BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves Wolf Pack Booster Club announced the 2004-05 regular season winners for its Ninth Annual Fan�s Choice Awards.
The following are the award winners announced in seven categories:
Most Valuable Player � Louis Dumont, Center
Fan Favorite � Louis Dumont, Center and Mike Martone, Defenseman
Ralph Coburn Community Service Award � Mike Martone, Defenseman
Offensive Player of the Year � Anthony Battaglia, Left Wing
Defensive Player of the Year � Austin Miller, Defenseman
Rookie of the Year � Mike Jarmuth, Defenseman
Scotty Higginbotham Booster Club Award � Tom Bridges
Most Valuable Player and Fan Favorite � Louis Dumont, Center
Dumont, 32, was the only multiple winner for the Fan�s Choice Awards. A native of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Dumont led the Sea Wolves with five-game winning goals, 46 assists and 66 points. Finishing with 20 goals on the season, the 5-foot-10 and 180-pound Dumont reached the 20-goal plateau for his 11th consecutive professional season. The ECHL all-time leader in assists with 511 and 820 career points, Dumont is in his 11th season in the league and professional hockey. Voted captain by his Mississippi teammates for the first time in his professional career, Dumont appeared in all 72 games during the regular season for the second consecutive campaign with the Sea Wolves.
Ralph Coburn Community Service Award and Fan Favorite � Mike Martone, Defenseman
Named after the Sea Wolves first assistant equipment manager Ralph Coburn, who passed away in the team�s inaugural season of 1996-97, Martone earns the award for the third time. Winning in 1999-00 and 2000-01, Martone demonstrated once again throughout the season a willingness to participate in any and all community events. Volunteering on many occasions to participate in events understanding the kind of impact a role model can make on a child in the community, the 27-year-old Martone went above and beyond participating with several classes in the �Hooked on Reading� program, which encourages children to stay fit through sports and mentally fit through books. A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Martone also helped coach the youth on the Gulf Coast in hockey skills at various clinics. The 6-foot-3 and 210-pound Martone registered three goals, 11 assists, 14 points and 134 penalty minutes in 67 games.
Offensive Player of the Year � Anthony Battaglia, Left Wing
Battaglia, 25, led Mississippi by netting a career-high 27 goals including three shorthand tallies. The 6-foot and 195-pound Battaglia also registered career-highs with 32 assists and 59 points. Named runner up for the In Glas Co ECHL Player of the Week for February 21-27, Battaglia had a six-game point streak (4g-5a) from February 22 to March 4 and scored in four consecutive games (4g) from February 22-27. Tying the team-high with 17 multiple-point games during the regular season, Battaglia was selected Mississippi�s Player of the Month for February by tallying 10 goals and 18 points in 13 games. In his third professional season and second year with the Sea Wolves, Battaglia attended the American Hockey League training camp of the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2004.
Defensive Player of the Year � Austin Miller, Defenseman
Miller, 27, registered a career-high seven goals, 14 assists and 21 points. In his third full professional season and fourth year with Mississippi, Miller had a career-high five-game point streak (2g-3a) from February 8-18. The 6-foot-1 and 210-pound Miller scored the deciding goal in the shootout to give the Sea Wolves dramatic victories on three separate occasions during 2004-05. A native of Vestal, New York, Miller was one of only four Mississippi players to appear in all 72 regular season games.
Rookie of the Year � Mike Jarmuth, Defenseman
Jarmuth, 23, became the first Mississippi player in team history to be named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team. The 6-foot and 205-pound Jarmuth set the team record for the most goals (13), assists (23) and points (36) by a rookie defensemen. Named Mississippi�s Rookie of the Month for October, December, January, March and April, Jarmuth registered a career-high eight-game point streak (5g-6a) from January 15 to February 5 and scored in four consecutive games from January 22 to February 1. A native of Monkton, Ontario, Jarmuth was named runner up for CCM Vector ECHL Rookie of the Month in January and attended the 2004 training camp of the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
Scotty Higginbotham Booster Club Award � Tom Bridges
Named after the first vice president of the Sea Wolves Booster Club. Scotty Higginbotham was always ready to promote Sea Wolves Hockey and the Booster Club. When things needed to be done, Scotty was always the first to say �I'm in!� The award is given to the Booster Club member that best promotes this ideal. Tom Bridges receives the honor for the 2004-05 season.
Season ticket packages for the Sea Wolves 10th Anniversary Season, which begins in October, are on sale now by calling (228) 275-WOLF.
Take advantage of the �Early Bird Special� consisting of free parking, which is a savings of $108 plus save more than $125 off the walk-up prices. The �Early Bird Special� is available until May 13.
