Finalists Announced for 2021-22 Sid Watson Award

Given to AHCA Division II-III Men’s Player of the Year

Twelve players who have distinguished themselves on the ice in 2021-22 have been named finalists for the 2022 Sid Watson Award, given annually to the best NCAA Division II-III men’s ice hockey player in the country. Only one of the finalists is a repeat honoree from the time the award was presented in 2020: St. Norbert College senior forward Peter Bates. Ten of the finalists are from the United States and two are from Canada. Six are seniors, five are juniors and one is a graduate student. Nine are forwards, two are goaltenders and one is a defenseman.

Sponsored by the American Hockey Coaches Association, the Sid Watson Award honors the memory of former Bowdoin College head coach and athletic director Sid Watson. A three-time AHCA Coach of the Year, Watson served Bowdoin for more than 30 years, winning 326 games in 24 seasons as head coach.

The recipient of this year's Sid Watson Award will be announced on Thursday, March 24.

2021-22 Finalists for the Sid Watson Award

Myles Abbate, Junior Forward, Plymouth State University
(Norwell, MA) MASCAC Player of the Year

Andrew Andary, Junior Forward, Saint Anselm College
(Macomb, MI) Northeast-10 Player of the Year

Peter Bates, Senior Forward, St. Norbert College*
(Evanston, IL) NCHA Player of the Year

Ryan Black, Senior Forward, Babson College
(Pomfret, CT) NEHC Player of the Year

Luca Durante, Junior Goaltender, SUNY-Cortland
(Brampton, ON) SUNYAC Co-Player of the Year

Jordan Fader, Senior Forward, UW-Stevens Point
(Rice Lake, WI) WIAC Player of the Year

Alessio Luciani, Junior Forward, Adrian College
(Toronto, ON)

Austin Martinsen, Senior Forward, Augsburg University
(Farmington, MN) MIAC Player of the Year

Lucas Michaud, Senior Forward, Trinity College
(South Portland, ME) NESCAC Player of the Year

Conor O’Brien, Senior Goaltender, Endicott College
(Pinellas Park, FL) CCC Player of the Year

Ryan Romeo, Graduate Defenseman, SUNY-Brockport
(Fairport, NY) SUNYAC Co-Player of the Year

Dante Zapata, Junior Forward, Utica University
(Huntington Beach, CA) UCHC Player of the Year

* Was also a finalist in 2020

Past Winners of the Sid Watson Award
1993 Frank Cirone Wisconsin-Stevens Point Forward
1994 Ray Alcindor Middlebury Forward
1995 Charlie Gaffney Bowdoin Forward
1996 Ian Smith Middlebury Defense
1997 Steve Toll RIT Forward
1998 Mark Spence Middlebury Forward
1999 Rob Smillie St. Norbert Forward
2000 Steve Aronson St. Thomas Forward
2001 Keith Aucoin Norwich Forward
2002 Jerry Galway RIT Defense
2003 Maris Ziedins St. Norbert Forward
2004 Kevin Cooper Middlebury Forward
2005 Kurtis McLean Norwich Forward
2006 Adam Hanna St. John's Goalie
2007 Andrew Gallant Manhattanville Goalie
2008 Kyle Jones St. Norbert Goalie
2009 Jeff Landers Amherst Defense
2010 David Martinson Gustavus Adolphus Forward
2011 Chris Berenguer Hamline Defense
2012 Jonathan LaRose Amherst Goalie
2013 Paul Rodrigues SUNY Oswego Forward
2014 David Jacobson St. Norbert Goalie
2015 Drew Fielding St. Thomas Goalie
2016 Jamie Murray Babson Goalie
2017 Evan Buitenhuis Hamilton Goalie
2018 Colin Larkin UMass Boston Forward
2019 Devin McDonald Geneseo Goalie
2020 Tom Aubrun Norwich Goalie
2021 Not Awarded