CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – Following a strong senior campaign for the Union College men's hockey team, senior
Ben Tupker was named the 2024 recipient of the Wayne Dean Sportsmanship Award, ECAC Hockey announced on Thursday afternoon.
"I am extremely honored and thankful to receive the ECAC Hockey Wayne Dean Sportsmanship Award," said Tupker. "It has been a privilege to play alongside such a great group this season. They made it a ton of fun to come to the rink every day and compete. I am extremely excited for the future of the program and can't wait to see what the group accomplishes next year."
The award, announced in November 2022, is named in honor of the late Wayne Dean, the former Yale University Deputy Director of Athletics who played a significant role in the growth and success of ECAC Hockey and NCAA collegiate ice hockey. The award will annually honor an ECAC Hockey student-athlete (men's or women's) who demonstrates the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship; displays the utmost respect for student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and officials, as well as the game/sport; and encourages all individuals to demonstrate good sportsmanship and ethical conduct inside and outside of the competition setting. Tupker is the first men's recipient of the award after Colgate's Danielle Serdachny was named the inaugural winner last season.
"As a coach, I could not be prouder of Ben to receive this award," said head coach
Josh Hauge. "His leadership has been instrumental in changing the culture both inside and outside of our locker room. Ben does things the right way and leads by example."
On the ice, Tupker was a two-year captain for the Garnet Chargers, and was a leader both on and off the ice. Tupker played the game the same way he goes through life: with honest, integrity, and a deep respect for others. This season, he registered a career-high 19 points (9-10-19) with two short-handed goals and a game-winning goal. As captain, he was not afraid to hold his teammates accountable, and worked to establish new pregame and postgame routines as part of changing the team culture.
Off the ice, Tupker embraced the mantra of the Union Hockey family. He ensured that the team is present at other events on campus, cheering on and supporting other teams, and taking part in the larger campus community. He advocated on behalf of his teammates for a Mental Health Awareness Game, which quickly took off into a multi-department effort and turned into a week of initiatives. He was present at several planning meetings, pitching different ideas and ways that his teammates could be involved. He was asked to introduce Victoria Arlen, an ESPN host and Paralympian to the student body, and prepared diligently in order to make sure he did the best job possible. The team ended up raising over $600 for the local chapter of the American Society for Suicide Prevention.
In the classroom, he has one of the highest GPAs on the team and was a member of the 2022-23 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team and a Dean's List student. Under his leadership, the team put forth their highest in-season GPA this past fall term.
"I am very lucky to have played under such an incredible coaching staff who have done so much for me," added Tupker. "I want to thank our amazing support staff including our strength and conditioning coach, Dan Gabelman, our equipment manager, Dave Baglio, and our head athletic trainer, Cheryl Rockwood. Union is a special place and I'll forever be thankful to be a part of the Union Hockey family."
Upon the conclusion of the season, Tupker signed a standard player contract with the Trois-Rivieres Lions, the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, and made his professional debut last night.
