Atlantic Hockey America has announced its individual award winners for the 2024-25 season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
FORWARD OF THE YEAR AWARD
AHA SCORING CHAMPION
Liam McLinskey, Sr., F, Holy Cross
Holy Cross senior Liam McLinskey is the dual winner of the Forward of the Year Award and the Player of the Year Award. McLinskey led Atlantic Hockey with 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists during the regular season, and after collecting eight points through five postseason games, skates into Saturday’s championship game with 51 points on 23 goals and 28 assists. The senior forward orchestrated a seven-game goal streak from Nov. 7 – Nov. 30 and totaled 13 multi-point games in the regular season. McLinskey collected five points on two goals and three assists on Feb. 14 vs. Mercyhurst. McLinskey also took home the AHA Scoring Championship this season as the conference’s points leader in AHA contests during the regular season. The Pearl River, N.Y. native tallied 39 points on 19 goals and 20 assists in 26 league games. His rating of +20 in conference play also led all skaters in the league. McLinskey is the first AHA skater to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors and conference scoring titles in league history.
BEST DEFENSEMAN AWARD
Mac Gadowsky, So., D, Army West Point
Army sophomore Mac Gadowsky is this year’s selection for the Best Defenseman Award. During the regular season, Gadowsky potted 12 goals and dished out 23 assists for 35 points. He was among the highest-scoring defensemen in the country, and led Atlantic Hockey blueliners in goals (11), assists (22), and points (33) in AHA play. His 33 points in league play not only led AHA defensemen, but ranked second among all skaters. For good measure, Gadowsky added four goals and three assists for seven points in five AHA postseason games. From Jan. 3 – Feb. 8, Gadowsky orchestrated an 11-game point streak that saw him tally 21 points (7g, 14a) in that stretch. His 16 goals on the season currently leads all defensemen in the country, while his 42 points are tied for the national lead among blueliners.
GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
AHA GOALTENDING CHAMPION
Thomas Gale, Sr., G, Holy Cross
Holy Cross goaltender Thomas Gale takes home the Goaltender of the Year Award for 2024-25. Playing in all 26 league games, Gale led the AHA in save percentage (.940), goals-against average (1.71), and wins (19), while ranking second in minutes between the pipes (1547:14). The senior netminder also posted two shutouts in AHA play. Gale enters Saturday’s title game with 24 wins on the season, which is currently tied for third in the nation and is a Holy Cross single season record. His .930 save percentage on the season currently ranks ninth nationally. Gale is also the AHA Goaltending Champion for 2024-25, as his .940 save percentage during conference play in the regular season was tops in Atlantic Hockey. On Feb. 13, Gale was named a semifinalist for the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) Mike Richter Award for 2025, which is given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Trevor Hoskin, Fr., F, Niagara
Niagara forward Trevor Hoskin is the AHA Rookie of the Year. Hoskin was among the nation’s top-scoring freshmen in 2024-25, and his 39 points on the season are currently tied for the national lead among rookies. In AHA play during the regular season, Hoskin led all rookies and ranked seventh among all skaters in the league with 29 points. In addition, his 20 assists in league play led all rookies and ranked fourth among all skaters. The Belleville, Ont. native orchestrated two seven-game point streaks on the season, with the first ranging from Oct. 12 – Nov. 1, and the second lasting from Jan. 4 – Jan. 25. He was named AHA Rookie of the Week on Jan. 27, and was named AHA Rookie of the Month for September/October and January. Hoskin is the second Purple Eagle to earn AHA Rookie of the Year honors, following Ludwig Stenlund in 2018-19.
CO-BEST DEFENSIVE FORWARDS
Austin Schwartz, Sr., F, Air Force
Ethan Leyh, Gr., F, Bentley
Air Force’s Austin Schwartz and Bentley’s Ethan Leyh are Co-Best Defensive Forwards for 2024-25. Schwartz is the only player to win or share Best Defensive Forward honors in back-to-back years in AHA history. The senior ranked as one of the top shot-blocking forwards in the country, and his 62 blocks on the season was tops among AHA forwards. He blocked 42 shots in 26 league games, and 10 of his 12 goals on the season came against AHA competition. On the season, his four game-winning goals were tied for second among all skaters in the conference. Leyh ended the regular season as Bentley’s leading scorer with 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points. In conference play, Leyh averaged 1.2 points per game with 30 points in 25 AHA games, with his 30 points ranking fifth in the league. Leyh was also strong in the face-off circle, as he won 301-of-524 face-offs (57.4 win percentage) in AHA play. The graduate student has added five points (3g, 2a) in four postseason games, and enters Saturday’s title game with 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points on the season.
AHA INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Mac Gadowsky, So., D, Army West Point
Army’s Mac Gadowsky is the sixth Black Knight to win the AHA Individual Sportsmanship Award. Playing in all 38 games for Army, Gadowksy was whistled for just three total penalties equating to six minutes on the season, despite seeing significant ice time for Brian Riley’s squad. He was whistled for just two penalties for four minutes while posting a rating of +14 in 26 league games in the regular season.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bill Riga, Holy Cross
Holy Cross’ Bill Riga is the AHA Coach of the Year for 2024-25. Riga has led the Crusaders to a historic season that saw them claim the AHA regular season title for the third time in school history (2004, 2006), and has Holy Cross poised to play for the AHA postseason title on Saturday. The Crusaders were propelled to the top of the AHA regular season standings by reeling off 16 straight conference wins (including OT/SO) from Nov. 22 – Feb. 14, which set an Atlantic Hockey record. Riga’s squad collected 12 regulation wins, three overtime wins, and one shootout victory during the historic streak, and ended the season with a 19-5-2 record in league play. On March 3, Holy Cross entered both the USCHO and USA Hockey/The Rink Live polls at No. 20. It was the first appearance for the Crusaders in the national polls since 2012. Holy Cross enters Saturday’s championship game ranked No. 19 in the latest USCHO Poll that was released on March 17.
AHA TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Niagara Purple Eagles
Head coach Jason Lammers and the Purple Eagles ended the 2024-25 regular season with the fewest penalty minutes in the AHA during league play. Niagara took 89 penalties equating to 192 minutes in 26 AHA regular season contests (7:23 per game). Overall, Niagara’s 7.5 penalty minutes per game on the season led Atlantic Hockey and ranked tied for seventh nationally. This is Niagara’s second AHA Team Sportsmanship Award, with the first coming in 2018-19.
