Boston College senior right wing Steven Whitney has been named the winner of the 61st Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.
Whitney is an assistant captain and leading goal-scorer for the Eagles with his 25 goals in 36 games coming in as the second highest total in the country. He has 43 points overall.
Six of Whitney’s goals this season have been of the game-winning variety and 13 of his goals and nine of his assists have come either in the third period or in overtime, placing him in first in the nation in that category.
“Steven Whitney’s leadership of this year’s BC team has been truly exceptional,” said Gridiron Club of Greater Boston hockey awards committee chairman Tim Costello in a statement. “Not only has he habitually come up with critical goals or assists when the game is on the line, but e has also been a fixture on both the power play and the penalty kill, and he has dropped back to play defense a number of times when Coach [Jerry] York needed experienced help back there.”
Over his four-year career, Whitney has recorded 126 points on 54 goals and 72 assists in 158 games.
Whitney is the 23rd player from Boston College to win the Walter Brown Award since its inception in 1953. York was the award winner in 1967 and BC associate head coach Greg Brown took the honors in 1990.
Quinnipiac goalie Eric Hartzell finished second in the voting, while BC forward Johnny Gaudreau took third.
Whitney will formally receive his award at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner on April 16 in Saugus, Mass.
