ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT men's hockey head coach Wayne Wilson announced six captains for the 2023-24 season. Fifth-year Caleb Moretz was voted captain, while fifth-year Elijah Gonsalves, seniors Gianfranco Cassaro, Aiden Hansen-Bukata and Cody Laskosky and junior Carter Wilkie were tabbed alternate captains.
 
"We have a great group leading the way for the 2023-24 season," said Wilson. "They all embody how we want our program represented on the ice, as well as the classroom and in the community, and are big pieces of what shapes our team culture. Their leadership will be a driving force as we look to win another championship."
 
Moretz trades in the "A" from his sweater for a "C" this season, having appeared in 120 games over the last four years. Totaling 59 career points on 21 goals and 38 assists, he finished seventh on the team last season with 19 points on five goals and 14 assists and was also second with 246 faceoff wins as well as a .532 winning percentage. Moretz is a four-time AHCA All-American Scholar as well as a four-time Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team honoree.
 
Gonsalves returns for a second-straight season as an alternate captain along with 109 appearances the last four years. He bounced back from an injury-shortened junior campaign to play in all 39 games a season ago, tying for eighth on the squad with 18 points on seven goals and 11 assists. Gonsalves enters the season tied for 27th in Division I-era program history with 70 career points on 27 goals and 43 assists in 109 appearances. He is also a two-time Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team honoree as well as an AHCA All-American Scholar.
 
Cassaro returns after garnering Atlantic Hockey First-Team All-Conference recognition a season ago. He finished the campaign first nationally among defensemen and set a single-season Division I-era program record for defensemen with 14 goals while also tying for sixth among the nation's blueliners with 32 points. Cassaro landed a league-high four Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week citations and was also nominated for the Hobe Baker Award during the year. In two seasons at RIT, he has totaled 40 points on 17 goals and 23 assists during 77 games played, including all 39 contests last year.
 
Hansen-Bukata was named the 2022-23 Atlantic Hockey Best Defenseman as well as First-Team All-Conference. He finished the season ranked 10th nationally with 30 assists and tied for sixth among defensemen with 32 points. The first RIT player to eclipse the 30-assist mark in a season since 2015-16, Hansen-Bukata also led Atlantic Hockey with 23 assists in conference play during the regular season while leading all defensemen with 25 points. He also ended the campaign 12 nationally with 69 blocked shots. In 95 career games, Hansen-Bukata has totaled 47 points on four goals and 43 assists.
 
Laskosky was voted the 2022-23 Atlantic Hockey Best Defensive Forward. He finished fourth for the Tigers with 28 points and third with 13 goals while registering 66 defensive zone takeaways. Laskosky put together the team's longest scoring streak last season, notching at least one point in nine-straight games to start the season. He has made 87 appearances the last three seasons, and returns with 43 points on 18 goals and 25 assists.
 
Wilkie was tabbed the 2022-23 Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Conference selection. He tied for 17th nationally with 40 points on 14 goals and 26 assists after finishing the regular season leading Atlantic Hockey in points and points per game. A four-time Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week and two-time Player of the Month as well as a Hobey Baker Award nominee last year, he enters the season tied for 27th in Division I-era program history with 70 career points on 27 goals and 43 assists in 77 games played.
 
RIT finished the 2022-23 season with a 25-13-1 record, including an 18-7-1 Atlantic Hockey mark to win the inaugural Robert DeGregorio Trophy, along with its first regular-season championship since 2011. Seeded first for the Atlantic Hockey Tournament, the Tigers swept Mercyhurst in the best-of-three quarterfinal series, before falling to Holy Cross in three games in the semifinals to wrap up the second-winningest Division I-era campaign in program history.
 
RIT is scheduled to kick off the 2023-24 campaign at St. Lawrence on Saturday, Oct. 7th.