BOSTON – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Chery Duddy Schoenfeld announced Monday that 23 NCAA Division One players are semifinalists for the 68th Walter Brown Award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. 

The nation's oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award was established in 1953 by the members of the 1933 Massachusetts Rangers, the first American team ever to win the World Championship Tournament. Brown coached the Rangers to the title in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where the team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the championship game.

Mitchell Fossier (Alpharetta, Georgia), Tim Doherty (Portsmouth, Rhode Island), and Jeremy Swayman (Anchorage, Alaska) have been named semifinalists for the Walter Brown Award. Fossier (7-27-34), Doherty (13-18-31), and Swayman (2.28 GAA, .934 save %, and 874 saves) have guided the Black Bears to a 14-9-4 record including four straight Hockey East victories. The last University of Maine hockey player to win the Walter Brown was Mike McHugh in 1988.

The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the 68th Walter Brown Award in March, following league playoffs and before the start of NCAA Tournament play.

-UMaine-