Army West Point Athletics
Max Itagaki Named to Preseason All-Atlantic Hockey Team; Hockey Tabbed Seventh in AHA Preseason Poll
September 26, 2023 | Hockey
WINTHROP, MA. - Army West Point hockey sophomore Max Itagaki was named to the Preseason All-Atlantic Hockey Team, as voted on by the head coaches, announced today by the league.
The Black Knights also landed at number seven in the Atlantic Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll, with RIT tabbing the top spot with seven first-place votes. Junior forward Joey Baez also received votes for the All-Preseason Team, after earning All-AHA Second Team honors in 2022-23.
Itagaki is the lone underclassmen to land on the six-member Preseason All-AHA team as one of three forwards. The Glenview, Illinois native is coming off a breakout plebe campaign which saw him earn Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year honors. Itagaki led the Black Knights with 33 points this past season, as his 29 assists set a new Atlantic Hockey freshman record. His 33 points ranked second in the entire conference while the 29 assists paced the league in the regular season. Itagaki burst onto the scene with a nine-game point streak beginning with Army's fourth game of the season. He played a key role on Army's top power-play, which ranked second in the league with 33 power-play goals. Itagaki was a two-time AHA Rookie of the Month (November, February) and three-time Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week.
Army is coming off a (14-19-4, 12-12-2 AHA) season in which it secured the No. 5 seed in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament. The Black Knights graduated a pair of All-AHA honorees in Anthony Firriolo and John Keranen, but return Itagaki, Baez and starting netminder Gavin Abric. One of the youngest teams in college hockey with just four seniors on the roster, Army will begin the season at home against Union before heading west to the Ice Breaker Tournament to take on North Dakota and Bemidji State.
2023-24 Atlantic Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk.         Team (1st Votes)               Points
1.            RIT (7)                                  105
2.            Sacred Heart (2)          99
3.            AIC (1)                  90
4.            Holy Cross (1)            82
5.            Canisius                                79
6.            Niagara                                 68
7.            Army West Point          53
8.            Air Force                               47
9.            Mercyhurst                           35
10.      Robert Morris                       30
11.      Bentley                                  27
Atlantic Hockey Coaches' Preseason Co-Players of the Year (Votes)
Carter Wilkie, Jr., F, RIT (9)
Others Receiving Votes:Â Jack Ricketts, Sr., F, Holy Cross; Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Sr., D, RIT
Coaches' Preseason All-Atlantic Hockey Team
Pos.- Name, Class, School
F- Carter Wilkie, Jr., RIT
F- Max Itagaki, So, Army West Point
F- Jack Rickets, Sr., Holy Cross
D- Giovanni Cassaro, Sr., RIT
D- David Melaragni, Gr., Canisius
G- Tommy Scarfone, Jr., RIT
Others Receiving Votes
Forwards-Â Liam McLinskey, Jr., Holy Cross; Jordan Biro, Sr., AIC; Joey Baez, Jr., Army West Point; Shane Ott, Jr., Niagara; Braeden Tuck, Gr., Sacred Heart
Defensemen-Â Brian Kramer, Sr., AIC; Josef Mysak, Sr., Niagara; Conner Hutchison, Jr., Sacred Heart; Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Sr., RIT; Evan Stella, Jr., AIC
Goaltender-Â Owen Say, So., Mercyhurst; Jarrett Fiske, Gr., Niagara; Jason Grande, Sr., Holy Cross
