The University of Massachusetts Lowell men’s ice hockey program has once again distinguished itself, placing a conference‑leading 25 skaters on the 2025‑26 Hockey East All‑Academic Team.
The honor, which requires a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, underscores the River Hawks’ commitment to excellence both on the ice and in the classroom.
A Record of Academic Tenacity
UMass Lowell shares the top spot with Merrimack College, each boasting 25 recipients, while the University of Maine follows with 23 honorees, reflecting a deep pool of scholar‑athletes across the league.
Eligibility for the All‑Academic Team is strict: student‑athletes must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher throughout the season, a benchmark that only a select few manage to meet amid rigorous travel schedules and training demands.
Among the River Hawks, sophomore forward Dominick Rivelli stood out by earning a place on the All‑Star subset of the team, recognizing him as the highest‑GPA player at his position in the conference.
Graduate forward TJ Schweighardt and senior defenseman Jack Collins were awarded the Distinguished Scholar title, a distinction reserved for those who have qualified for the All‑Academic team in all four years of varsity competition.
The accolades extend beyond first‑time honorees; juniors Sean Kilcullen and Jaiden Moriello earned spots on the All‑Academic team for the third time, while six players — including senior Connor Eddy, junior Jak Vaarwerk, and sophomores Daniel Buchbinder, Jacob MacDonald, Lee Parks, and Rivelli — collected their second academic honors.
Fifteen newcomers to the list illustrate the program’s growing depth, featuring graduate student Jay Ahearn, senior Samuel Richard, sophomores Libor Nemec and Dominic Payne, and freshmen such as David Adaszynski, August Classon, Austin Elliott, Niko Goich, James Johnson, Ryan Kroll, Tnias Mathurin, Nate Misskey, Josh Mori, Luke Shipley, and Cole Lonsdale.
Across Hockey East, a total of 218 student‑athletes were recognized for their academic performance during the 2025‑26 season, a testament to the conference’s broader emphasis on balancing athletic ambition with scholarly achievement.
UMass Lowell’s Athletic Director praised the cohort, stating that “the combination of competitive drive and intellectual curiosity defines the River Hawks,” and he expects the trend of academic distinction to continue as the program evolves.