Two former local players are up for hockey’s Heisman Trophy.
Bowling Green sophomore Austen Swankler and Niagara senior Chad Veltri are nominees for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which recognizes the top player in the college game.
A Norwin graduate, Swankler is currently on an NCAA-best 16-game scoring streak that includes 10 goals and 19 assists.
He leads the Central College Hockey Association with 36 points and 21 assists, and he is tied for the top spot in goals (15).
Austen Swankler has been nominated for the 2023 Hobey Baker Memorial Award!
Vote for Swankler: https://t.co/AW4sj7FoVz
Full Release: https://t.co/owM41KyxVv pic.twitter.com/elb7GvPtTI— Bowling Green Hockey (@BGFalconHockey) January 19, 2023
Veltri, who played at Fox Chapel, is a goaltender. He is 10-7-2 this season with a 2.94 goals-against average and a save-percentage of 90.6.
He has made 30 or more saves in nine games.
Ryan Cox and Chad Veltri have been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award which is given to the top college hockey player each season!#Uncommon
????: https://t.co/M0Erj5gStL pic.twitter.com/9MMrPREIQQ
— Niagara University Men's Hockey (@NiagaraMHKY) January 19, 2023
Swankler recently was named the Hockey Commissioners Association’s National Player of the Month for December. He also was tabbed the CCHA Forward of the Month.
He registered six goals and nine assists for an NCAA-leading 15 points last month.
Swankler played for the Erie Otters of the OHL, and Sioux Falls Stampede, the latter of which won a USHL Clark Cup with him on the ice.
He played middle school hockey for Greensburg Central Catholic.
Veltri played for Sioux Falls and Youngstown State before he arrived at Niagara.
He won a national title in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite team.
The Baker Award winner is selected by a fan vote.
Voting will end March 26.
View the complete list of Baker nominees here.
