EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — As the LIU men's hockey team prepares to hit the ice against No. 16 Penn State, head coach Brett Riley introduced the Sharks' new leadership core.

It again is headlined by senior forward Jack Quinn, who returns as team captain for the second year running.
 
"Jack embodies our culture and has been instrumental in the growth of our program since he arrived at LIU in 2020 during our inaugural season," said Riley, who enters his fourth season as Sharks head coach.
 
Sharing the leadership spotlight is Jordan Di Cicco, who proudly sports the "A" as an alternate captain for the second consecutive year. Entering his fourth season at LIU, Di Cicco brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the team's dynamics on the blue line.

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But this isn't just a two-man show. Riley appointed four additional alternate captains, who are poised to make a significant impact as the Sharks seek to build on their program-record 13-win season from 2022-23. Last season was highlighted by a 3-2 win against then-No. 12 Ohio State. 
 
Nolan Welsh and Preston Brodziak have earned their stripes as senior leaders and will serve as alternate captains.
 
"Jordan, Preston and Nolan have been key team members since the program's inception and have worked tirelessly to build our culture on the ice, in the classroom and throughout the community," Riley said.
 
Adding his weight to the leadership corps is defenseman John Gormley, who will also wear the coveted "A" on his sweater for the 2023-24 campaign. The Bronx native enters his junior season as a heavyweight on the blue line.
 
Lastly, Grayson Constable, entering his first season with the Sharks, adds a fresh perspective to the leadership core. Constable brings a solid background, having earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Holy Cross in the spring of 2023. He brings a wealth of experience from his time with the Crusaders, where he served as team captain during his senior year.
 
"Constable and Gormley round out the strong group and live our values daily and embody our '24/7, 365' mantra," Riley said. "It is an exciting time for our program, and we look forward to taking the ice in game action this weekend." 
 
LIU opens its season against No. 16 Penn State inside the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow at 7 p.m. Saturday.