Shane Sellar '15 has greatly impacted the success of the Dartmouth Men's Hockey team this season. He scored three in three for the Big Green, including a game tier against nationally ranked University of Minnesota Duluth. Coming off a three-game win late into the season, Sellar was quoted by College Hockey News as he reflected on the team's performance, "[Early games] were learning points for us, as it taught us to come out each night, play a full sixty minutes...and not let off the gas pedal."
With a team composed of primarily underclassmen, Sellar's eleven-person sophomore class has been crucial to Dartmouth's successes later into this season. This group alone scored twenty-five points in the last eight games, according to Sellar who spoke with us last Monday, January 16. "Last year's group of freshmen were absolutely fabulous. They were a bit under the radar because our record wasn't that good," Dartmouth Head Coach Bob Gaudet noted in an interview with College Hockey News. "Now that those guys are sophomores and have played, they are showing the young guys the right way...we are playing good, solid hockey against good teams (right now)."
The Big Green has been competing against some of the best teams in the country. In a two-game series against #5 nationally ranked University of Colorado Denver, Dartmouth lost 1-0 and then pulled through with a 4-3 win the second night. During the Ledyard Classic, the Big Green won against University of New Hampshire 3-1 and then challenged #14 University of Minnesota Duluth. Sellar scored the goal that tied the score 2-2 and pushed the game into overtime.
While the team is cautiously excited about their performance, Sellar notes, "Right now, we're just focused on what it is going to take us to sustain this level of playing." The team is heading into the playoff season and is hoping to receive a bid that will exclude them from the preliminary round of games. Dartmouth competes against Harvard on February 2, one of their next big games and a longstanding rivalry for the two teams. "The ECAC is a tough league, but we're rivaling some great programs right now," reflects Sellar.
Sellar was captain of the Boys' Varsity Hockey team his Sixth Form year at Canterbury. He served as a proctor in Havemeyer House and as a sacristan. "Life at Canterbury definitely prepared me. We have four or five academic counselors [at Dartmouth] to help the team, but you're expected to prioritize academics and athletics," says Sellar. "With sports then study hall at Canterbury, I'm used to easily switching gears."
Sellar reflected on the challenges that come with being a Division I athlete at an Ivy League school. "Most professors get it - they get your practice schedules and game schedules. They're super understanding, but you're still expected to be a student, get all your assignments in on time."
Sellar plans to graduate with his BS in Biology and a minor in Anthropology; he is also on the pre-med track. "I'm open to options after college with hockey and everything else, but I'm really just taking it day-by-day," he notes.
This past weekend, Dartmouth faced off against #2 nationally ranked Clarkson University where Canterbury alumnus Nic Pierog, '12 is the Team Captain. The Big Green beat the Golden Knights 3-2 and ended Clarkson's 15 game winning streak, one of the longest in the program's history.
Photo by Gil Talbot, Dartmouth College