Army West Point will honor Hall of Famers Dave Merhar, George Clark and Dave Rost with a jersey retirement ceremony prior to the Black Knights’ game against Holy Cross on Feb. 6 at Tate Rink.
The trio is set to become the first hockey players to have their jerseys retired and raised to the rafters. The numbers will not be “officially” retired, however, so future players are allowed to wear each number.
Merhar led Army’s hockey team in scoring during each of his three seasons with the varsity, but it was his explosive senior campaign that earned him national acclaim. Merhar erupted for an NCAA-record 57 goals and tallied 50 assists during the 1968-69 season, becoming the first collegiate player ever to surpass 100 points in one year. His 107 points that winter still remain the sixth-highest one-year total recorded in NCAA history while only one player has ever registered more than 57 goals in a season.
One of only four All-Americans in Army hockey history, Clark still stands as Army’s all-time leading goal scorer with 153 markers. A two-time Division II first team All-East selection (1974, 1975), Clark served as team captain during his junior and senior years. He led Army in goals scored during all four years on the ice. Currently ranked third on Army’s career scoring list (266 points), Clark stands 10th among the school’s all-time assist leaders (113).
Clark currently stands tied for sixth on the NCAA’s single-game points scored list.
No player in NCAA hockey history has scored more points than Rost, who compiled an astounding 330 points during his remarkable four-year career at Army.
Rost was tabbed a first-team All-East selection in 1977, capping a sparkling senior season in which he set an Academy record with 108 points, while jointly setting the NCAA single-season scoring mark with Clarkson’s Dave Taylor. The Black Knights’ career assist leader with 226, Rost tallied 104 career goals to graduate in third place in that category. His 66 assists in 1974-75 remain an Academy record.
