LOWELL, Mass.—UMass Lowell Hockey Head Coach Norm Bazin officially announced his leadership core for the upcoming season, naming rising senior Ben Meehan (Walpole, Mass.) and rising graduate student Jake Stella (Karlstad, Sweden) as his 2023-24 captains.
 
"Based on player and coaching staff feedback, we are pleased to announce the captains for the 2023-24 season. Ben Meehan and Jake Stella will share responsibilities," said Bazin. "We feel both of these guys will have a tremendous season leading this team to fulfill their potential and saw no need to wait to make an announcement. These guys will be instrumental in welcoming a new group of freshmen to the team this summer."
 
Meehan has been an ever-present force on the blueline but has established himself as a versatile, two-way player for the River Hawks over the last two seasons. A leader on the ice, Meehan set a career-high in points (17) and assists (13) this season and was a valuable asset on the River Hawks' nationally-ranked penalty kill unit. 
 
"Ben has grown tremendously during his three years in the program. He has proven himself a fierce competitor who is relentless in helping his team on and off the ice," commented Bazin. "He is a mentor to the younger guys and always strives to lead by example."
 
A graduate transfer this season, Stella dove headfirst into the action in the Mill City and quickly adapted to the UMass Lowell system. Stella's hard-hitting style of play made him a force on both ends of the ice and helped him lead the River Hawk forwards with 25 blocks this year. A playmaker, Stella dominated at the dot to lead the team with 257 faceoff wins and post a final .523 faceoff win rate. 
 
"Jake arrived here later in his career. Despite his short tenure, he has gained instant respect from his teammates," remarked Bazin. "His aggressive approach on the ice reinforces what it means to be hard to play against while making valuable on-ice contributions."
 
UMass Lowell finished the 2022-23 campaign with an 18-15-3 (11-10-3 Hockey East) mark. Capping off a highly-competitive season, the River Hawks earned their spot in the Hockey East Tournament, reaching the semifinal round for the third-consecutive season.

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