2024-25 CSC Academic All-District At-Large Teams

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Men's At-Large Teams were released on Tuesday, as juniors Spencer Bellina (Medina, Ohio/Chippewa Steel), Lonan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories), Brannon Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Boston Advantage), as well as sophomore Aaron Catron (Middletown, Del./Philadelphia Little Flyers) and senior Jake Lanyi (North Salem, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers) of the Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team each earned CSC recognition. Bulger and Lanyi repeat as selections in 2025, with Bellina, Butler, and Catron each earning All-District honors for the first time.

The Academic All-District At-Large teams recognize NCAA sports that do not currently have a designated program in the Academic All-America catalog. To be eligible for the ballot as an ice hockey student-athlete, nominees must have competed in 90% of the team's total games and be at least a sophomore academically, and carry a cumulative 3.50 GPA.

Bellina, a junior economics/finance major, served as a co-captain in 2024-25, appearing in all 28 games as one of the team's top defensemen. Over the 28-game campaign, he tallied 11 points, recording 10 assists and scoring one goal, also leading the team with 41 blocked shots. He opened the season with a two-assist game in a 6-3 rout of VTSU-Castleton on Nov. 1 and later had a two-assist game against eventual conference champion Oswego State on Feb. 1.

Bulger, an undeclared junior defenseman from the Northwest Territories, was a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) All-Tournament selection this season, saving his best performances when the team needed him most in the conference playoffs.  He appeared in all 28 games and totaled seven points, tying for third on the team with 25 blocked shots. He was named to the All-Tournament team as he was a key component of the Cardinals dramatic comeback in the SUNYAC Tournament First Round game against Potsdam, scoring two goals and tallying two assists on Feb. 26. Bulger was also recognized as the SUNYAC Elite 20 Award Winner for men's ice hockey, which distinguishes the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the championship game.

Butler, a junior finance major and defenseman, appeared in 27 games this year for the Cardinals, tallying nine points on three goals and six assists. He finished the 2024-25 campaign second on the team with a +10 plus-minus and was also second on the team with 36 blocked shots. His season was highlighted by a three-point outburst against Canton on Nov. 16 when he registered a goal and two assists in a 7-0 win.

Catron, a sophomore business administration major, was one of the most reliable forwards for the Cards in 2024-25, tying for the team lead with 11 goals and appearing in all 28 games. Catron also added six assists on the season for a 17-point campaign and had 61 shots. He recorded a +7 plus-minus and had two game-winning goals. He posted a multi-goal game against Keene State on Jan. 3, with two scores against the Owls, and scored the overtime game-winning goal against Middlebury on Jan. 17 for a non-conference win.  He scored two goals once more against Potsdam on Jan. 22 in a 7-3 win over the Bears and also picked up one of the most important goals of the season with his game-tying goal against Cortland in the SUNYAC Semifinals with just four seconds remaining.

Lanyi, a senior co-captain and business administration major, was a key contributor for the Cards in the 2024-25 season, appearing in 27 games and tallying 18 points. He tied for second on the team with 15 assists and had three goals, winning 300 faceoffs with a 51%-win rate. He had several multi-point games on the year, beginning with a goal and assist against VTSU-Castleton on Nov. 1 and then a two-assist game directly after against Plymouth State on Nov. 8. He also had a goal and two assists in the 7-0 win over Canton and tallied two assists against Buffalo State on Dec. 7. Lanyi also recorded a point in five straight games from Feb. 7 to Feb. 21, including tallying a goal and an assist against Buffalo State on Feb. 14.

The Cardinals wrapped up the 2024-25 season at 16-11-1 (8-6 SUNYAC), reaching the SUNYAC Championship game against Oswego State, where they fell to the Lakers.