Congratulations to Boston College senior forward Steven Whitney, named the 61st recipient of the Walter Brown Award. The award is presented annually by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.
"Steven Whitney's leadership of this year's BC team has been truly exceptional," remarked Tim Costello, chairman of the Gridiron Club's Hockey Awards Committee. "Not only has he habitually come up with critical goals or assists when the game is on the line. He has also been a fixture on both the power play and the penalty kill, and he has dropped back to play defense a number of times when Coach York needed experienced help back there."
Quinnipiac goaltender Eric Hartzell was the runner-up and Johnny Gaudreau finished third in voting.
Whitney has 25 goals and 18 assists on the season for 43 points. For his career, the former Lawrence Academy star has 54 goals and 72 assists for 126 points in 158 game played. He has been apart of two NCAA Championship teams, winning the ultimate trophy as a freshman and junior.
With requirements like "American-born" and "plays in New England" attached to this award, you may think that the scope is sufficiently small enough that this isn't a big deal. Quite the opposite. Established in 1953, the Walter Brown Award is the oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor. In the 19 seasons that Jerry York has roamed the bench for the Eagles, and of all the greats that have passed through the Heights, just four other Boston College players have won the award under York -- Mike Mottau (1999, 2000), Brian Gionta (2001), Chris Collins (2006) and John Muse (2011). Whitney joins some exclusive company.
And yet, not too exclusive. Whitney becomes the 23rd winner of the award from Boston College, which is tops in New England. The program down the Green Line is in second, claiming 11 Walter Brown Award winners. Harvard is third with 10 and New Hampshire fourth with seven.
Here is the list of previous Walter Brown Award recipients from Boston College, one that includes current Boston College head coach Jerry York (1967) and associate head coach Greg Brown (1990):
1954 - Bob Babine
1961 - Tom Martin
1963 - Bill Hogan
1966 - John Cunniff
1967 - Jerry York
1968 - Tim Sheehy
1969 - Paul Hurley
1970 - Tim Sheehy
1973 - Tom Mellor
1976 - Richie Smith
1978 - Joe Mullen
1980 - Bill Army
1981 - Mark Switaj
1986 - Scott Harlow
1987 - Brian Leetch
1990 - Greg Brown
1991 - David Emma
1999 - Mike Mottau
2000 - Mike Mottau
2001 - Brian Gionta
2006 - Chris Collins
2011 - John Muse
2013 - Steven Whitney
Congratulations Steven.