HAMDEN, Conn. - Quinnipiac seniors Brandon Wong (Victoria, B.C.) and Eric Lampe (Madison, Wisc.) have been announced as Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominees. Wong currently ranks among the ECAC Hockey and national leaders with 12 goals and 12 assists for a team-high 24 points. Lampe checks in with nine goals and a team-best 14 assists for 23 points, also ranking among the league and national leaders.

Awarded annually to college hockey's top player, the Hobey Baker's highly popular fan-voting phase opens on Friday, Jan. 8. Visit the Hobey Baker website, www.hobeybaker.com.  Click on the Vote for Hobey Baker icon and follow the prompts to make your selection from this year's outstanding crop of college hockey players.

This first phase of fan balloting will run now through March 7, 2010.  Phase two of fan balloting will begin on March 19 from the list of Top Ten Hobey Baker finalists.  The fans' vote accounts for a full 1 percent of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year's award recipient.  Bobcat fans should visit www.hobeybaker.com to vote for Lampe and Wong.

Wong has amassed 126 points over his career in Hamden, the third most among active players in Division I men's ice hockey. Wong is also one of two players, along with St. Cloud State's Ryan Lasch, to total 60 goals and 60 assists for their careers. Wong has scored 61 while assisting on 65. As a freshman, Wong scored a career-high 27 goals, while assisting on 17 more for 44 points in his first season of college hockey. That season, Wong was the ECAC Hockey Co-Rookie of the Year, while also earning Third Team honors. He was also the recipient of the George Carens Award given by the New England Hockey Writers as the top freshman in the region. He was named a Inside College Hockey Freshman All-American and a USCHO.com All-Rookie selection before finishing as the runner-up for the National Rookie of the Year Award.  As a sophomore in 2007-08, Wong finished with 37 points, including a career-best 24 assists. Last season, Wong played in just 28 games, totaling 21 points on nine goals and 12 assists. Last season, Wong became the fourth Quinnipiac junior in program history to reach the 100-point mark in three seasons.

Lampe is having a break-out season with the Bobcats after totaling 34 goals and 31 assists entering this season. Lampe's 14 assists through Quinnipiac's first 19 games this year are a career high, while his 23 points are the second highest of his career. In 129 games played, Lampe has tallied 43 goals and 45 assists for 88 points. After playing in all 40 games as a freshman, Lampe has seen an increase in goals scored in each season. Playing on the penalty-kill during his first year. Lampe ranked second nationally in shorthanded goals while lighting the lamp eight times and assisting on 11 more goals for 19 points. As a sophomore, Lampe totaled 12 goals while assisting on seven more to match his first-year point output. Last season, Lampe reached new highs in all offensive categories, scoring 14 goals and assisting on 13 more for a career-best 27 points.

Hobey Baker candidate criteria includes the superlative character traits put forth by the award's namesake, Hobey Baker, a World War I flying ace who was known as America's greatest amateur athlete in his day. Award candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice, contribute to the integrity of his team, and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Consideration should also be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship. In 2005, former Quinnipiac All-American Reid Cashman was a Top-10 Finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

The 2010 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 9, 2010 during the NCAA Frozen Four Championships in Detroit, Mich.  The 30^th annual award announcement honoring college hockey's top player will be televised live during prime time on ESPNU.