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Nine UMass Lowell hockey student-athletes were named to the 2011-12 Hockey East All-Academic Team, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday afternoon.

Student-athletes who earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher in each of the two academic semesters in which they competed receive all-academic honors.

The River Hawks featured six players making their second appearance on the All-Academic Team in sophomores Marc Boulanger (Olds, Alta.), Doug Carr (Hamilton, Mass.), Josh Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Joseph Pendenza (Wilmington, Mass.), Chad Ruhwedel (San Diego, Calif.) and Shayne Thompson (Stittsville, Ont.).

Holmstrom led the pack of second-year players with a 3.645 GPA in Business Administration, while Ruhwedel (3.545, Business Administration) and Thompson (3.464, Business Administration) were close behind. A trio of Business Administration majors as well, Carr earned a 3.290, Boulanger received a 3.270 and Pendenza took home a 3.245.

Senior forward and alternate captain Matt Ferreira (Brampton, Ont.) closed out his college career in style, earning a 3.230 GPA in Criminal Justice to earn a spot among the league's academic standouts. At this year's Hockey East Championship Banquet, Ferreira also became the first UMass Lowell player to receive the league's Turfer Athletic Award, given annually to the individual, coach or team who best represents the core values of Turfer Athletics; tenacity, commitment and innovation.

Lastly, freshmen Tyler Brickler (Riverwoods, Ill.) and Zach Kamrass (Atlanta, Ga.) round out the UMass Lowell representatives. Brickler led all River Hawks with a 3.736 in Political Science, while Kamrass finished second on the team with a 3.664 as an Undeclared Business major.

The UMass Lowell hockey team recently received its fifth consecutive Bob Griffin Academic Award for earning the highest GPA (2.97) among the department's male athletic teams.

UMass Lowell hockey enjoyed great success in 2011-12, completing the second largest turnaround in NCAA history—largest by a first-year head coach—with a 24-13-1 record after winning just five games in 2010-11. Under new bench boss and Hockey East Coach of the Year Norm Bazin, the River Hawks earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 1996. UMass Lowell defeated Miami University in overtime in the opening round, 3-2, and finished a game shy of its first-ever Frozen Four.
 
2011-12 UMass Lowell Hockey East All-Academic Team Members
Marc Boulanger, Business Administration (3.270) **
Tyler Brickler, Political Science (3.736)
Doug Carr, Business Administration (3.290) **
Matt Ferreira, Criminal Justice (3.230)
Josh Holmstrom, Business Administration (3.645) **
Zach Kamrass, Undeclared Business (3.664)
Joseph Pendenza, Business Administration (3.245) **
Chad Ruhwedel, Business Administration (3.545) **
Shayne Thompson, Business Administration (3.464) **
 
** (denotes two-time honoree)
*** (denotes three-time honoree)
+ (denotes “Distinguished Scholar, 3.0 GPA in each semester over four varsity seasons)