WORCESTER, Mass. - Holy Cross head men's ice hockey coach Bill Riga has announced the program's incoming class for the 2026-27 season. The slate of new Crusaders consists of nine freshmen: Cooper Conway, Daniel D'Alessandro, Drew Dellasalla, Ryan Flaherty, Preston Lounsbury, Christian Maro, Jack Martin, Bode Sampair, and Connor Towle, and three transfers: A.J. Lacroix, Jack Larrigan, Ben Riche.
 
"This first-year class brings a variety of skill sets with demographics indicative of the landscape of college hockey recruiting," said Riga of the incoming group. "Between the USHL, CHL, and other junior leagues, combined with our transfer class, we are excited for their potential impact in the fall and look forward to getting going."

Take a closer look at the incoming group of nine forwards, two defensemen, and a goaltender:
 
Cooper Conway | F | 6'1" | 180 | Andover, Minn. | Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)

• Played juniors for the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) under head coach Evan Dixon, recording 21 points on six goals and 15 assists in 32 games.
• Also played one season for the Corpus Christi Ice Rays (NAHL), recording 55 points on 21 goals and 34 assists in 55 games.
• Played high school hockey for Andover under head coach Mark Manney.
• Helped team to a Minnesota State Title in 2022, and a third-place finish in 2023.
• Earned All-Conference and All-State honors and was a finalist for Mr. Hockey in 2023.
• Set the Andover record for goals in a single season in 2023 with 48, and finished his career with 132 points on 67 goals and 65 assists in 71 games.

Daniel D'Alessandro | D | 5'9" | 180 | Essex Fells, N.J. | Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)

• Played junior hockey for the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) under head coach Jason Kersner, finishing career with nine points in 33 games.
• Also played for the Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) under head coach Geoff Grimwood.
• Served as an assistant captain in 2025-26.
• Helped team to the Coastal Conference Championship series and was selected to the BCHL Rising Stars All-Star Game in 2024-25.
• Finished career with Victoria with 36 points in 63 games.
• Played two seasons of high school hockey at the Delbarton School under head coach Bruce Shatel.
• Earned All-Gordon Conference Third Team honors and helped the team to the Non-Public School State Championship game in 2022.
• Captained the Long Island Gulls AAA teams that won the 2023 16u New York State Championship and National Championship and the 2024 18u New York State Championship.

 
Drew Dellasalla | F | 6'0" | 180 | Rye, N.Y. | Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)

• Played juniors for the Chilliwack Chiefs in the BCHL under head coach Brian Maloney.
• Finished time in Chilliwack with 11 points on four goals and seven assists in 25 games.
• Also played for the Lincoln Stars (USHL) under head coach Rocky Russo.
• Helped team to the 2024-25 Anderson Cup, finishing his time in Lincoln with 21 points on seven goals and 14 assists in 67 games.
• Played high school hockey at Brunswick (Conn.) under head coach Michael Kennedy, tallying 76 points on 20 goals and 56 assists in 61 games.

 
Ryan Flaherty | F |  6'2" | 182 | Milton, Mass. | Rochester Jr. Americans (NAHL)

• Played juniors for the Rochester Jr. Americans in the NAHL under head coach Francois Methot.
• Finished time in Rochester with 74 points on 30 goals and 44 assists in 124 games.
• Played high school hockey at Avon Old Farms (Conn.) under head coach John T. Gardner.
• Helped team to a 2023-24 Elite 8 Championship and finished career with 38 points on 16 goals and 22 assists in 54 games.

 
A.J. Lacroix | F | 6'0" | 180 | West Vancouver, British Columbia | Massachusetts (HEA)

• Transfer from Massachusetts (Hockey East) under head coach Greg Carbel, suiting up for 21 games as a freshman.
• Played juniors for the Brooks Bandits (BCHL), Tri City Storm (USHL), and the Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL).
• Finished Chilliwack career with 84 points on 40 goals and 44 assists in 106 games from 2021-23, and recorded 30 points on 15 goals and 15 assists in Tri-City.
• Helped Brooks to a BCHL championship in 2024-25, recording 28 points on 11 goals and 17 assists in 44 games.
• Played high school hockey for the West Vancouver Warriors under head coaches Todd Harkins and John Calvano.
• Served as an assistant captain in his first year, helping team to a CSSHL and and regular season championship in 2018-19.
• Recorded 137 points on 68 goals and 69 assists in 66 games from 2018-2020.

