Vesey Named Semifinalist For Walter Brown Award
Jimmy Vesey is one of nine forwards to be named a
semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award (Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Freshman forward Jimmy Vesey of
the Harvard men’s hockey team has been named a semifinalist
for the 61st Walter Brown Award, the Gridiron Club of Greater
Boston announced Monday. The award is presented annually to the
best United States-born college hockey player in New England.
Vesey is one of 16 players to be named a semifinalist for the prestigious award and one of seven skaters from ECAC Hockey. The slate of candidates is comprised of nine forwards, four defensemen and three goaltenders with three conferences (ECAC Hockey, Hockey East and Atlantic Hockey) represented. Nine Crimson players have combined to win the award 10 times in its history.
The North Reading, Mass., native is having a strong rookie season for Harvard. He leads the team in goals (10) and points (14) and ranks among the best in the nation in terms of goals per game and points per game among rookies. He helped the U.S. Junior National Team capture a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship in January, and has been named ECAC Rookie of the Week three times this season. He also received league rookie of the month honors for November.
Dov Grumet-Morris ’05 was Harvard’s last Walter Brown Award winner in 2005. The Crimson's previous winners are Lane MacDonald ’88-89 (1989), Scott Fusco ’85-86 (1986), Mark Fusco ’83 (1983), Bob McManama ’73 (1972), Joe Cavanagh ’71 (1971), Dave Grannis ’62 (1962), Bob Cleary ’58 (1957 and 1958) and Bill Cleary ’56 (1955).
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 that year in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the 61st Walter Brown Award in March, following league playoffs and before the start of NCAA Tournament play. The award will be presented to the winner at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner in April.
Walter Brown Award Winners
1953 Ray Picard, Northeastern
1954 Bob Babine, Boston College
1955 Bill Cleary, Harvard
1956 R.J. Cavanaugh, Northeastern
1957 Bob Cleary, Harvard
1958 Bob Cleary, Harvard
1959 Mike Karin, Middlebury
1960 Art Chisholm, Northeastern
1961 Tom Martin, Boston College
1962 Dave Grannis, Harvard
1963 Bill Hogan, Boston College
1964 Richie Green, Boston University
1965 Bob Gaudreau, Brown
1966 John Cunniff, Boston College
1967 Jerry York, Boston College
1968 Tim Sheehy, Boston College
1969 Paul Hurley, Boston College
1970 Tim Sheehy , Boston College
1971 Joe Cavanagh, Harvard
1972 Bob McManama, Harvard
1973 Tom Mellor, Boston College
1974 Ed Walsh, Boston University
1975 Ron Wilson, Providence
1976 Richie Smith, Boston College
1977 Bob Miller, New Hampshire
1978 Joe Mullen, Boston College
1979 Ralph Cox, New Hampshire
1980 Bill Army, Boston College
1981 Mark Switaj, Boston College
1982 Chuck Marshall, Northeastern
1983 Mark Fusco, Harvard
1984 Cleon Daskalakis, Boston University
1985 Tim Army, Providence
1986 Scott Fusco, Harvard; Scott Harlow, Boston College
1987 Brian Leetch, Boston College
1988 Mike McHugh, Maine
1989 Lane MacDonald, Harvard
1990 Greg Brown, Boston College
1991 Dave Emma, Boston College
1992 Rob Gaudreau, Providence
1993 Dave Sacco, Boston University
1994 Jacques Joubert, Boston University
1995 Mike Grier, Boston University
1996 Jay Pandolfo, Boston University
1997 Chris Drury, Boston University
1998 Chris Drury, Boston University
1999 Mike Mottau, Boston College; Mike Omicioli, Providence
2000 Mike Mottau, Boston College
2001 Ty Conklin, New Hampshire; Brian Gionta, Boston College
2002 Jim Fahey, Northeastern
2003 Mike Ayers, New Hampshire
2004 Steve Saviano, New Hampshire
2005 Dov Grumet-Morris, Harvard
2006 Chris Collins, Boston College
2007 John Curry, Boston University
2008 Kevin Regan, New Hampshire
2009 Matt Gilroy, Boston University
2010 Bobby Butler , New Hampshire
2011 John Muse, Boston College
2012 Brett Gensler, Bentley University
