Over a month removed a disappointing loss in the first round of the SUNYAC tournament, The Red Dragons are looking back on their record breaking regular season as they head into the offseason.
The Cortland men’s hockey team plans on building off of their record-breaking regular season as they look to fill their needs this offseason. The coaching staff is aware of the challenges of the offseason and are fully committed to keeping their players motivated during this time off.
Head coach Joe Cardarelli praised the team’s bond and how it keeps them motivated throughout the offseason.
“A lot of our culture is about the closeness that the guys have for each other,” said Cardarellli. “At the end of the day, I think that that is a big piece of the puzzle.”
The Red Dragons are not losing a lot offensively as their top five goal scorers for the team this season will be returning next season. Freshmen Colby Seitz and sophomores Domenic Settimo and Anthony Bernerdo each scored more than eight goals this season for the Red Dragons, leading the team through a record breaking season.
“It’s no secret we had one of the most impressive freshman classes in the SUNYAC this year,” Assistant coach Quinn La Rock said. “I know I speak for our entire coaching staff when I say, there is no limit to how good this group can be, and what they can achieve together.”
Their contribution to the team helped break the school record for the highest conference goal differential, which was +23.
Following the season, the SUNYAC announced the 2023 men’s hockey all-conference teams which featured four Cortland players, two of which will be returning next season. Settimo received first team honors and junior Nate Berke was named to the second team. Seniors, Nick Grupp and Luca Durante also received all-conference honors, being named to the third team in their final season with Cortland.
Settimo received multiple team awards to go along with his impressive season with Cortland. He led the team with 15 goals and 29 total points, earning the Mark Tyo Scoring Award, an award given to the team’s leader in goals. Additionally, he was also named the Most Important Player of the season, an award that is voted on by his entire team.
To go along with his team and conference performance awards, Settimo also received the prestigious Red Letter award. The award is given to the “most valuable” player on each varsity team, although requirements also include leadership and athletic ability.
Other team awards included the Hard Hat Award, which was given to Bernardo for his dedication and hard work throughout the season. The third and final team award was the Unsung Hero Award which was given to freshmen Nick Serio because his teammates felt that he did not receive enough recognition for what he provided for the team.
The men’s hockey team has major shoes to fill with the departure of three-year starter Durante, who started in 23 games his last two years for the Red Dragons. La Rock weighed in further on the need at the key position.
“We will be bringing in a goalie this off-season to once again have our goalie room consist of three players,” said La Rock. “We expect those three to have a healthy competition to claim the net.”
The Red Dragons have a lot of work to do this offseason to ensure that they are prepared both mentally and physically for next season’s challenges. The major point of emphasis will be solidifying the goalie position, but depth will certainly be needed elsewhere.
With a strong group of returning offensive players, the team has high hopes for the future. The coaching staff is committed to keeping the players motivated, and the team’s bond will continue to grow throughout the offseason. The Red Dragons will continue to work during their time off and will return this October to make another run at the SUNYAC championship