Brett Gensler ’14 has put up some eye-popping numbers during his time in a Bentley hockey uniform. This season, the winger recorded his 100th career point in just his 88th game — a scoring average that ranks among the national elite.
Last year found Gensler rewriting the Bentley record books at the Division I level, setting new highs for goals (23) and points (50) in a single season. He became the second player in school history to record 50 points, and one of only eight in the NCAA to hit the 50-point milestone last season.
Those numbers were enough to earn Gensler the Walter Brown Award, presented each year to the best American-born player in New England. He beat out competitors from hockey powerhouses including Boston College and the University of Maine.
It’s no small coincidence that Gensler’s arrival dovetailed with a reversal of the Falcons’ fortunes. The team struggled during his first season, before a turnaround last year with Gensler at its center. Leading the offense, he notched at least one point in 31 of 40 games, as the Falcons finished just three points out of first place and advanced to the conference quarterfinals.
Making the Jump
Hailing from the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, Mo., Gensler came to Bentley after two seasons in the United States Hockey League, considered the best junior league in North America for college-bound players. He put up respectable numbers, including 16 goals scored in 60 games during his final season, but nothing to suggest a future among the top players in college hockey.
Several big-time programs came knocking, but all wanted him to play a third season of junior hockey. Feeling ready for the college game, Gensler headed to Bentley.
“I think I’m in a great position here to succeed on the ice and in academics,” says the Management major. “I made a great decision and wouldn’t change it.’’
Singular Focus
Gensler and the team continue to thrive. With talents such as playmakers Alex Grieve ’15 (Calgary, Alberta) and Andrew Gladiuk ’16 (White Rock, British Columbia), defenseman Steve Weinstein ’15 (Los Angeles, Calif.) and goaltender Branden Komm ’14 (Williamsville, N.Y.), the Falcons are among several teams with strong potential to win the Atlantic Hockey title in mid-March.
For his part, Gensler has spent much of the season among the national leaders in scoring. He has been mentioned as a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award – college hockey’s answer to the Heisman Trophy. Whatever the outcome, having a Bentley player in the conversation is a significant accomplishment.
Though individual accolades are nice, Gensler is focused on helping to deliver the program’s first conference title, and with it, a trip to the NCAA tournament.
“Winning the league title would be an unbelievable accomplishment for our team,” he says. “It is something we have thought about since the first day of fall training. All the hard work, hours of practice and travel we’ve put in is for the single goal of playing in the NCAA tournament.”