GLOUCESTER, Mass.–Seniors Dino Balsamo (Sterling Heights, Mich./Aston Rebels, NAHL) and Joey Colatarci (Estero, Fla./Summerside Capitals, MHL) have been named to the 2019-20 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) NCAA Division II/III All-America First Team, it was announced by the coaches’ organization on Friday morning. With the duo, Adrian College saw the most selections among four Northern Collegiate Hockey Association schools represented on the AHCA/CCM All-America teams.

Balsamo and Colatarci also both made their All-NCHA debuts during the first week of March.

Balsamo, a forward, enjoyed a career-best season for the Bulldogs, tying for the NCHA lead in points with 27 on 14 goals and 13 assists. In overall games, his point total (19+21=40) included the second-most goals in the league, as well as the most points on the power play (10+9=19). His 1.38 points per game ranked 20th in NCAA Division III. His previous career highs were 13 goals in 2019, 20 assists in 2018 and 29 points last season. Balsamo finished as AC’s active all-time scoring leader with 46+62=108, part of his 48+63=111 total that included the first half of the 2016-17 campaign when he started his career at NCAA Division I Bentley.

Colatarci, an NCHA All-Freshman Team honoree in 2017, also enjoyed career bests of seven goals, 18 assists and 25 total points. His previous bests were four goals in 2019, 13 assists in 2017 and 16 points that year. During his 106-game career, Colatarci racked up 15+45=60 scoring totals. He was named to the NCHA Harris Cup All-Tournament Team.

Balsamo and Colatarci this season helped Adrian to a 21-5-3 record, sweeps of the NCHA Peters Cup and Harris Cup championships, berth in the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, No. 4 NCAA PairWise ranking and No. 5 final national ranking by USCHO.com. They were part of a senior class that won 85 games, captured three Peters Cup regular-season titles, the 2020 Harris Cup and three NCAA tournament appearances.

All told, Adrian has produced including 23 AHCA All-America citations by 18 Bulldogs since the program’s founding in 2007-08, including 14 of those awards coming under six-year head coach Adam Krug ’12. Balsamo and Colatarci are the first pair of Bulldogs named first-team All-America since Kyle Brothers and Josh Ranalli in 2015.