The Friends of BU Hockey 32nd Annual Banquet The BU hockey banquet was held last night at the George Sherman Union at BU. The turnout was high (300+) and the evening long (five hours). Needless to say, it was a much happier gathering than the goings on last year. Here's a brief round-up: Individual Awards Clifford P. Fitzgerald Scholarship Presented annually to the most outstanding junior or senior defenseman. winner: DOUG WOOD Regina Eilberg Scholarship Presented annually to the player who combines the highest standards of Terrier athletics and academic performance winner: BOB LACHANCE Most Improved Player Award Presented to the player who improves most over the course of the season. winner: MATT WRIGHT The Friends Albert Sidd Unsung Hero Award Presented to a senior who accomplishes much over his four years but does not garner proper recognition. winners: KAJ LINNA and KEN RAUSCH Kevin T. Mutch Award Presented to the most valuable player in the season series with Boston College. winner: JACQUES JOUBERT Bennett McInnis Memorial Award for Spirit winner: STEVE THORNTON George V. Brown Most Valuable Player Award winner: STEVE THORNTON 1995-96 captain JAY PANDOLFO Notes: Pandolfo was a unanimous vote for captain except for the vote he didn't cast for himself. J.P. McKersie, who sat out the season as a red-shirt after an offseason car accident, choked back tears as he thanked the crowd for their support during his recovery. Jay Pandolfo promises to be a very different sort of captain than Jacques Joubert-- much more quiet in the Dave Sacco mold of personality. Both Joubert and Chris O'Sullivan were in Stockholm, Sweden for the world championships. Joubert will be named the school's male athlete of the year at the BU Hall of Fame banquet in May. Quotables: BU coach Jack Parker "I've always thought the highs you get from winning never even out the lows from losing. But this years team changed my mind." "It's been great watching this senior class work toward one goal, which was to do what everyone said we could do. In October, everyone said we were the best team in the nation. Well, now we are." "We don't play North Dakota for a while and you never know when you're going to win again. So go buy two t-shirts-- one to wear now and one to wear in a few years so that we'll always remember." Jay Pandolfo "I think I'll be a more quiet leader, but I'll have to take up more of a role in the lockeroom. There are going to be less seniors so each of us is going to have to take a bigger role." Neil Goldberg, The Daily Free Press, BU