Fitchburg State Hockey Earns All-Academic Honors

Falcons name five players to ECAC NE All-Academic team

WAYNE BONKOWSKI

BOB KALOUSTIAN

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 10, 2009) - The Fitchburg State ice hockey team named five student-athletes to the 2008-2009 ECAC Northeast All-Academic team as announced by commissioner Rudy Keeling this past week. To be named to the All-Academic team, student athletes must complete one academic year and have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.

Senior Wayne Bonkowski (Onsted, Mich./Boston Jr. Blackhawks) heads the list of Fitchburg State honorees, earning his third All-Academic accolade while posting a 3.56 cumulative GPA in Exercise and Sports Science. In addition to his All-Academic honor, Bonkowski was also named to the Fitchburg State President's List, after posting a 3.75 GPA or higher for three straight terms. The senior defensemen has been a four-year member for the Falcons defensive line, appearing in 95 career games, while totaling 23 points on four goals and 19 assists.

Classmate Bob Kaloustian (Marlborough, Mass./Suffolk) also collects his third career All-Academic honor after recording a 3.11 GPA in Business Management. The senior captain ranked third on the team in scoring this past season, totaling 28 points on 12 goals and 16 assists. Kaloustian led the Falcons with four game-winning goals while tallying five power-play markers.

Rounding out the Falcon five were junior Chris Brecken (Hudson, Mass./Hudson), sophomore Chris Riggs (Sewell, N.J./For Vancouver Pioneers) and classmate Erik Trahan (Manville, R.I./Winchendon School). Brecken (3.29 GPA) receives is second ECAC NE post-season honor, while Riggs (3.33 GPA) and Trahan (3.22) pick up their first academic accolade.

Fitchburg State concluded its 2008-09 campaign with an overall record of 13-9-5 while boasting a 9-5-3 mark in the ECAC Northeast. The Falcons qualified as the fifth-seed for the ECAC Northeast Tournament, defeating fourth-seeded UMass Dartmouth, 3-2 in the quarterfinal round.