« Hockey 2009-10

Martin Nolet

School
University of Massachusetts
Position
Defenseman
Major
Psychology/Pre-Med
G
5
A
4
PTS
9
+/-
-3

Classroom

Nolet has been an outstanding student-athlete at the University of Massachusetts with a 3.95 grade point average.  He is currently majoring in psychology with a pre-med track.  In each of his three previous years, he was named to the Hockey East Academic All-Conference team and earned Hockey East Academic All-Star team honors with the top GPA among league defensemen. Nolet has been a Dean’s List student in each of his six semesters and earned a 4.0 grade point average in four of those.  Additionally, he has served two semesters as a teaching assistant for an abnormal psychology class and has been researching cognitive disorders affecting children with speech problems. Nolet is a member of several honor societies as well.

Character

Recognized by his teammates as a leader, a mentor and a friend, Nolet’s character is a steadfast testament to what college sports are about.  As a French-Canadian, he came to UMass speaking very little English. His first year he worked on learning English so he could effectively communicate with his teammates.  Now, Nolet helps other French-Canadian teammates to make them feel more comfortable in the locker room and on the UMass campus.  His leadership of the team and example in the classroom led to his being named an assistant captain for the 2009-10 school year.  Nolet is a mature young adult who is helpful, considerate and strives to become the best at whatever endeavors come his way.  However, he is always mindful to help those around him become better so that they have a shot at successes in life as well.

Community

Nolet regularly volunteers in the community with the UMass hockey team.  In his time at UMass, he has read to school children, volunteered at food banks and helped teach hockey to local children.  On his own, he worked with a pair of local children this past year helping them work on speech disorders.  With English as a second language, Nolet knows what it feels like to not be able to communicate with others and has tried to help others who have the same issue.

Competition

Nolet has played in more than 100 collegiate hockey games at UMass as a defenseman.  Not only does he take regular shifts on defense, but he also plays a key role on special teams, especially on the penalty kill.  Nolet has been an instrumental figure in the recent success of the hockey team including an NCAA Tournament berth in 2007 and winning the Lightning College Hockey Classic in 2008.  He is widely regarded as one of the top defensive players in Hockey East, often recognized as the best conference in the country.  In addition, Nolet is a true student of the game as he consistently seeks his coaches’ input into how to become a better player.  He is often overshadowed because he is a defensive-defensman and does not put up large amounts of points.  But, his physical presence and tactical understanding of the game make him one of the most important and potent defensemen at UMass.