ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell men's hockey freshman forward Gio DiGiulian has been named the Bitcoin ECAC Hockey's Rookie of the Week, the league announced this afternoon (Nov. 3), following an impressive opening weekend performance that saw him score goals in both of the Big Red's season-opening contests against No. 13 UMass.

DiGiulian made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, becoming just the fourth Cornell freshman since 1975-76 (the first year first-years were eligible to play) to score in the program's first two games of a season. He is the first Big Red player to accomplish the feat since defenseman Sasha Pokulok in 2004-05 and the first forward to do so since Kent Manderville in 1989-90. Trent Andison (1987-88) was the first Cornell freshman to achieve the milestone.

The hot start by the South Burlington, Vt., native also places him in elite company in program history, as DiGiulian became the 12th Cornell freshman to score multiple goals within the first two games of a season — the first to do so since forward Joel Lowry and defenseman Joakim Ryan both tallied two goals through the opening weekend in 2011-12. His goal in the season opener also marked the eighth consecutive season opener (and ninth time in the last 10 seasons) that a Cornell freshman has found the back of the net in the Big Red's first regular-season game.

DiGiulian's early success extends beyond Cornell's record books, serving as one of seven Division I freshmen this season to begin their collegiate careers with goals in the first two games, joining Lake Superior State's Calem Mangone, Maine's Jaden Lipinski, Miami's Justin Stupka, Michigan's Cole McKinney and Malcolm Spence, and UMass' Lukáš Klečka.

The freshman forward's two goals tied him with Clarkson's Owen Van Steensel and Dartmouth's Ryan Schelling for the ECAC Hockey lead in goals by a freshman this past week. DiGiulian was also tied for the third-most goals scored by any player in the conference.

Cornell (1-1-0) returns to action this weekend when it travels to northern New England to begin ECAC Hockey play against Harvard (0-0-1) and Dartmouth (2-0-0). Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. puck drops, with game action streamed live on ESPN+.