The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Wednesday that Babson forward Ryan Black and Endicott goaltender Conor O’Brien are the co-winners of the 21st Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England at the Division II/III level.
The award was established in 2001 shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for The Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.
Black finished his season with the Beavers by recording 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points. Black earned NEHC player of the year honors while also leading the nation in game-winning goals with nine on the season. He helped the Beavers earn the NEHC title and their first NCAA tournament win since 2013 before losing in the quarterfinal round to Geneseo. He is just the second individual winner of the award and third overall for Babson after Jamie Murray won the award in 2015 and 2016.
“This is a great award for Ryan, who has been a selfless star for us,” Babson coach Jamie Rice said in a statement. “In my time here, nobody has done what he did this year, at the level he did, with such consistency. He is amazingly humble and always happy. He carries himself with a lot of humility and has always just been one of the guys on the team. He has tremendous hockey sense and an innate ability to put himself in the right place on the ice. He took zero penalties this year, scored 100 points in just over three years of playing, and led the nation in game-winning goals and you would never know it with how he carries himself on and off the ice.
“As good a player as Ryan has been, he really is a better person and has carried that beyond our team to the athletic community and campus here at Babson.”
O’Brien led the Gulls to the CCC title game where they lost to the University of New England in overtime. For the season, O’Brien was outstanding statistically with a 1.47 goals-against average and .949 save percentage to go with a shutout and a 19-6-1 record in 27 starts. His performance earned him both the goaltender and player of the year honors in the CCC. He is also the first ever netminder at Endicott to wear the “C” as captain of the team. O’Brien becomes the first Gull to win the Joe Concannon Award.
“From Day 1, Conor has made our program and community a better place,” said Endicott coach R.J. Tolan in a statement. “He’s the most self-confident and competitive person I have coached. He is so committed to his craft, and he has made it almost impossible not to play him in every game, not only over the last season but for his career here at Endicott. Conor always raises the bar and wills himself to be the very best goaltender, captain and teammate. He has been the backbone of our team, has been a great leader, and is a huge contributor to our success as a program.”
Black and O’Brien outpaced Plymouth State junior forward Myles Abbate, Saint Anselm junior forward Andrew Andary and Colby sophomore goaltender Andy Beran for the award.
“This has been an incredible season at the D II/III level with so many great players and teams accomplishing so much for the first time since COVID curtailed play in 2020,” said Gridiron Club hockey awards committee chairman Tim Costello. “This is the third time the award has seen co-winners and the first time since 2005. These finalists are truly among the best representation of the outstanding level of play and individual achievement from across each of the conferences.
“This year showcased a season where there was unparalleled parity and high level of play across New England. For Ryan and Conor, this season was truly a great culmination to a pair of wonderful careers with great league recognitions and now capped off by winning the Joe Concannon Award. The committee really could not come to a single winner, considering their outstanding play on the ice and exemplary character off it. They both are welcome additions to the list of most worthy recipients.”
The Joe Concannon Award will be presented to the winners at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Event on May 5 at Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Mass.
