DULUTH, Minn.–Adrian College landed three skaters and snagged one of the major awards on the 2019-20 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association all-conference men’s team.
The league coaches voted Adrian forward Zachary Heintz (Wyoming, Mich./Lone Star Brahmas, NAHL) as the NCHA Freshman of the Year, becoming the fourth Bulldog in Adam Krug’s six-year coaching tenure to earn this award. Heintz proved to be an important piece of the Bulldogs’ offense, finishing as the highest-scoring newcomer in NCHA play with 9+14=23 scoring totals, while also ranking ninth overall on the league’s list with 33 points on 14 goals and 19 assists.
Dino Balsamo (Sterling Heights, Mich./Aston Rebels, NAHL), a senior forward, enjoyed a career-best season for the Bulldogs, tying for the league lead in points with 27 on 14 goals and 13 assists. In overall games, his point total (19+20=39) includes the second-most goals in the league, as well as the most points on the power play (10+8=18). His 1.39 points per game ranks 20th in NCAA Division III. His previous career highs were 13 goals in 2019, 20 assists in 2018 and 29 points last season. Balsamo is the team’s active career scoring leader with 46+61=107.
Balsamo was joined on the all-league team by a pair of defensemen in senior Joey Colatarci (Estero, Fla./Summerside Capitals, MHL), an NCHA All-Freshman Team honoree in 2017, and sophomore Brandon Marinelli (Toronto, Ontario/Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL). The duo were the No. 3- and No. 4 ranked entries on the defensemen scoring list with 2+14=16 and 4+13=17 in NCHA games-only, respectively. And like Balsamo along with several other teammates, Colatarci (6+18=24) and Marinelli (4+19=23) enjoyed career years overall. Colatarci’s previous bests were four goals in 2019, 13 assists in 2017 and 16 points that year, while Marinelli stepped up his performance from his freshman campaign that produced 3+9=12 totals.
Adrian will host St. Norbert Saturday (7:05 p.m.) in a matchup of No. 1 and No. 4 overall conference seeds for the NCHA championship at Arrington Ice Arena. Both teams are nationally ranked as the Bulldogs are sixth and the visiting Green Knights, 11th.
2019-20 NCHA Player of the Year: Peter Bates, St. Norbert College
2019-20 NCHA Freshman of the Year: Zachary Heintz, Adrian College
2019-20 NCHA Coach of the Year: Patrick Kelliher, Lake Forest College
*Media Courtesy of the NCHA, AC Athletic Communications, Adrian College Athletics, and the Adrian College Sports Information Department*