General | 6/27/2023 9:51:28 AM
Henry McKinney of the Nazareth university men’s ice hockey team was named the 2022-23 Empire 8 Co-Male Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year, based on a vote by the conference Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs). The award honors a male student-athlete who best exemplify what it means to be a dedicated scholar and athlete over the course of their collegiate careers.
McKinney emerged as a valuable member of the Golden Flyers men’s hockey team, earning CCM/ACHA All-American honors in 2022-23, while leading Nazareth to its best season in program history. He enjoyed a tremendous senior season for the Golden Flyers, who advanced to their first United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Championship game, finishing 18-8-2. McKinney, an All-UCHC first team selection, tallied 38 points (ninth nationally) on 10 goals and 28 assists, while recording a plus-29 rating. He had a point in 20 games and recorded 12 multiple-point outings. McKinney recorded seven points in three postseason games to earn 2022-23 UCHC All-Tournament Team honors.
“Henry’s drive and work ethic is second to none,” said George Roll, Nazareth Men’s Hockey Coach. “He is extremely committed on and off the ice. Henry was voted MVP of our team by his peers, and he was instrumental in providing leadership to a very young team. He is well respected by his teammates and was certainly the driving force behind a very successful season. He committed to his studies, excelled in the classroom and is driven to be the best version of himself with every endeavor he undertakes.”
In four seasons with the Golden Flyers, McKinney tallied 73 points on 21 goals and 52 assists in 90 career games. He added four shorthanded goals and won 659 face-offs. McKinney was named Nazareth’s Rookie of the Year in 2019-20.
“Henry is a model student-athlete, and a great example of how hard work pays off,” said Empire 8 Associate Commissioner Joe Venniro. “His growth on the ice over his four years at Nazareth was remarkable, culminating with All-American honors this season. The maturity and drive he has shown as a student are also a product of the important role that intercollegiate athletics plays in higher education. I am excited to see what Henry can accomplish in the future.”
A native of Washington, D.C., McKinney earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Nazareth, while carrying a 3.9 cumulative grade-point average. He also minored in mathematics, analytics and finance. McKinney was a seven-time member of the Empire 8 President's List for student-athletes maintaining at semester GPA of 3.75 or higher. In addition, he was a member of the Pi Mu Epsilon Math Society, was a two-time Nazareth Scholar Athlete of the Month and winner of Nazareth’s prestigious Kidera Scholar-Athlete Award.
“In every aspect of Henry’s studies, he demonstrates the qualities that I see in the most outstanding undergraduate students: resolute, creative, thoughtful, and self-directed,” said Wendy Norris, Assistant Professor of Social Computing and Founding Faculty of Ethical Data Science and Institute for Technology, AI and Society at Nazareth. “Superseding his peers, Henry has gone above and beyond on his own initiative to expand his knowledge of other programming languages and ethical technical development design processes with self-study, experiential learning, and seeking out mentoring opportunities. Henry is an exceptional candidate for this honor who possesses the
intellect and sense of purpose that embodies the ideal student-athlete.”
2022-23 Empire 8 Male Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year Finalists
Colin Schultz, Alfred University – Swimming and Diving
Oscar Munoz-Trinidad, Elmira College – Volleyball
Nicholas Canney, Hartwick College – Swimming and Diving
Isaiah Miller, Houghton University – Soccer
Henry McKinney, Nazareth University – Ice Hockey
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The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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