University of Massachusets Athletics
Olympians, All-Americans, NHL Members Highlight UMass All-Decade Team
February 21, 2010 | Hockey
Feb. 21, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - Two Olympians, three All-Americans and three NHL players headline the UMass All-Decade Team as voted on by fans at HockeyEastOnline.com and sponsored by Torpso Hockey. The 12-member team includes three current Minutemen and members of the 2004 Hockey East Finalist and 2007 NCAA Tournament Teams.
The All-Decade Team is made up of goalies Jon Quick and Gabe Winer; defensemen Justin Braun, Marvin Degon, Mike Kostka, Thomas Pock; and forwards Matt Anderson, James Marcou, Greg Mauldin, Cory Quirk, Casey Wellman, and Stephen Werner.
The team was announced on Saturday, Feb. 20 during the game against Merrimack.
Some of the greatest scoring names in the program's Modern Era history comprise the list of seven forwards including current Minutemen James Marcou and Cory Quirk who each have over 100 career points.
Currently with Team USA at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Jon Quick has become one of the most well-known UMass alums and is currently on of the top goalies in the NHL with the L.A. Kings. Thomas Pock played for Austria in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and enjoyed an NHL career with the New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
Quick and Pock were also All-Americans alongside current forward James Marcou. Marcou is currently one of the top candidates for the 2009-10 Hobey Baker Award and is one of the top point scorers in the country. Casey Wellman has been one of the top goal scorers nationally and in Hockey East for much of the season and is considered a top All-American candidate this season.
Voting for the Hockey East All-Decade Team at HockeyEastOnline.com is still on going. The Hockey East All-Decade Team will be announced during the 26th Annual Hockey East Championship Tournament at TD Garden in Boston on March 19-20.
GOALIES:
Jon Quick (2006-07)
Jon Quick was named a second-team All-America selection after backstopping UMass to its most successful season ever. The Minutemen sophomore goaltender paved the way to the NCAA Tournament and the first ever NCAA Tournament victory for the program. Quick shattered all single season goaltending records while allowing two or fewer goals in 23 of 37 games played during his sophomore season. Ten of his wins during his sophomore season came against ranked teams, with 17 30+ saves performances in the process. Quick signed with the Los Angeles Kings at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, forgoing his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility. With the Kings, Quick has grown into one of the premier goalies in the NHL and was named to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Team for the United States.
Gabe Winer (2003-06)
Gabe Winer played a key role in UMass' rise to the tops of Hockey East. Winer was the backstop of the program in each of its appearances in the Hockey East Championships in 2003 and 2004. Although Winer missed most of the 2004 Hockey East Playoffs with an injury, he returned for the Hockey East Championship with an unbelievable performance in UMass' thrilling triple overtime game against Maine in 2004. Winer holds several UMass records, including games played, minutes played, and most wins with 50. Winer finished his career with a 2.83 goals against average and a .891 save percentage.
DEFENSEMEN:
Thomas Pock (2001-04)
Thomas Pock entered the UMass Hockey program as a highly-regarded forward and left as one of the country's top defenseman. Pock rewrote the record book, setting every defenseman scoring record to date, while accomplishing these feats in only two years. In his final two years at UMass, Pock led the Minutemen to a 38-29-7 record and two appearances at the Fleetcenter for the Hockey East Championships. He was UMass' first ever Hobey Baker finalist and was named insidecollegehockey.com's National Defenseman of the Year following his senior season. For his career, Pock tallied 44 goals and 58 assists in 130 games, tied for sixth in career points at UMass. In 2004, he was named UMass' first All-American since 1972. Three days following his senior season, Pock signed a free agent contract with the New York Rangers and scored a goal in his first game, the same day he signed the contract. Pock was also a member of the 2002 Olympic Team for Austria.
Justin Braun (2006-pr.)
Braun was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 201st overall pick in 2007 before being traded to the San Jose Sharks, and has emerged as one of the country's premiere defenseman. In his career with the Minutemen, Braun has amassed 18 goals and 61 assists in 144 consecutive games. During his career, he has earned Hockey East All-Star and All-Rookie honors and was the UMass Team MVP last year. In 2009-10, he served as a team co-captain after serving as an assistant captain in 2008-09.
