[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8020]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           THE NORWICH CADETS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, recognition and congratulations are in 
order for a school and a group of young men known throughout Vermont 
for their honor, integrity and prowess on the hockey rink.
  Norwich University, the nation's oldest private military college, 
sits in the picturesque town of Northfield, VT. It is a quaint college 
town, and it is a unique college, hosting a mix of military cadets and 
more traditional college students.
  The cadets, as their hockey team is known, have a reputation for 
being an NCAA Division III hockey powerhouse. It is cold in Northfield 
this time of year, but a few weeks ago, Norwich University's Kreitzberg 
Arena was warmed by a sellout crowd gathered to watch the Cadets 
capture their second NCAA Division III hockey title in just four years.
  The Cadets staged a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Oswego State on 
March 22 to capture the title. After trailing 1-0 going into the third 
period, Norwich was looking at the possibility of being shut out, 
something that has not happened to the program in 278 consecutive 
games, a streak dating back to the 1993-94 season. Junior defensemen 
Lou DiMasi, a Vermont native, was quoted by the Burlington Free Press 
on the team's third period comeback, saying: ``There was no way we were 
going to let it get away.'' Junior defensemen Aaron Lee scored his 
thirteenth goal of the season in the third period to tie the game, and 
senior team captain Toza Crnilovic notched the game-winning goal for 
the championship.
  Norwich coach Mike McShane has built a remarkable record over the 
past 8 years, winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference East 
crown five times and reaching five ``Frozen Fours.'' Since Mike McShane 
began coaching the Cadets, the team has had five 20-win seasons 
accompanied by a long list of individual accomplishments for members of 
Cadet teams, including national players of the year and a long list of 
All-Americans.
  Following the game, Coach McShane attributed part of the team's 
success to the great support the Cadets have from Norwich and 
Northfield. ``We've got great support here and that helps a lot. You 
saw the president and the chairman of the board of trustees out there 
at center ice in the celebration. You don't see that at many schools.''
  Norwich finished the season with an impressive record of 27-3, and 
many of the Cadets' stars will be returning next year. And, as surely 
as the sugar rises each year in the maples, Vermonters next year will 
be closely following the Cadets through another great season. Until 
next winter, the Cadets have earned the right to bask in the glow of 
knowing they have accomplished another successful season, bought with 
hard work, skill and determination.

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