 
Jack Larrigan | F | 5'10" | 185 | St. Louis, Mo. | Notre Dame (Big 10)

• Transfer from Notre Dame (Big 10), where he suited up for 36 games under head coaches Jeff Jackson and Brock Sheahan.
• Earned Big 10 All-Academic honors in 2025-26.
• Played juniors for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders (USHL) under head coach Mark Carlson.
• Finished career in Cedar Rapids with 97 points on 26 goals and 71 assists in 206 games.
• Played high school hockey at Shattuck St. Mary's (Minn.) under head coach Jeff Pellegrini, recording 75 points on 40 goals and 35 assists in 46 games.

Preston Lounsbury | F | 6'0" | 180 | Salisbury, New Brunswick | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

• Played juniors for the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) under head coach Gardiner MacDougall.
• Served as an assistant captain for 2025-26 and earned the team's Student of the Year award in 2024-25 and the Community Player award in 2023-24.
• Earned the QMJHL Most Sportsmanlike Player in 2023-24.
• Helped Moncton to a QMJHL championship in 2024-25.
• Finished career with 172 points in 262 games.

 
Christian Maro | F | 6'1" | 190 | Darien, Conn. | Vernon Vipers (BCHL)

• Split time in 2025-26 with the Vernon Vipers under head coach Matt Cooke and the Coquitlan Express under head coach Jeff Wagner in the BCHL, finishing year with 39 points on 17 goals and 22 assists in 49 games.
• Earned BCHL Coastal Conference All-Star honors in 2024-25 after recording 15 points on seven goals and eight assists in 27 games with the Powell River Kings under head coach Glenn Anderson, before finishing the year with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL) under head coach Yanick Jean.
• Named the Powell River Kings Rookie of the Year in 2023-24 after recording 39 points on 15 goals and 24 assists in 53 games.
• Played high school hockey at Phillips Exeter Academy (N.H.) under head coach Tim Mitropoulos, recording 53 points on 21 goals and 32 assists in 55 games.

 
Jack Martin | D | 6'1" | 197 | Riverview, New Brunswick | Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

• Played juniors for Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) under head coach Joel Perrault.
• Served as an assistant captain in 2025 and 2026.
• Helped Rimouski to a Memorial Cup championship in 2025.
• Finished career with 54 points in 205 games.
• Also played for the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) under head coach Andrew Lord.

 
Ben Riche | F | 5'10" | 200 | Highwood Beach, Saskatchewan | Quinnipiac (ECAC)

• Transfer from Quinnipiac (ECAC), where he recorded four points (1g-3a) in 14 games for head coach Rand Pecknold.
• Played juniors for the Prince George Cougars (WHL) under head coach Mark Lamb.
• Recorded 117 points on 46 goals and 71 assists in 197 games.
• Played high school hockey for the Regina Pat Canadians U18 AAA under head coach Darrin McKechnie.
• Recorded 67 points on 34 goals and 33 assists in 51 games, serving as an assistant captain in 2021-22 and earning Most Valuable Player and top scorer honors.

 
Bode Sampair | F | 5'10" | 185 | Mahtomedi, Minn. | Sherwood Park Crusaders (BCHL)

• Played juniors for the Sherowood Park Crusaders in the BCHL under Brennan Mennard.
• Finished time in Sherwood Park with 63 points on 27 goals and 36 assists.
• Played high school hockey at Hill-Murray under head coach Bill Lechner.
• Served as a team captain and earned All-Conference and All-State honors, Hill-Murray's Most Valuable Player honors twice, Metro-East Player of the Year honors, and was a finalist for Mr. Hockey.
• Finished career at Hill-Murray with 130 points on 64 points and 66 assists in 86 games.

Connor Towle | G | 6'2" | 190 | Fairfield, Conn. | Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)

• Played juniors for the Cape Breton Eagles in the QMJHL under head coach Jason Clarke.
• Finished career with a 12-8-6 record, 2.65 goals-against average, and .914 save percentage in 29 games.
• Played high school hockey for The Hotchkiss School under head coach Michael Doyle.
• Served as a team captain in 2024-25, and finished career with a 2.85 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.
• Earned All-Founders League First Team, All-NEPSAC First Team, USHR NEPSAC Honorable Mention Goalie of the Year, and Flood-Marr All-Tournament Team honors.

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