BOSTON -- University of New England men's ice hockey senior goaltender Billy Girard IV has been named as one of 38 semifinalists who will be considered for the 23rd Joe Concannon Award, which recognizes the top American-born NCAA Division II/III hockey player in New England. The announcement was made Thursday (Feb. 8) by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.

The award is named after long-time Boston Globe sportswriter Joe Concannon, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics. Finalists for the award will be announced in early March.

Complete release: 23rd Joe Concannon Award Semifinalists

Girard has logged 78 percent of the minutes between the pipes for the nation's 10th-rated scoring defense (1.95), accumulating a 10-4-3 record with a 1.97 goals against average and 0.928 save percentage.

He is the seventh UNE player ever named as a semifinalist for the distinction, following Jared Melman, Trevor Fleurent, Brady Fleurent, Ryan Bloom, Jake Fuss, and Alex Sheehy.