LOWELL, Mass. – Junior goaltender
Beni Halasz (Budapest, Hungary) of the UMass Lowell ice hockey team (12-6-2, 5-5-1 Hockey East) has been named to the 2025 Mike Richter Award Watch List, as announced by the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) Tuesday afternoon. The list is compiled of 35 men's NCAA Division I goalies that will compete for the award, which is given to the top goalie in NCAA Division I hockey.
Halasz has had a successful start to his 2024-25 season and River Hawk career thus far, appearing in nine games and starting eight. He currently ranks tied for 19th in the nation with a .926 save percentage, while boasting the 21st-best GAA of 2.13. Halasz sits tied for first in the Hockey East with a .943 conference save percentage and second in conference GAA at 1.84. Overall, his .926 save percentage and 2.13 GAA are both good for third in the conference. He has also collected two shutouts so far this season, coming in consecutive games against UConn (32 saves) and St. Lawrence (20 saves) on November 23 and 29. Former UMass Lowell goalie, Connor Hellebuyck was the first-ever winner of the Mike Richter Award in 2014.
A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, scouts and media — will pare this list down to approximately a dozen semifinalists within the next three weeks and then ultimately choose a winner from three finalists who will be announced in April during the NCAA Frozen Four.
