ORONO, Maine – University of Maine men's ice hockey defenseman Brandon Holt is one of 25 semifinalists for the 74th Walter Brown Award, as announced on Monday by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.

The nominees for the 2026 award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England, includes 19 forwards, four defensemen and two goaltenders.
 
Holt, a senior, leads Maine in assists with 17 while sitting second on the team in points with a career-high 22. The captain's 22-point total is tied for seventh in the nation among all blue liners while his 17 helpers rank fifth. Holt has recorded a career-high five goals on the year, including a game-winning goal and a power-play goal, while also recording single-season bests in points (22) and assists (17). He also leads the Black Bears in time on ice at 22:48 per game. The Grand Forks, N.D. native was a Hockey East Third Team All-Star and runner-up for Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman in 2024-25. Holt is currently one of only two Hockey East defenders over the last 20 seasons to record 60+ career points while also recording less than 40 career penalty minutes. He is currently third in active career scoring by a Hockey East defender, totaling 68 points on 17 goals and 51 assists.

In 1988, Mike McHugh became Maine's first-ever Walter Brown award winner and then Jeremy Swayman earned the honor in 2020. 
 
-UMaine-