WEST POINT – Josh Kassel was named the Henry “Hal” Beukema Award winner as the Army hockey team’s most valuable player, Wednesday night at the annual team awards banquet at Eisenhower Hall.
In addition, Chase Podsiad, Cody Omilusik, Bryce Hollweg and Athletic Trainer Tim Kelly were honored as well. Podsiad was presented with the Haggerty Award, Omilusik earned the Heinmiller Award, Hollweg was honored with the Gunning Award and Kelly was recognized with the Hines Award.
A junior from Greensburg, Pa., Kassel is just the ninth goalie to win the award and the sixth player to be honored in back-to-back seasons.
Kassel became the first Army hockey player to earn All-America honors at the Division I level when he was named to the All-East second team following an outstanding junior season.
Kassel was one of the driving forces behind Army’s push to the Atlantic Hockey Association regular season title. Kassel posted five shutouts and an 18-10-2 mark to help Army win its first-ever conference title and the top seed in the AHA Tournament.
The junior was phenomenal late in the season and registered a 13-3-1 mark in the final 17 games of the season.He registered back-to-back shutouts twice this season and beat Air Force, at the time the No. 20 ranked team in the country, 2-1 in consecutive games on national television. The Falcons went on to win the AHA and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Kassel became the first goalie to be named the Atlantic Hockey Association “Player of the Year” at the league banquet in March and was named the Goalie of the Year and a first-team all-conference choice. He was the Atlantic Hockey Association Goalie of the Month for February, was named Inside College Hockey Player of the Week and earned five weekly citations from the conference.
For his career, Kassel has nine shutouts and is tied for second all-time with Brad Roberts (’06). His .919 save percentage is second best all-time in Academy history and his 36 wins are tied for ninth.
Beukema, a 1944 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, was a team captain his senior season. Following graduation, he became a pilot in the Air Force and served overseas as well as in the United States. He died in a crash near Langley Air Force Base in Virginia after achieving the rank of major. The award was first offered in 1955
Podsiad, a senior captain, took home the Haggerty Award which is designated for a player who displays courage, determination and perseverance throughout the season. Podsiad was named the national winner of the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award last week at the Frozen Four, which recognizes a fearless leader and beloved fan favorite who always places his team first.
A native of Wyandotte, Mich., Podsiad missed just three games this season, despite a serious knee injury suffered in December. Prior to the season, he switched his position from forward to defense and then scored two goals and handed out 11 assists.
For his career, Podsiad played in 133 games, scored 14 goals and dished out 40 assists. He scored six power play goals and four game-winning tallies.
The Haggerty Award is named in honor of Paul Haggerty, a 1991 USMA graduate who was a three-year letterwinner and an assistant coach under Rob Riley in 1996 who died suddenly during a workout.
Omilusik, a forward from Traverse City, Mich., was honored with the Heinmiller Award as the team’s Outstanding Freshman of the Year. Omilusik was the top point-producing freshman on the team. He netted nine goals and seven assists and tied for the team lead with two short-handed goals. He scored three game-winning goals and one power play tally. The award is named after John Heinmiller, a former hockey player who worked his way from the junior varsity to varsity. Following the competition of his freshman varsity season, he was tragically killed in a train accident in April, 2001.
Hollweg, a senior from Langley, British Columbia, was presented with the Gunning Award in recognition of the cadet who displays the qualities of academic excellent, selfless dedication to his teammates, being a trusted friend, maintaining a sense of humor, playing through pain and adversity and demonstrating a true love for the sport of hockey. Hollweg was a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, an honor that recognizes success in the classroom and on the ice.
A captain and forward, Hollweg was third on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 20 assists. He netted his first collegiate hat trick during the season, shared the team lead with four game-winning goals and registered four power play scores. The Gunning Award is named in honor of Michal J. Gunning, a cadet who died following a hit-and-run accident in Dallas. Gunning (’96 USMA) was a 2nd Lt. stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., at the time of his death.
Kelly, the head Athletic Trainer since 1992, works with the hockey team and was recognized with the Derek S. Hines Award for a person who has displayed an extraordinary amount of support toward the Army Hockey Program. Like Derek, the person has always cared more about giving that receiving while displaying a great passion and love for Army hockey. Kelly has worked with hockey cadet-athletes since 1992 and is a fixture at all practices and games.
Kelly is the third winner of the Hines Award. It is named after Derek Hines, a scrappy and hard-nosed player who earned four varsity letters before graduating in 2003. He was killed in action Sept. 1, 2006.
Following the presentation of awards and letterwinners, head coach Brian Riley and the coaching staff announced the captains for the 2008-09 season. Zach McKelvie, a defenseman from New Brighton, Minn., will wear the “C” on his sweater as captain. Will Ryan, a forward from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., will serve as the alternate captain.
2007-08 Army Hockey Team Awards
Beukema Award (MVP) – Josh Kassel
Haggerty Award – Chase Podsiad
Heinmiller Award – Cody Omilusik
Gunning Award – Bryce Hollweg
Derek Hines Award – Tim Kelly
