Backman Named Ivy Rookie of the Year

March 7, 2007

Sean Backman, Yale's leading scorer this season as a freshman, has been named Ivy League Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Ivy. Senior Bill LeClerc was a second-team selection while rookie Mark Arcobello was honorable mention.

This is the second straight season Yale has had the Ivy Rookie of the Year; Michael Karwoski took the honors last winter. Backman, the fourth Bulldog to earn the honor (all since 2001), is the first to make first-team All-Ivy since Chris Higgins in 2003.Backman finished the season with 18 goals and 31 points in 29 games.

Backman, the son of a former New York Ranger and New Haven (AHL) Nighthawk Mike Backman, was one goal shy of the Yale freshman record for goals in a season (19 by Tom Walsh, 1984-85) and was not healthy for the last two games of the year (ECACHL playoffs at Harvard).

Backman, the Feb. 4 ECACHL Player of the Week, was conference rookie of the week on Jan. 8. His 18 goals ranked 20th nationally and were third most by a rookie (most players have at least five more GP). He finished second in the conference and trailed only fellow rookie Brandon Wong (24 goals, 34 GP) of Quinnipiac. Backman is second in conference points per game for frosh (7th overall).

He had two shorthanded goals and one penalty shot goal (Dartmouth) and had a point in 19 of the 29 games including three multiple-goal outings and a hat trick at Quinnipiac.

LeClerc, who was Yale's leading scoring defenseman with six goals and 18 points, earned his second All-Ivy honor (2005-06). He is also an alternate for the 2007 NCAA Frozen Four Skills Competition. Arcobello, second on the Elis with 10 goals and 24 points,led the team with three game-winning scores.

Men's Ice Hockey 2006-07 All-Ivy

First Team

F - *Sean Backman, Yale (Fr., Cos Cob, Conn.)

F - *David Jones, Dartmouth (Jr., North Vancouver, B.C.)

F - Jeff Prough, Brown (Jr., Farmington Hills, Mich.)

D - Sean Hurley, Brown (Jr., Rutland, Vt.)

D - Dylan Reese, Harvard (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.)

G - *Mike Devine, Dartmouth (Jr., Orchard Park, N.Y.)

Second Team

F - Byron Bitz, Cornell (Sr., Corman Park, Sask.)

F - Mark McCutcheon, Cornell (Sr., Pittsford, N.Y.)

F - Darroll Powe, Princeton (Sr., Kanata, Ont.)

D - Bill LeClerc, Yale (Sr., Acton, Mass.)

D - Ben Lovejoy, Dartmouth (Sr., Orford, N.H.)

G - Dan Rosen, Brown (Fr., Syosset, N.Y.)

Honorable Mention

F - Mark Acobello, Yale (Fr., Milford, Conn.)

F - Tanner Glass, Dartmouth (Sr., Craven, Sask.)

F - Lee Jubinville, Princeton (So., Edmonton, Alb.)

F - Ryan Maki, Harvard (Sr., Shelby Township, Mich.)

F - Mike Taylor, Harvard (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.)

D - Max Cousins, Princeton (Sr., Calgary, Alb.)

D - Mike Moore, Princeton (Sr., Calgary, Alb.)

G - Troy Davenport, Cornell (So., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.)

Player of the Year

David Jones, Dartmouth (Jr., North Vancouver, B.C.)

Rookie of the Year

Sean Backman, Yale (Fr., Cos Cob, Conn.)

* = unanimous selection