LOWELL, Mass. – After unveiling his 2023-24 captains earlier this month, UMass Lowell Ice Hockey Head Coach
Norm Bazin rounded out his leadership group for next season with the announcement of two assistant captains on Friday.
The veteran coach, who will be entering his 13
th season at the helm of the River Hawk program in 2023-24, has named rising senior
Brehdan Engum (Burnsville, Minn.) and rising junior
Owen Cole (Dunnville, Ontario) as assistant captains for the new year.
Engum was an important piece of the River Hawk defense in 2022-23, as the blueliner appeared in all 36 of the team's games. He led the squad and tied for seventh in Hockey East with a career-high 60 blocks, in addition to totaling one goal and four assists for five points on the other end of the ice. Also a vital member of the River Hawk penalty kill, he helped the team finish 11
th in the nation this season with an .842 penalty kill percentage. Through his first three collegiate seasons, Engum totals three goals and 11 assists for 14 points with a +8 rating.
"
Brehdan Engum has shown tremendous growth over the last few years," said Bazin. "He has continued to mature over his time here and leads the way in terms of preparation. He will wear an 'A' because he is a culture driver in terms of work ethic and attention to detail. We are excited to have him as part of our leadership team going forward."
Cole was tabbed the team's Most Improved Player in 2022 and carried that momentum into his sophomore season, setting new personal bests for goals (6), assists (8) and points (14) through 33 games in 2022-23. The forward logged what would be the game-winning goal in the opening round of this year's Hockey East Tournament, propelling the River Hawks to the 2-1 victory at UConn and a chance to return to the Garden. A reliable presence on the ice, Cole now totals 24 career points off nine goals and 15 assists for a +7 rating.
"In his short time here, Owen has gained the respect of both his coaches and teammates due to his selfless approach," explained Bazin. "He is a great teammate and intensely focused on winning, channeling all his energy on doing things the right way on and off the ice. We are fortunate to have him join our leadership core for next season."
Off the ice, both Engum and Cole have also been standouts in the classroom, helping their team continue an 11-year run with the top GPA of any UMass Lowell men's team. Both exercise science majors have previously earned spots on the Hockey East All-Academic Team, and Cole was also named a 2022 Krampade/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-Academic Scholar for holding a GPA of 3.75 or greater.
Engum and Cole will join captains, rising senior
Ben Meehan (Walpole, Mass.) and rising graduate student
Jake Stella (Karlstad, Sweden), in setting the tone for the River Hawks' 2023-24 campaign. Bazin expects to add one more assistant captain this fall.
