Air Force forward Matt Serratore and goaltender Shane Starrett have been named to the Atlantic Hockey Conference (AHC) All-Rookie Team as voted on by the league’s coaches and announced March 3 by the league office.

Starrett, a native of Bellingham, Mass., was a unanimous pick to the team. He has been named the AHC Goalie of the Week four times, the Rookie of the Week once, the Goalie of the Month once and the Rookie of the Month once this season. In league games this season, Starrett led the league with a 1.68 goals-against average and was tied for second with a .931 save percentage. In all games this season, he ranks 11th in the nation with a 2.00 goals-against average, the second best in the nation by a freshman. His .920 save percentage is the fourth best in the nation by a freshman. His four shutouts are most in the nation by a freshman, tied as the best in Atlantic Hockey and the ninth best in the nation,

Serratore’s 10 goals in conference games were the second most of any freshman in the league. The winger from Bemidji, Minn., was tied for sixth with 16 points in conference games. He scored a point in three straight conference games twice this season and tallied a career-best two points (goal, assist) in the regular-season finale at Niagara. He had one power-play goal and one short-handed goal and was a plus-6 in conference games.

Serratore and Starrett are the first Falcons to earn all-rookie honors since goaltender Jason Torf in 2010-11. They are the third and fourth Falcons (Scott Mathis in 2008-09 and Torf in 2010-11) to be selected to the All-Rookie team since Air Force joined Atlantic Hockey in 2006.

Air Force is 18-11-5 overall and is the No. 2 seed in the AHC playoffs with a league mark of 16-7-5. The Falcons earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will host a quarterfinal series March 11-13 at the Cadet Field House. Air Force’s opponent will be determined after this weekend’s first-round series.

Photo/Team DMI