Although this concentrates on Merrimack, I'm hoping it will both give them
some publicity for something very positive and lead us to hear more good
stories about other programs that have achieved something similar.
 
Last year, Merrimack placed 13 players - by far a league record - on the HE
Academic Honor Roll for achieving a 3.0 or better GPA in both semesters
that they played hockey.  At that time they finished last in the league.
 
For 1996-97, 12 of those 13 players returned.  All 12 have seen significant
time this year; in fact, all 12 played against Northeastern Saturday night
(along with five freshmen who obviously could not have made the honor roll
last year, but some of them will this year).
 
They include both senior goaltenders and six of the team's top seven
scorers.  Two of those six top scorers are seniors and are in line to
become the fourth and fifth players in Merrimack history to be named
Distinguished Scholars for making the honor roll all four years.  HE has
only named 10 Distinguished Scholars since 1990.
 
The fact that Merrimack has been able to put together a team that has done
as well as it has this season while also having a record number of players
who have achieved academic honors, those being key players on the team, is
truly remarkable.  It speaks volumes about what Ron Anderson is trying to
achieve at Merrimack and what he has done this season.
 
Many times in the past on HOCKEY-L, we have seen discussion regarding
academics and hockey and various aspects of those things.  Usually the talk
concerns negative things that have happened.  This is something very
positive and it deserves to receive some publicity.  I am also happy that
Merrimack SID Tom Caraccioli chose to use my web page on the Merrimack
hockey site about the team's academic accomplishments as the basis for a
section in his media guide this season, because as I said, these things
should be publicized more.
 
I'd also be happy to hear about other programs that have been proud to have
the same type of success in school and on the ice.  I know they are out
there, and they deserve mention too.  Too often we only hear the negative
things.
 
BTW, you can find an article about the four HE players in line for
Distinguished Scholar honors this season on USCHO at:
 
http://www.uscollegehockey.com/news/hea/012797.html
 
It is another fine feature written by USCHO HE Correspondent Dave
Hendrickson.  The players are: Maine's Dan Shermerhorn, Lowell's Craig
Lindsay, and Merrimack's Rob Beck and Tom Johnson.
 
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                [log in to unmask]               *HMM* 11/13/93
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