UMass Dartmouth will again challenge for
top spot in the ECAC Northeast ice hockey

(Dartmouth, MA) -- With three of UMass Dartmouth's four top scorers returning and several experienced veterans back on defense, the Corsairs should once again be among the top contenders in the ECAC Northeast this season.

The return of last year's ECAC Northeast leading scorer, junior forward Tom Brown (Framingham, MA), along with sophomore Jared Spencer (Arlington, MA), an ECAC Northeast All-Rookie Team selection, plus junior Sean Young (Waltham, MA) (17-11-28), should give the Corsairs plenty of scoring punch for the 2000-2001 season.

The Corsairs will also have plenty of veteran experience on defense with the return of junior captain Jamie Carroll (Bridgewater, MA) (1-8-9), senior Nick Siciliano (W. Springfield, MA) (1-8-9), junior Bruce Warren (Framingham, MA) (5-10-15), junior Mike Knezacek (Creston, B.C.) (1-5-6) and sophomore Michael Bill (Mound, MN) (0-3-3).

But there are still some major question marks for UMass Dartmouth head coach John Rolli (328-76-12) as he begins his 17th season with the Corsairs. UMass Dartmouth will have to come up with a replacement for the goaltending tandem of Louis Weimann and Ryan Sloper who both graduated last season after four years with the Corsairs.

"We've gone through this cycle before where we've had previous situations with freshmen goalies, who have come in and played for four years," said Rolli, who will be joined again this season by assistant coaches Ken Whitten and Shaun Tavares. "The Weimann/Sloper tandem was the exception to the rule because they both came in the same season."

Rolli hopes that one of the major question marks heading into the 2000-2001 season will be answered by the play of red-shirt freshman goalie Ryan Grant (Burlington, MA). While this is his first season of varsity experience after practicing with the Corsairs last year, a recurring knee injury has clouded Grant's preparation for the upcoming season. Grant had knee surgery for a second time last April and is just starting to return to full-time competition as the Corsairs open the season.

Grant's knee injury is one of two injury situations Rolli must deal with as the new season opens. Defenseman Mike Knezacek re-injured a knee about three weeks ago in practice. Team doctors have determined Knezacek will need surgery at some time, but are hoping he can play this season and postpone the surgery until after the season.

Regardless of these questions facing UMass Dartmouth, the coaches of the ECAC Northeast still think highly of the Corsairs' chances this season. The ECAC Northeast coaches ranked UMass Dartmouth fourth in the pre-season poll. UMass Dartmouth finished last season with 15-9-2 overall record. The Corsairs finished fourth in the ECAC Northeast with an 8-3-2 record, advancing to the semi-final round game.

"I think we have some skilled forwards who move the puck very well and hopefully some scorers will emerge from our forward lines," said Rolli. "The real question marks on defense are the key players coming off injuries."

The return of last year's ECAC Northeast leading scorer should give Rolli and the Corsairs something to build their hopes on this season. As a sophomore last year, Brown led the ECAC Northeast in scoring with 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points. Brown was a Second Team All-ECAC Northeast selection and a New England Hockey Writer's First Team All-Star.
UMass Dartmouth will be looking for another big season from Spencer, a member of the ECAC Northeast All-Rookie Team after scoring 15 goals with 21 assists for 36 points, third best on the team. Spencer had 3 power-play goals and a pair of game-winning goals to his credit last year. Rolli is also looking forward to the return of junior forward Shawn Alles (Brockton, MA), a pesky 5-7, 170-pound forward who did not play for UMass Dartmouth last year. If Alles can return to his form of two years ago when he scored 17 goals with 22 assists for 39 points, he will be a welcome addition to the Corsairs' offensive attack.

In addition to Brown and Alles, the Corsairs top returning forwards include junior Chris Carboneau (Falmouth, MA) (11-14-25), sophomore Matt Cruikshank (York, ME) (7-10-17), and junior Chris Anderton (Weymouth, MA) (3-4-7). For a third year in a row, Rolli was able to recruit a top high school ice hockey player when freshman forward Chris Dussault (Billerica, MA), a Boston Globe All-Scholastic selection last season, joined the Corsairs.

"Hopefully some of the injury situation will become clearer in the first half of the season when we play 11 games but only three of them are in the league," said Rolli. "I'd like to solidify the lineup by the time we come back in January when we begin playing 14 games with 13 in the league."

According to Rolli, defending champion Wentworth Institute of Technology will be back again with another strong team along with Fitchburg State College and Lebanon Valley College. Johnson and Wales University is another young team with plenty of experience back this season said Rolli.

"The league is shaping up to be pretty much the same teams as last year," Rolli said. "And it�s going to be the same next year because all of the top teams have very few seniors."

What will be on everyone's mind throughout the ECAC Northeast season will be one of the eight playoff spots at the end of the year. The league champion earns not only the ECAC Northeast crown, but also an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

UMass Dartmouth opens the 2000-2001 season at Hetland Arena in New Bedford on Wednesday night, November 8 at 7:30 p.m. with a non-conference game against Salve Regina University. The Corsairs open ECAC Northeast action three nights later when they host Lebanon Valley College at Hetland Arena on Nov. 11 at 4:30 p.m.