Air Force senior Austin Schwartz has been named the Atlantic Hockey America Co-Best Defensive Forward for the 2024-25 season.

Schwartz shares the award with Bentley’s Ethan Leyh.

Schwartz is the only player in league history to win the Best Defensive Forward in back-to-back seasons. He is only the third player in league history to win one of the major awards in consecutive seasons (Holy Cross’ Liam McLinskey, Player of the Year, 2024 and 2025, and Sacred Heart’s Breaden Tuck, Sportsmanship, 2023 and 2024). Schwartz won the award last season, becoming the third Falcon to win the award, joining Ben Carey (2015-16) and Brady Tomlak (2019-20).

A team captain from Parker, Schwartz blocked 62 shots this season, the most of any forward in the nation and 24th among all players. This season, he played a key role in the Falcons ranking fourth in the league in scoring defense and ranking in the top 20 in the nation in shots allowed per game. Additionally, this season, he led the team with a career-high 12 goals, including a team-leading four game winners. While playing in nearly every situation in all 40 games, he was called for just three minor penalties all season.

His five career short-handed goals are tied as the most in Air Force’s conference era and tied as the second most in school history.

Back in Colorado, Schwartz played for the Arapahoe Warriors and Colorado Thunderbirds.

Photo/Justin R. Pacheco/Air Force Athletics

(March 18, 2025)