WAKEFIELD, Mass. -- Senior forward and alternate captain Joe Gambardella (Staten Island, N.Y.) of the No. 4 ranked UMass Lowell Hockey team was named the recipient of the Len Ceglarski Individual Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive season, which was announced on Wednesday morning by the Hockey East office. The award is voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.

He is the second player in league history to win the award multiple times, joining Maine's Steve Kariya who won the award three times (96-97, 97-98, 98-99). 

The Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the Hockey East regular-season to the player most exemplifying the qualities of sportsmanship on the ice in the conference. The award was created and named in honor of long-time Boston College head coach who retired following the 1991-92 season and was first bestowed at the end of the 1992 season.

Gambardella has played in all 37 games for the River Hawks this season and has posted a career-high 48 points, to go along with a career-high 17 goals and 31 assists, to lead the team in scoring. He has been whistled for only 11 penalties all season for 22 minutes. His 17 plus/minus rating is also tied for the team lead. He has posted a plus or even rating in 29 of 37 games this season.

He has a point in 27 games this season and has 14 multi-point efforts to his credit. His 48 points ranks fifth in Hockey East and his 31 assists are sixth best among conference players.

The top-seeded UMass Lowell Hockey team will face No. 4 seed Notre Dame in the Hockey East Semifinals (5pm) on Friday, March 17th at the TD Garden in Boston on St. Patrick's Day.