The Harvard men’s hockey team may have ended its season almost two weeks ago at the NCAA Regionals, but yesterday two of its best players got some of the highest recognition a college athlete can: All-American status.

Crimson captain Dominic Moore and sophomore defenseman Noah Welch were honored by the American Hockey Coaches Association as 2003 Men’s Ice Hockey All-Americans. The national recognition drew strong words of support from coaches and teammates alike.

“I think it’s very, very deserved,” Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni said. “They worked very hard for it.”

“It’s a tremendous honor for each of them and for the Harvard hockey program,” he continued.

Welch’s roommate, sophomore goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris agreed.

“That’s an unbelievable honor—especially Harvard having two All-Americans.”

Grumet-Morris is right; the selections ended an eight-year drought for the Crimson. The last All-American selections to come out of Cambridge were current assistant coach Sean McCann ‘94, Derek Maguire ‘94, and Steve Martins ‘95.

Moore was selected for the First Team in the East, and adds this honor to a laundry list of accomplishments in his senior season that includes 147 career points and 11th place on Harvard’s all-time scoring list, in addition to nods for First Team All-Ivy and First Team All-ECAC. He was joined on the East’s forward line by Chris Higgins of Yale and Ben Eaves of Boston College, both co-Players of the Year in their respective conferences.

“It’s definitely a real honor. . .to be in the company of the best players in the country,” Moore said.

For Moore the selection marked one last piece of recognition in storied Crimson career. For Welch, named to the East’s Second Team, the recognition is just a first step, according to Moore.

“For Noah especially, as a sophomore he’s Second Team,” Moore said. “There’s no doubt in my mind, he’s going to be on the First Team sooner rather than later.”

Welch was extremely surprised when Moore called him immediately after the announcement.

“Dom’s the one who first told me,” Welch said. “My cell phone went off in the middle of lecture and everyone was looking at me.”

People have been looking at him all season, as Welch has gotten accolades from nearly all opposing coaches forced to plan around the 6’4” defenseman’s impact inside the blue line.

Those coaches have likely noticed Welch’s role as the lynch-pin in the second-ranked team defense in the nation, his 28 points for the season and the way he anchored both of the Crimson’s special teams units.