PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference (LEC) announced its men's ice hockey end-of-season awards on Tuesday afternoon, with four Norwich University players earning All-Conference recognition.

Junior goaltender Sami Molu (Toronto, Ont.) headlined the Cadets' selections, earning LEC Goalie of the Year honors after an outstanding campaign between the pipes.

Molu finished second in the conference in goals-against average (2.06) while leading the LEC in save percentage (.930) and shutouts (2). He also earned LEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after posting a remarkable .984 save percentage across the semifinal and championship games, helping lead Norwich to the inaugural conference tournament title.

"Sami is a pro; he puts in the work every day, and that reflects in his play," said head coach Dominick Dawes '04. "Not only is he the best goalie in the LEC, but he is also one of the best in the country and allows us to win every night."

Molu was also named First-Team All-LEC, joined by junior captain Cooper Bertrand (Caledon, Ont.).

A steady two-way presence on the blue line, Bertrand finished the season as the team's third-leading scorer while leading Norwich with 39 blocked shots. The junior defenseman also played a key role in the Cadets' championship run, recording two points in the LEC Championship game against Babson.

"Coop is our leader and has been since day one, both on and off the ice," Dawes said. "On the ice, he has been a big part of us recreating the identity of Norwich hockey and a treat every time he is out there."

Senior forward Ben van Waterschoot (Whitby, Ont.) earned Second-Team All-LEC honors after leading Norwich in offensive production throughout the season. He finished the year with 29 points, ranking ninth in the conference, while his 21 assists ranked third in the LEC. Van Waterschoot also ranked second in the conference in faceoff percentage (57.8%) and caught fire down the stretch with 26 points since Jan. 10.

"Since January, Shooter has been one of the most productive players in the country," Dawes said. "He wins faceoffs, kills penalties, and scores goals. He has played a major role in this team's success."

Freshman defenseman Ocean Fancy (Orleans, Mass.) represented Norwich on the LEC All-Rookie Team, making an immediate impact on the Cadets' blue line. Fancy played significant minutes throughout the season while contributing at both ends of the ice and helping anchor one of the conference's top power-play units.

"Ocean has had an impact here since day one," Dawes said. "He has played big minutes as a first-year player and continued to evolve. I can't wait to see the player he matures into."

The Cadets now turn their focus to the NCAA Tournament, where Norwich will open postseason play with a first-round matchup at Salve Regina on March 14 at 7 p.m.