Walinski named semifinalist for Joe Concannon award

BOSTON, Mass. – After a year's absence of D-II/III hockey due to COVID, Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy-Schoenfeld announced today the semifinalists for the 21st Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born NCAA Division II/III hockey player in New England. Salve Regina Univerity men's ice hockey forward Mitch Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) was among the 30 players nominated for the award.

Walinski currently leads the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) in goals (16) and is ranked second in points (29) with a +20 rating on the season, also second best in the conference.

The Joe Concannon Award was established in 2001 shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for The Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.

Nineteen teams are represented in the slate of candidates that includes ten players from the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC), six from the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10), five from the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), five from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and four from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The list of nominees includes 19 forwards, six defensemen and five goalies.  Babson and the University of Massachusetts-Boston lead the nominee list with three each while Southern New Hampshire, New England College, Fitchburg State, Plymouth State, Norwich and Colby have two each.

CLICK HERE for the full release from the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.