Men's Hockey | 3/17/2016 2:48:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomore defenseman Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) of the RIT men's hockey team was named the 2016 Atlantic Hockey Conference Best Defenseman of the Year, as the league announced its award winners at the annual reception, held at Blue Cross Arena on Thursday, March 17. Norrish is the second RIT player to earn that honor, joining Dan Ringwald, who won the award in 2010.
 
Norrish, who was named to the All-Atlantic Hockey first team last week, is enjoying a breakout season, leading all RIT defensemen in scoring with 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists, while playing in 31 games. He was the Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 5 and finished with 18 points in 23 league contests. In two seasons, Norrish has 33 points on nine goals and 24 assists in 70 games.
 
Since Jan. 1, Norrish is second nationally among all defensemen with 17 points on seven goals and 10 assists in 20 games. He has three power-play goals, three game-tying goals, and a pair of game-winning tallies to go along with 29 blocked shots. Last weekend, Norrish scored RIT's opening goal in a 4-1 win over Mercyhurst in game two of the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinal series.
 
"Chase has been outstanding all year," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson. "What's unique about Chase is that he plays both ends of the ice equally well. He can beat you from the blue line with a heavy shot or stand you up at the defensive blue line and turn it into an offensive rush. He has been just a great competitor all year long."
 
RIT, the defending Atlantic Hockey Champions, have advanced to the league semifinal for the seventh time in the last nine seasons. On Friday, the fifth seeded Tigers will take on No. 2 seed Air Force in the second semifinal from Blue Cross Arena at 8:30. Top-seed Robert Morris will face No. 5 Army West Point in the first semifinal at 5:05 p.m. The two winners will meet in the Atlantic Hockey Championship game on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.