March 19, 2002

Notre Dame, Ind. – Former Notre Dame hockey defenseman Jack Brownschidle was among the final group of 10 players selected to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s (WCHA) 50th anniversary promotion known as the Top 50 Players in 50 Years. The entire team of 50 was honored at the WCHA’s Final Five Tournament last weekend in St. Paul, Minn.

The Top 50 Players in 50 Years honorees were selected from a list of more than 160 players who have played in the WCHA during the league’s 50 seasons. The players were nominated last summer by current and past member schools and selected by a committee appointed by the league commissioner. Notre Dame was a member of the WCHA from 1971-72 through 1980-81 before moving to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for the 1981-82 season.

Brownschidle, a defenseman from East Amherst, N.Y., played at Notre Dame from 1973-77 and is Notre Dame hockey’s only two-time All-American taking first team honors in 1976 and 1977. During his career, Brownschidle played in 150 games scoring 31 goals with 78 assists for 109 points. His 109 points rank him third among Notre Dame defensemen in scoring. A two-time All-WCHA selection (1975-76 and 1976-77), Brownschidle was a co-captain of the 1976-77 team with Brian Burke. His five-assist game on Jan. 15, 1977 versus Michigan State ties him for the single-game school record for assists with four others.

In 1976-77, Brownschidle anchored a defense that helped the Irish to their best season in the WCHA as the team was 22-13-3 overall and 19-10-3 in league play, good for second place.

Selected in the sixth round of the 1975 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Brownschidle played nine seasons in the National Hockey League with the Blues and the Hartford Whalers, playing in 494 games with 39 goals and 162 assists for 201 career points. His younger brother Jeff played for the Irish followed him to Notre Dame playing from 1977-81.

Brownschidle joins former Irish standout Bill Nyrop as Notre Dame players named to the WCHA’s 50 Players in 50 Years team. He was selected among the first group of 10 honorees in late November. Nyrop played for the Irish from 1970-74.

Joining Brownschidle in the final group of 10 honorees was forward Neal Broten (University of Minnesota), forward Dallas Guame (University of Denver), defenseman Curt Giles (Minnesota-Duluth), goaltender Karl Goehring (North Dakota), forward Tony Granato (University of Wisconsin), forward Bill “Red” Hay (Colorado College), defenseman Jim Nahrgang (Michigan Tech), forward Bill Reichart (North Dakota) and forward Bill Watson (Minnesota-Duluth).