Dartmouth's Dan Shribman Named Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award Winner

 ALBANY, N.Y. - The Hockey Commissioners' Association (HCA) announced today that Dartmouth College senior forward Dan Shribman (Swampscott, Mass.) is the inaugural winner of the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award.

The award was established by the HCA to honor former Army player Derek Hines who was a "consummate team player and team builder." Hines played at Army from 1999-2003 and was a four-year letter winner as well as a co-captain his senior season. He was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in September of 2005.

"Winning an award named in honor of Derek Hines is a huge honor," said Shribman. "To be associated with the qualities that Derek represented is truly humbling and I want to thank the Hines family for considering me. I also want to thank all the people who helped make the last four years of Dartmouth hockey such an incredible experience."

Dartmouth and the Hines family are familiar with each other as Derek's younger sister, Ashley, is a member of the both the Big Green field hockey and women's lacrosse teams.

"We are very pleased that Dan is getting this award," said Stephen Hines, Derek's father. "Dan and our son Derek are very similar in their personalities. We were impressed with Dan's decision to go to South Africa and work with children because that is something Derek would have done and it set Dan apart."

In the spring of 2006, Shribman took the term off to travel to South Africa where he volunteered in several townships as a teacher and a soccer coach. Since the trip was not through Dartmouth, Shribman took the classes he was going to miss before he left, doubling his work load during the busy hockey season.

"My time in South Africa was mind-boggling," Shribman said. "Going there and seeing how they lived completely changed my way of thinking."

Shribman has been a mainstay in the Big Green lineup since the day he stepped on campus. He is a four-year letter winner for hockey while earning one letter for men's lacrosse. Shribman recorded 11 goals and 16 assists in 118 career games. He compiled nine points this season, despite missing eight games due to an injury, the most significant amount of time he missed in four seasons.

"Danny has a boundless amount of energy," said Big Green head coach Bob Gaudet. "His ability to make every line he's on better, his ability to chase down defenders, fight for loose pucks in the corner, his forechecking -- all things that will be missed next season. He will always be one of my all-time favorite players. Dan has given his all for our program. He plays with so much energy, courage and passion. He can make so many things happen when he's out there. He completely embodies what our team is about, both on and off the ice."

Shribman owns a 3.71 grade point average in economics and history. The forward is a three-time member of the ECAC Hockey League All-Academic team and was named Academic All-Ivy for 2006-07.

As a third and fourth line forward, Shribman instantly makes any line better, according to his teammates. As a junior Shribman was awarded Dartmouth's Stan Smoyer Unsung Hero Award which is given to the player who has made an unusual contribution to Dartmouth hockey. The award is earned, in large part, by measure of the intangibles, those factors that cannot always be measured by statistics. The award is named in honor of Bill Smoyer '67, a varsity hockey and soccer player killed in Vietnam.

Each of the six NCAA Division I hockey conferences submitted a nominee for the award that goes to the student-athlete who personifies Hines' spirit and relentless commitment. The winner was chosen by sports information directors from the six conferences, along with representatives from Army hockey and the Hines family.

About Derek Hines

 * Four-year letter winner

* Played in 116 career games with 12 goals and 19 assists

* Named Assistant Captain his senior season

* After graduating from Army in 2003, Hines completed Army Ranger School and Airborne School

* Deployed to Afghanistan in March 2005

* Killed in the line of duty, September 2005

Read more about Derek at GoArmySports.com