Gridiron Club News
Matt Gilroy of Boston University Wins 57th Annual Walter Brown Award
Terrier co-captain and two-time All-America voted best American-born hockey player in New England by Gridiron Club of Greater Boston
BOSTON – March 25, 2009 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Steve Grogan announced today that Boston University senior defenseman Matt Gilroy of North Bellmore, New York has been named winner of the fifty-seventh annual Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born Division One college hockey player in New England.
Gilroy is team co-captain and one of a talented group of seniors who powered the Terriers to a superb 31-6-4 campaign that included championships of the Beanpot Tournament, the Hockey East regular season, and the Hockey East playoffs. The Terriers are ranked first in the nation and will face Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Manchester, NH.
A graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset, New York, Gilroy is sixth overall in BU team scoring with eight goals and 24 assists for 32 points to date while serving just 12 minutes in penalties. He was recently named to the Hockey East first-team all-star squad for the third consecutive year and has been an All-America selection for the past two seasons. He is also one of ten finalists for the 2009 Hobey Baker Award.
“I simply can’t say enough about what Matt has meant to this team in his role as captain this year,” remarked coach Jack Parker, who also pointed out that Gilroy, a walk-on forward when he enrolled at BU, turned down an opportunity to turn professional after last season.
Matt elected to stay in school and play on the team that included his younger brother Kevin. He was also determined to join forces with classmate and co-captain John McCarthy to bring BU back to prominence. Last year’s disappointing 19-17-4 finish kept the team out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. This season the Terriers started fast, lost two consecutive games only once during the season, and have compiled a 20-2-3 record since December.
Three forwards also emerged from the field of 16 semifinalists to receive strong support in the final voting for this year’s Walter Brown Award.
University of Massachusetts sophomore James Marcou of Kings Park, NY was the leading scorer in Hockey East games this past season with 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points.
Yale junior Sean Backman of Cos Cob, Connecticut scored 20 goals and added 13 assists for the Bulldogs, who captured their first ECAC championship in 48 years. Backman had a three-goal hat trick in Yale’s 5-0 shutout of Cornell in the league playoff final. The Bulldogs face Vermont in the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Northeastern senior Ryan Ginand of Milford, Massachusetts was a prominent contributor to the resurgent Huskies, scoring 20 goals and adding 12 assists. The Huskies vaulted from sixth place to second and finished a half game behind Boston University in the regular season standings. The Huskies play Cornell in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“In such a competitive league as Hockey East, talent alone is never enough. Nor is good coaching. You also need on-ice leadership and those other intangibles that only experienced, mature players can bring to the game night after night. Matt Gilroy is one of the best examples of senior leadership that we’ve ever seen,” commented Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee Chairman Tim Costello.
The Gridiron Club will present the 57th Walter Brown Award to Gilroy at the New England Hockey Writers’ annual dinner on April 13.