Longlac’s Ben Gamache Voted to CoSIDA Academic All-District Team
Gamanche plays hard at a game in 2013. Photo Kevin Colton/Hobart and William Smith
Gamache and Belizario 1st Hockey Statesmen in 7yrs to Achieve Honour of Academic All District Team
Hobart College hockey senior Ben Gamache (Longlac, Ontario) and junior Carl Belizario (Dorval, Quebec) were named to the 2016 Academic All-District 3 Men’s At-Large first team. Gamache and Belizario are the first hockey Statesmen to achieve this honor since Ryan Adler ’09 was named to the academic all-district second team in 2009.
An environmental studies major, Gamache earned a spot on the ECAC West All-Academic team three years in a row. Gamache was named the ECAC West Defensive Player of the Year and garnered all-league honorable mention. The captain played in 23 games in his senior season and led Hobart with a career-high 19 assists. Gamache finished the season 16th in Division III in assists per game (0.83). His career-high 26 points ranked third on the team. In a 9-2 win over Brockport, Gamache matched a Hobart game record notching four assists. He scored a goal and added an assist in Hobart’s 5-0 win over Utica in the ECAC West championship game, helping the Statesmen secure their fourth tournament title.
Gamache played in 101 career games. He produced 32 goals and 51 assists for 83 points. He served as an alternate captain as a junior and earned All-ECAC West honorable mention honors in 2013-14. Gamache was also presented with the Hanna Award at this year’s Block H Dinner. The award is for excellence in citizenship, scholarship, leadership and teamwork.
An economics major, Belizario has earned a spot on the ECAC West’s All-Academic squad for the last two years in a row. The defenseman garnered AHCA East second team All-America honors, D3hockey.com all-region accolades and All-ECAC West first team recognition this year. Belizario played an integral role in the Hobart defense that finished the year ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of 1.86 goals per game. The Statesmen notched three shutouts this winter, with two coming in their ECAC West tournament title run. He contributed offensively, posting 14 points on four goals and 10 assists in all 28 games. Belizario registered a team-high four power-play goals.
In 81 career games, Belizario has recorded 10 goals and 31 assists for 41 points. He earned ECAC West All-Rookie honors in 2013-14.
The Statesmen finished the 2015-16 season with a 21-5-2 overall record, matching the program record for wins in a season. Hobart made its sixth NCAA tournament appearance, falling in the quarterfinals. It was the Statesmen’s 14th consecutive winning season.
To earn a spot on the Academic All-District team, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or significant reserve, and be at least a sophomore academically. CoSIDA selects All-District teams from eight geographic regions across the United States and Canada. All-District honorees advance to the Academic All-America ballot, where first and second team Academic All-American honorees will be selected.
