ITHACA, N.Y. – The American Hockey Coaches Association announced Thursday that Cornell men's hockey associate head coach Ben Syer has been named the winner of the 2018 Terry Flanagan Award.
 
One of the AHCA's major annual awards, the Terry Flanagan Award is presented to the assistant coach whose career body of work best honors that of the award's name sake, a former player at New Hampshire and assistant coach at Bowling Green. Syer is currently in his seventh season with the Big Red, which currently owns the nation's best winning percentage (.853) and is ranked fourth in the country with a 14-2-1 record heading into this weekend's two games against Colgate. Among his many duties at Cornell, Syer is the primary manager of the squad's vaunted defense – which is not only the second-stingiest unit in the nation, surrendering an average of just 1.71 goals per game – but has also produced 15 goals in just 17 games. He also logs countless hours and miles as the team's recruiting director.
 
"He can hold court with a group of assistant coaches on the road with the best of them," said Mike Schafer, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Men's Hockey at Cornell, adding that this is the first time he's nominated anyone for a major AHCA award in his 23-year tenure at the helm of the Big Red. "He knows the elder statesmen, but he also knows the young guys like Terry did. He would make sure to say hello to everyone in the rink and lend a helping hand to young assistants. I admired Terry for this. He and his family are of the highest character, upfront and honest."
 
Syer arrived at Cornell after a 12-year stint with Quinnipiac, which joined the ECAC Hockey ranks during his time with the then-fledging Division I program.
 
"Benny reminds me also of Terry because he has the same character, truthfulness and honesty and integrity that represents Ben, but also our program and the program before him at Quinnipiac," Schafer added. "He helped establish the program there and is as loyal a coach to Rand Pecknold as he is to me."