April 2, 1999
Notre Dame senior defenseman Benoit Cotnoir (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec) has been named a second team All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association, becoming the first Notre Dame hockey player to earn All-America honors in 16 years.
Cotnoir, who served as an alternate team captain and the leader of the Irish defense in 1998-99, joined Michigan State junior Mike Weaver as the two defensemen on the AHCA’s list of second team All-Americans for the “West” region. Six players were named first team All-America and six were named second team All-America, for both the East and West region.
Cotnoir is the first Notre Dame hockey player to earn All-America since forward Kirt Bjork in 1983. He is the program’s seventh All-American, with the others including: winger Eddie Bumbacco (1973), defenseman Bill Nyrop (1973), defenseman Jack Brownschidle (1976, 1977), center Brian Walsh (1977) and right wing Greg Meredith (1980).
The 24 All-Americans hail from 14 schools, including two other teams from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. In addition to Weaver, Michigan State senior center Mike York and sophomore goaltender Joe Blackburn were named to the first team. Ohio State sophomore goaltender Jeff Maund and junior center Hugo Boisvert were second-team selections.
The Hockey East conference produced eight total All-Americans while the CCHA and Western Collegiate Hockey Association had six each. The All-Americans include five other players from teams that Notre Dame faced in 1998-99. They are Boston College junior defenseman Mike Mottau and sophomore forward Brian Gionta and three North Dakota players: senior defenseman Brad Williamson, senior center Jason Blake and senior forward Jay Panzer.
Cotnoir and 10 other senior All-Americans will play for Team USA versus Canada in the April 10-11 North America College Hockey Championship, at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena (7:00 p.m.) and Toronto’s Air Canada Center (4:00 p.m.).
COTNOIR NOTES: Named first team All-CCHA and one of three finalists for CCHA’s top offensive defenseman award first Irish player to earn first team all-CCHA first Irish all-conference pick since Bjork earned second team honors in ’83 first Irish player to earn first team all-conference since Meredith (first team All-WCHA, ’80) third among CCHA defensemen with 24 regular-season points (6G-18A), plus a power-play goal in the CCHA playoffs vs. NMU his ’98-’99 statistics included 25 points in 36 games, three power-play goals, two game-winning goals, two game-winning assists, a +11 plus-minus (fourth-best on the team) and 25 penalties Cotnoir’s 88 career points (28G-60A) rank ninth all-time among Notre Dame defenseman, one behind Nyrop (17G-72A, ’70-’74) … more than half of Cotnoir’s career points came on the power play (11 PPG, 26 PPA) … ranked as Notre Dame’s second-leading scorer over the final 18 regular-season games (5G-10A) one of eight players named to the CCHA honorable mention all-academic team (six were named first team), due to 3.25 cumulative GPA as an economics major led an Irish defense that dealt with loss of 1998 CCHA rookie of the year Mark Eaton (signed as a free agent in summer of ’98 with Philadelphia Flyers) and sophomore defenseman Ryan Clark, who has missed 24 games due to injury helped Irish post season record for team goals-against average (2.58) while leading a penalty-killing unit that stopped 22 of 24 power plays over final seven games his season highlights included an assist in the tie at Boston College, two assists in the win at North Dakota, and goals in the win over Michigan and the tie with Michigan State.
1998-99 DIVISION I ALL-AMERICANS
East First Team West First Team Eric Heffler, St. Lawrence, Sr. Goal Joe Blackburn, Michigan State, So.(Williamsville, NY) (Livonia, MI) David Cullen, Maine, Sr. Defense Scott Swanson, Colorado College, Sr.(St. Catherines, ONT) (Cottage Grove, MN)Mike Mottau, Boston College, Jr. Defense Brad Williamson, North Dakota, Sr.(Avon, MA) (Thunder Bay, ONT)Brian Gionta, Boston College, So. Forward Jason Blake, North Dakota, Sr.(Rochester, NY) (Moorhead, MN)Steve Kariya, Maine, Sr. Forward Brian Swanson, Colorado College, Sr.(North Vancouver, BC) (Eagle River, AK) Jason Krog, New Hampshire, Sr. Forward Mike York, Michigan State, Sr.(Fernie, BC) (Waterford, MI)East Second Team West Second TeamMichel Larocque, Bos. Univ., Sr. Goal Jeff Maund, Ohio State, So.(Dieppe, NB) (Mississaugua, ONT)Jayme Filipowicz, New Hamps., Jr. Defense Benoit Cotnoir, Notre Dame, Sr.(Arlington Heights, IL) (Rouyn-Noranda, QUE)Willie Mitchell, Clarkson, So. Defense Mike Weaver, Michigan State, Jr.(Port McNeill, BC) (Bramalea, ONT)Erik Cole, Clarkson, So. Forward Hugo Boisvert, Ohio State, Jr.(Oswego , NY) (St. Eustache, QUE)Jeff Hamilton, Yale, Jr. Forward Paul Comrie, Denver, Sr.(Englewood, OH) (Edmonton, ALB)Rejean Stringer, Merrimack, Sr. Forward Jay Panzer, North Dakota, Sr.(Gravelbourg, SASK) (Grand Forks, ND)