PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference has announced its All-Conference honors in men's ice hockey and two UMass Dartmouth student-athletes have been recognized. Senior
Tyler Stewart was tabbed to the First Team, while freshman
Kailin Chen was named to the All-Rookie Team. It marks the third straight year-end honor for Stewart and the first for Chen.
Stewart, a senior leftwing from Pittsburgh, Pa., played in all 25 games for the Corsairs this season. He led the team in every offensive category with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points – all career-high season numbers. Of his 21 goals, 10 came on the power play and three were game-winners. Stewart also posted a league-high four hat tricks and had 131 shots on the season.
Currently, Stewart continues to lead the Little East Conference in goals, assists, points, power-play goals, hat-tricks, goals per game (.84), assists per game (.96) and points per game (1.80). He also ranks third in total shots and shots on goal.
Among the Division III leaders, Stewart is national leader in points per game. He also ranks second in power play goals, third in goals per game and ninth in assists per game. Stewart is a two-time semifinalist for the Joe Concannon Award with this year's honors being announced at the Frozen Four in April.
Last season, Stewart – an All-Conference First Team honoree - played in all 26 games for the Corsairs. He led the team in scoring with 37 points on a team-high 15 goals and 22 assists. Of his 15 goals, six were on the power play, while two were game-winners. He also recorded 125 shots on the season.
During the 2023-24 season, Stewart ranked third on the team with 28 points on a squad-best 17 goals and 11 assists over 27 games played. He recorded a team-high 109 shots and was a +2 on the season. Additionally, he notched a team-high six power play goals and squad-best five game-winning markers. For the season, he was a two-time MASCAC Player of the Week honoree.
As a rookie, Stewart appeared in all 26 games, recording a team-high 23 points on a team-best 10 goals with 13 assists. Posting 94 shots, he saw three of his goals come on the power play, while two were game winners.
Chen, a rookie center who hails from Beijing, China, ranked second on the team in scoring this season through 22 games played. He posted 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points. Of his 14 goals, seven came on the power play, while two were game-winners. He also recorded 46 shots and had a hat trick.
A Little East Rookie of the Week selection this season, Chen currently leads the conference in face-off winning percentage at .584 (283-202). He is also second in power play goals and points per game (1.45). Additionally, Chen ranks third in assists per game (0.82) and shot percentage (.30), while also fifth in goals per game (.64) and points.
Among the national leaders, Chen is sixth in Division III in power play goals and ranks 11th overall in points per game. He is also 20th in goals per game and 21st in assists per game. Chen produced at least one point in 17 of 22 games played, including 10 with two or more points. His rookie season was highlighted by his first collegiate hat trick in a tough loss at Southern Maine in February, where he scored three goals and added an assist.
Chen concluded the 2025-26 season with a two goal, two assists effort in a 7-0 win over WestConn, followed by a pair of assists in a 3-2 win against Keene State on February 20 and 21.
UMass Dartmouth concluded the 2025-26 season with a 12-13-0 mark, going 7-11-0 in their inaugural season in the Little East Conference. The Corsairs had a five-game winning streak during the season, closing with victories over WestConn and Keene State to end the year.
