BOSTON – Suffolk men's hockey head coach Chris Glionna has announced that Brian Brooks and Joe Vingi will share captain responsibilities with Jack Kelly and Phil Kreuser both served as assistant captains for the 2019-20 campaign.
The quartet of Rams is the largest leadership group for the men's hockey program since the 2014-15 season when there were a pair of captains in Andrew Ball and Tim Sprague and two assistant captains in Tim Benedetto and Shaughn Shields. With the duo of juniors and seniors sporting a letter this year close to 70 skaters have donned one on their Suffolk sweater since 1980-81 when James Tropsa led the blue-and-gold.
"I believe the four members of our leadership group have the qualities and characteristics needed to lead our team this year as we hope to continue our success," Glionna said.
Brooks and Kelly have been staples in the offensive zone since joining Suffolk ranks. Over 61 games played in three seasons Brooks, who hails from Canton, Massachusetts, has assembled a stat line of 19 goals, 29 handouts for 49 points. Kelly, meanwhile, is just 11 points shy of Brooks mark. In two seasons the forward from Arlington, Massachusetts, has registered 38 points (18g, 20a) highlighted by team-high 23 a year ago.
Kreuser brought his talents to Boston last season after starting his collegiate career at Nazareth. The Lambertville, Michigan product helped Suffolk open action in the NEHC with a two-goal effort over 17 appearances in 2018-19.
Vingi is the lone blueliner in the group. The Narraganset, Rhode Island local made his presence known last season, appearing in all but two of the Rams' 25 games. In each of his two seasons at Suffolk he tallied three handouts and one goal to accumulate eight points (2g, 6a).
The foursome will lead Suffolk into its final season in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) with the Rams heading back to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) with the entire Suffolk Athletic department's move next year 2020-21.
With the two exhibition contests in the books – a 5-2 victory over Albertus Magnus (Oct. 19) and a 4-0 shutout of Framingham State (Oct. 26) – Suffolk has its sights on its season opener, which is set for Friday, Nov. 1 at Franklin Pierce. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.