Three Ontario Junior Hockey League graduates have been named to the Atlantic Hockey Association’s 2023-24 all-conference teams.
The All-Atlantic Hockey First Team includes RIT senior Gianfranco Cassaro, who played for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the OJHL. A returnee from the 2022-23 All-AHA First Team, Cassaro leads all NCAA defensemen in goals this season with 16 and tops Atlantic Hockey in game-winning goals with five for the Tigers.
The All-Atlantic Hockey Second Team front line includes Holy Cross senior Jack Ricketts, a graduate of the Oakville Blades organization. Ricketts is the Crusaders’ second-leading scorer with 34 points and is tied for second in the AHA in game-winning goals with four.
The All-Atlantic Hockey Third Team front line includes RIT graduate student Elijah Gonsalves. Gonsalves, who played for Wellington, Aurora and Pickering in the OJHL, reached 100 career points during the Tigers’ Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinal series with Robert Morris last weekend.
Regular season champion RIT led all teams with six selections. Runner-up Holy Cross was second with four selections, followed by Mercyhurst and Air Force with three each, AIC, Army West Point, Bentley and Canisius with two each and Sacred Heart with one.
About the Atlantic Hockey Association
The Atlantic Hockey Association is marking its 21st season of competition in 2023-24. The 11-team NCAA Division I conference consists of, American International College (Yellow Jackets), Bentley University (Falcons), Canisius College (Golden Griffins), The College of the Holy Cross (Crusaders), Mercyhurst University (Lakers), Niagara University (Purple Eagles), Rochester Institute of Technology (Tigers), Robert Morris University (Colonials), Sacred Heart University (Pioneers), the United States Air Force Academy (Falcons) and the United States Military Academy (Black Knights). For more information, visit atlantichockeyonline.com.
