Men's Hockey announces annual team award winners

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Men's Hockey team recently announced its annual team award winners during its end-of-year banquet ceremony.
 
Tim Cordick Top Defenseman Award,
Dan & Laurie Barrows Hockey Fan's Choice Award - Gianfranco Cassaro
Cassaro wrapped up his RIT career with Second-Team All-America honors after leading all defensemen in the country with 18 goals while finishing with a career-high 38 points – tied for fourth among all defensemen. He also tied for ninth among all skaters with five game-winning goals and tied for 14th with eight power-play goals - the most among defensemen. The two-time Hobey Baker Award nominee was named an Atlantic Hockey First-Team all-star for the second straight season after winning a league-best five Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week citations this winter.
 
Greg Moss Hard Hat Award - Elijah Gonsalves
Gonsalves led the Tigers with a career-high 20 goals and tied for third with a career-high 38 points. He was named the Atlantic Hockey Tournament MVP after leading all players with 10 points (4G/6A), including two goals and an assist in the 5-2 championship victory over AIC, and went on to score a goal versus Boston University in the NCAA Tournament opener. Gonsalves also landed his first AHA All-Conference honor, landing third-team recognition, after finishing the regular season tied for sixth in the conference in goals and tied for 10th in scoring. He finished 11th on the Tigers' D1-era career scoring list with 108 points on 47 goals and 61 assists.
 
Green B. Williams Academic Award - Daniel Chenard
Chenard was recognized for the third-straight season, maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. He is scheduled to graduate with a civil engineering technology degree this weekend.
 
Craig Lauzon Newcomer of the Year Award - Matthew Wilde
Wilde finished second on the team with 19 goals, scoring five more goals than any D1-era Tiger first-year while tying for fifth nationally among first-year players. He also finished fifth on the squad with 35 points, which tied for 10th nationally among first-years. The Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Month for February finished the season with a point in a team-best 11-straight games, compiling 10 goals and five assists during the run.
 
Art Thomas Leadership Award - Caleb Moretz
Moretz was named captain for the 2023-24 season after serving as an alternate captain a season ago. Finishing his career with the fourth-most games every played in a Tiger uniform, he totaled 65 points on 22 goals and 43 assists over 159 contests the last five years. Moretz is a four-time AHCA All-American Scholar as well as a four-time Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team honoree.
 
Lou Spiotti Coaches Award – Gianfranco Cassaro, Elijah Gonsalves, Luke Lush, Caleb Moretz, Ryan Nicholson
Coach Wayne Wilson recognized the five members of the squad who used their fifth year of eligibility during the 2023-24 campaign. Gonsalves, Moretz and Nicholson were all members of the program for the last five seasons, while Cassaro and Lush chose RIT as transfers.
 
Dr. Albert J. Simone Distinguished Service Award - Mark Lessard
Lessard completed his final year as the team's video coordinator after working with the program for over 30 years. He is the first individual to be recognized with the award twice, also landing the honor following the 2007-08 season.