GLOUCESTER, MASS. — Manhattanville College women’s hockey head coach David Turco was named a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women’s Division III Coach of the Year award. Turco was also named United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Coach of the Year earlier this season on March 4.
After a season of significant on-ice success, Turco becomes one of nine coaches nominated for this year’s award. He led the Valiants to a 17-8-3 record and a trip to the UCHC Championship game this season and became the program’s all-time wins leader with 120, breaking the previous record of 114 wins.
Under Turco’s tutelage the Crimson and White gained national recognition both as a unit and individually. The team boasted the nation’s third-best power play at 27.5% and ninth-best scoring offense at 3.64 goals/game. Several players littered the individual statistical rankings with three players landing in the top 15 in points per game. Junior forward Tianna Lopes (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers (JWHL)) led all Valiants in the category ranking fourth in the country with 1.54 points/game. Senior defender Ali Howard (Rye, N.Y./Rye) led all defenders in points/game with 1.33 and ranked second in power play goals with 11 which was a program record.
Overall, five of Turco’s Valiants received All-Conference honors from the UCHC this season. Lopes and senior defender Zoey Pellowitz (Arlington, Va./Washington Pride (JWHL)) were named to the first team and freshman goalie Lena Flores (Chicago, Ill./Guerin College Prep) was named All-Rookie. Among the honorable mentions were Howard and senior forward Amanda Sabia (Freehold, N.J./The Gunnery).
This is the first time Turco has been named an AHCA Coach of the Year Finalist and it comes in his ninth season as the team’s head coach.
