ADRIAN, Mich. (Midwest Sports Network/Heartland Newsfeed) — The American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) announced the 2021-22 All-Americans for Division III hockey prior to the opening round of the NCAA DIII Frozen Four.
The Bulldogs saw five of its players on the list including three on the first team and one on the second team. The AHCA named Matt Eller, Alessio Luciani, and Cameron Gray to the First Team, and Sam Ruffin to the second team.
Matt Eller, Adrian defenseman
Eller was the lone defenseman from the Bulldogs named to the list. Eller finished the year with one goal and 13 assists in 27 games this season. He recorded a +33 while on the ice while blocking 21 shots and serving only six penalties.
The captain held a huge leadership role this season as he helped lead Adrian to a 29-1 record with a 29-game winning streak. Eller’s only goal this season came against Trine University in the NCHA Harris Cup semifinals where he netted the first goal of the game. For his career, Eller has played in 101 games entering the Frozen Four and has totaled three goals with 36 assists with a +/- of +78.
Alessio Luciani, Adrian forward
Luciani led the Bulldogs in points this season to enter the Frozen Four totaling 46 on the year. Luciani netted 16 goals with 30 assists on 84 total shots. Three of his goals came on the power play while two were marked as game-winners, and two were shorthanded.
This season, Luciani played in 28 games and recorded at least two points in 16 of them. Luciani ranked fifth in the country in assists per game, game-winning goals, and power-play goals while also ranking eighth in the country in points per game. In his three-year career, Luciani has played in 79 games with 40 goals and 73 assists.
Cameron Gray, Adrian goaltender
Gray was named the All-American goaltender for the west region with a perfect 21-0 record entering the Frozen Four. On the season, Gray recorded one shutout while allowing an average of 2.30 goals per game. He recorded 487 saves this season and holds a .910 save percentage this year. Of the 48 goals he allowed, 13 of them came on a power play.
Gray was named the NCHA Harris Cup All-Tournament Team and was also named the Harris Cup MVP with four wins. For his career, Gray has recorded a record of 51-8-2 with seven shutouts and a goals-against-average of 2.38.
Sam Ruffin, Adrian forward
The last All-American selection was Sam Ruffin who was named to the AHCA Second Team West Region. For the Bulldogs, Ruffin ranked third in points with 43 with 16 goals and 27 assists. He finished the year with a +26 and scored four of his goals on the power play with one being marked as a game-winner.
Ruffin appeared in 28 games this season and recorded two or more points in 15 of them. For his career, Ruffin has appeared in 105 games with 36 goals and 70 assists.
Each of the Bulldogs on the All-American list was named to the All-NCHA Team this season. Adrian also led the West Region in selections with four out of the 12 spots. Each of the Bulldogs is receiving All-American honors for the first time in their career.
The Bulldogs (29-1) look to continue their success this season in the Frozen Four this weekend in Lake Placid, N.Y. Adrian will take the ice against No. 4 Augsburg University on Friday, March 25 at 3 p.m. Eastern.
This article is comprised of information and media from the Adrian College athletics department. This story first appeared on Midwest Sports Network.
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Gabriel Schray is an editor and contributing writer for Heartland Newsfeed and the editor-in-chief of Midwest Sports Network. He is one of the top up-and-coming sports play-by-play broadcasters in the United States. He is currently the voice of Adrian College Athletics, where he calls football and hockey. You can hear Schray on ACSN, ACTV, WVAC, BCSN 1, BCSN 2, BCSN Now, JTV Jackson and more. Professional portfolio: GabrielSchray.com
