Greg Gallagher

Ed Poirier

Colby McVey

Keith Longo

March 3, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—Four student-athletes on the Hobart College ice hockey team were selected to the 2005-06 ECAC Men’s West All-Conference Teams this morning in a vote of the league’s coaches. Senior defenseman Greg Gallagher (Framingham, Mass.) took home first-team honors, while senior forwards Colby McVey (Chicago, Ill.) and Ed Poirier (Methuen, Mass.) represented the Statesmen on the second-team. First-year goaltender Keith Longo (Hopedale, Mass.) earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.

Head Coach Mark Taylor and his assistant, Phil Roy, were named the ECAC West Coaching Staff of the Year, after leading sixth-ranked Hobart to a 19-6-0 overall record, marking the most successful season in the program’s 28 varsity campaigns. Making his third appearance as the Coach of the Year, Taylor guided the Statesmen to the Hobart single-season wins record, adding four victories to the previous mark. The Statesmen also set the program’s longest winning streak, an eight-game stretch between Nov. 12, 2005 and Jan. 7, 2006.

Making his second appearance on the All-ECAC West teams, Gallagher ranks third in the conference in scoring by a defenseman with 20 points on five goals and 15 assists. On Nov. 12, he registered a season-high four points (1-3) in the 7-5 victory over Elmira. A four-year mainstay on Hobart’s blue line, Gallagher has collected 62 career points, including dishing out 48 helpers, in 99 career games.

McVey, a proven goal scorer, is also making his second appearance on the All-Conference teams. In 23 games this season, he leads the team in short-handed tallies (2) and is tied for second in goals (10). During a 6-1 win vs. Cortland, McVey led the charge with his first career hat trick. In 98 career games, he has recorded 76 career points, on 33 goals and 43 assists.

Making his second consecutive appearance on the All-ECAC West second-team, Poirier has distributed a team-leading 17 assists, while ranking second in points (25). On Dec. 2, he tied the Statesmen’s single-game record for most assists with four as Hobart overpowered Neumann 7-1. A proven playmaker, Poirier has posted 84 career points (37-47) in 95 contests.

In his first season as the Statesmen’s backstop, Longo anchored a Hobart defense that has held the opposition to two goals or fewer in 14 contests. He ranks fifth in the nation in save percentage (.931) and ninth in goals against average (1.98). On Feb. 10, the three-time ECAC West Rookie of the Week recorded his third shutout to become the program’s season and career record holder.

Hobart returns to action at 3 p.m. on March 3, when the Statesmen square off against Elmira in the semifinal round on the ECAC West Tournament. WEOS-FM (89.7/90.3 in Geneva, 88.1 in Ithaca) will broadcast Hobart’s ECAC West Playoff run. Outside the listening area, fans can log onto the WEOS Web site to hear live streaming audio.