prospect, Illinois, leads AIC in scoring this year with six goals and 15 assists for 21 points. He ranks second among the league's rookies in scoring and is first in plus-minus among the league's freshmen at a plus-8. Kapcheck also sits fifth nationally for points by a rookie defenseman.

He was additionally announced as a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award on January 16.

Kapcheck is one of three selections in the Atlantic Hockey Conference, along with Scott Pooley and Paul Berrafato from Holy Cross.

"This number of semifinalists is not quite as large as last year's when there were 23 candidates in the running for the Walter Brown Award," said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Chairman Tim Costello in therelease. "This year we have a superb field that's very selective and closely matched top-to-bottom."

ABOUT THE AWARD:

The nation's oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award was established in 1953 by the members of the 1933 Massachusetts Rangers, the first American team ever to win the World Championship Tournament. Brown coached the Rangers to the title in Prague, Czechoslovakia, that year; the team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the championship game.

SEMIFINALISTS:

Northeastern: Junior forward Adam Gaudette, Braintree, MA (19-20-39); senior forward Nolan Stevens, Sea Isle City, NJ, (17-10-27); and freshman goalie Cayden Primeau, Voorhees, NJ, (2.01 GAA, 9.21 save pct.).
Boston University: Junior forward Bobo Carpenter, North Reading, MA (16-22-27); junior forward Jordan Greenway, Canton, NY, (9-15-24).?
Harvard: Junior forward Ryan Donato, Scituate, MA, (21-9-30); sophomore defenseman Adam Fox, Jericho, NY (0-12-12).
Holy Cross: Senior forward Scott Pooley, Grainger, IN, (18-15-33); senior goalie Paul Berrafato, Williamsville, NY, (2.47 GAA, .922 save pct.)
Providence: Junior forward Erik Foley, Mansfield, MA, (13-18-31); senior forward Brian Pinho, North Andover, MA (11-15-26).
American International College: Freshman defenseman Brennan Kapcheck, Mount Prospect, IL, (6-15-21).
Maine: Freshman Goalie Jeremy Swayman, Anchorage, AK, (2.52. GAA,.926 save pct.)?
New Hampshire: Freshman defenseman Max Gildon, Plano, TX, (8-14-22).?
Quinnipiac: Freshman forward Odeen Tufto, Chaska, MN (7-24-31).
Yale: Junior forward Joe Snively, Herndon, VA (12-10-22).

STAY CONNECTED:
For more updates about the AIC ice hockey team, follow @AIC_Hockey on Twitter and Instagram, and like American International College Ice Hockey on Facebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow @AICAthletics on Twitter and Instagram, and like AIC Yellow Jackets on Facebook.