Marvin Degon (2002-06)
Captain of the Minutemen during the 2005-06 season, Degon led the team in scoring with 10 goals and 19 assists. For his career, Degon totaled 27 goals and 56 assists in 146 games. He also holds the school record for career power play goals with 20 and power play goals in a game with three. As a freshman, Degon was named the Hockey Easy Rookie of the Month in February, and was named to the Hockey East All-Conference First Team as a senior. He was awarded the team's Most Valuable Player as a senior. Degon is currently in the Montreal Canadiens system.
Mike Kostka (2005-08)
Captain of the Minutemen during the 2007-08 season, Kostka was an integral part of the Minuteman defense during his four years at UMass. For his career, he tallied 15 goals and 38 assists in 143 games. Kostka helped lead the Minutemen to their first mid-season tournament title with wins over No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 4 Colorado College last season. Kostka was named to the Hockey East All-Academic team in each of his four seasons with the Minutemen. He was also named the UMass Most Valuable Player during his senior year.
FORWARDS:
James Marcou (2007-pr.)
In his three seasons at UMass, Marcou has already etched his name in program history as an elite player after being named an All-American in 2008-09. In 105 career games, he has 33 goals and 89 assists. His 122 points ranks 4th all-time while his 89 assists ranks second. In 2007-08 he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, while in 2008-09 he earned Hockey East First-Team honors. A three-time semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, Marcou's is also a frontrunner for the Hobey Baker Award thanks to his dynamic play-making abilities.
Casey Wellman (2008-pr.)
In just two seasons at UMass, Casey Wellman has shown himself to be one of the top scoring forwards at UMass and in Hockey East. The 2008-09 Hockey East Rookie Scoring Leader and member of the All-Rookie Team, Wellman became one of the nation's elite goal scorers in 2009-10 leading the country for much of the season. In 69 career games, he has 30 goals and 39 assists as UMass' second leading scorer in each of his two years. He is a semi-finalist for the 2009-10 Walter Brown Award and a leading candidate for All-American honors.
Cory Quirk (2006-09)
A captain during the 2008-09 season, Quirk became just the seventh player in program history to eclipse the 100-point plateau. For his career, the center had 43 goals and 60 assists for 103 career points which ranks fifth all-time at UMass. The 2005-06 UMass Rookie of the Year, Quirk was known for his hustle defensively just as much as he is for his play-making abilities. As a sophomore during UMass' run to the NCAA Tournament, Quirk was tied for the team lead in goals scored (13).
Matt Anderson (2003-07)
The 2006-07 team captain was a two-time Hockey East All-Academic pick who was also honored with UMass' Minuteman Award as a senior which recognizes dedication, determination, character and sportsmanship. Anderson finished his career with 91 total points (34g, 57a) which is tied for 15th all-time in program history. Anderson overcame shoulder surgery in 2003-04 and a leg injury that cut short his 2004-05 season. He capped his career with a goal in the NCAA Quarterfinals against Maine. Anderson is currently in his fourth season with the defending AHL Champion Chicago Wolves.
Greg Mauldin (2002-04)
Mauldin was one of the top forwards in Hockey East during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. As a junior he was named to the Hockey East All-Conference Honorable Mention Team, while as a senior he was one of four Minutemen named to the All-Tournament Team after guiding UMass to its first ever Hockey East Championship Game. He netted 94 career points which is tied for 13th most all-time in UMass history. He was one of the top goal scorers in program history with 48 which ranks sixth all-time. He is the only player since 1997 to score 20+ goals in a season and one of only 15 players to do so in the program's 76 year history. Mauldin was a 2002 Draft pick of Columbus and played six games with the Blue Jackets following his senior season. He is currently in his third season with the Binghamton Senators of the AHL.
Stephen Werner (2003-06)
Werner was the highest drafted player to come to UMass until Jon Quick came to Amherst. A third-round pick of the Washington Capitals, Werner did not disappoint fans as he tallied 116 career points which is the fourth-most all-time at UMass. His 50 goals are tied for the fourth most, while his 66 career assists are the fifth most in program history. Werner was the team Rookie of the Year and a unanimous pick to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2003-04. In 2003-04, he was named the team's MVP. The two-time captain also suited up for Team USA's World Junior Championship Team and helped the Minutemen to the Hockey East Championship Game in 2003-04.
