While Endicott fell short in the hunt for a national championship, losing in double overtime to Aurora in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament, goaltender Peter Sterling emerged as a key building block for the Gulls success this season and for the immediate future. Starting in all but two games this season for Endicott, the first-year netminder was ranked third in the nation overall with a goals-against average at 1.63 and .933 save percentage while recording five shutouts and making 615 saves on the season in helping Endicott win the Conference of New England championship.
Sterling has been recognized as the goaltender of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the CNE along with receiving All-American honors from the American Hockey Coaches Association and being named a finalist for the Joe Concannon Award recognizing the best American-born player at the D-II/III level in New England. He can now add All-USCHO Rookie of the Year honors to his long list of accomplishments in his first season of collegiate hockey.
Joining Sterling on the All-Rookie Team are two talented defensemen from the east and a powerhouse group of forwards from the west. Overall, there 18 exceptional first-year players being recognized including one from the D-II level. Seventeen institutions are represented by this elite group of players who exceled in their first season of collegiate hockey.
All-USCHO Rookie Team
Goaltender Peter Sterling Endicott
Defense Jake Stevens Middlebury
Defense Caden Pinto Chatham
Forward Keenan Ingram Wisconsin – River Falls
Forward Brody Simko Trine
Forward Jaden Davis Aurora
All-USCHO Rookie Team – Honorable Mention
Goaltender Sebastian Monaco Wisconsin – Stout
Goaltender Christian Green Neumann
Goaltender Adam Prokop St. Mary’s
Defense Nathaniel Bannister Adrian
Defense Alex Zakrewski Cortland
Defense Ludvig Mellgren Gustavus
Defense Dylan Shane Skidmore
Forward Anthony Piccininno Alvernia
Forward Jackson Krill Williams
Forward Devin Niles Fitchburg State
Forward Aleksei Filimonov Fitchburg State
Forward Jake Russell Assumption
Forward Nick Reif Brockport
Forward Carter Krenke St. John’s
Congratulations to all named players who are likely already looking ahead to more and better in the 2026-27 season.
Next up will be the USCHO D-II/III Coach of the Year Award.