Three members of the Hobart College hockey team have been named to the 2026 Academic All-America® Men’s At-Large NCAA Division III teams, recognizing their achievements both in the classroom and on the ice.
Senior forward Kahlil Fontana and junior defenseman Conor Lally were selected to the First Team, while senior goaltender Damon Beaver earned Second Team honors. The teams are chosen by College Sports Communicators.
The trio helped lead Hobart through one of the most successful stretches in program history. Fontana and Beaver were part of teams that compiled a 116-6-2 record over the past four seasons, winning NCAA Division III national championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025 while advancing to four consecutive title games. Lally has helped the Statesmen post an 87-4-2 record during his three seasons, earning two national championships and three conference titles.
Fontana graduated in May with a degree in business management and entrepreneurship. He was named the 2026 SUNYAC Men’s Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned First Team All-America honors on the ice after leading Hobart with 21 goals and adding 21 assists for 42 points. He finished his career with 42 goals and 46 assists in 116 games and scored the game-winning goal in the 2025 national championship.
Lally, an economics major, also earned First Team All-America recognition after recording 14 goals and 25 assists this season. The SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year helped anchor the nation’s top scoring defense, which allowed fewer than one goal per game.
Beaver graduated with a degree in psychological science after completing one of the greatest careers by a Division III goaltender. The 2026 Sid Watson Award winner posted a 20-1 record this season with a 0.99 goals-against average, a .951 save percentage and seven shutouts. He finished his career with a 73-5-1 record and set the Division III career record with 26 shutouts.
This marks the second time since 2023 that Hobart has placed three players on the Academic All-America teams. Since the program’s first Academic All-American was honored in 2006, Hobart hockey players have received the recognition 12 times, including 10 selections over the past four years.
Across all sports, Hobart and William Smith student-athletes have earned 81 Academic All-America awards since 1979.
The Academic All-America program recognizes student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically. Nominees must maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, be at least sophomores academically and athletically, and be starters or key contributors for their teams.
