BOSTON, Mass. – Norwich men's ice hockey freshman Frank D'Ancona (Fort Myers, Fla.) has been named Norwich University's semifinalist for the Joe Concannon Award, as announced by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.

The Joe Concannon Award is presented annually to the top American-born Division II/III men's ice hockey player in New England. D'Ancona is one of 36 semifinalists selected from a watch list of more than 100 student-athletes across the region.

A key contributor in his first collegiate season, D'Ancona is one of just five freshmen to earn semifinalist recognition this year. He currently ranks fourth in the Little East Conference (LEC) in assists and sits second in the league in faceoff winning percentage, playing a major role in Norwich's offensive production and puck possession throughout the season.

"This year has seen the greatest level of parity ever at the DII/III level," said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello. "A watch-list greater than ninety players showcased a considerable number of outstanding players throughout the season to date, which has made this year's group of nominees a diverse group across the region it represents. The 36 semifinalists represent a deserving pool for consideration in this, the Silver Anniversary of the Joe Concannon Award. We expect to see the strongest contenders for the award emerge over the final weeks of the regular season, as conference championship tournaments lead to the NCAA title chase in March. The committee will be watching closely to see which players rise to the top for this year's 25th edition of the Concannon Award."

D'Ancona seeks to become the third Cadet to win the Joe Concannon Award, joining Keith Aucoin '01 and Colin Mulvey '13 as previous Norwich recipients. The award winner will be announced before the Division II/III Frozen Four begins in late March.