ROCHESTER, N.Y. – High-scoring defenseman Dan Ringwald was inducted into the Atlantic Hockey Hall of Honor, announced Tuesday.
 
Ringwald is the fourth former Tiger named to the inaugural Hall of Honor class, joining goaltender Jared DeMichiel, forward Matt Garbowsky and goaltender Shane Madolora.
 
The Atlantic Hockey Association is celebrating its 20th season of competition in 2022-23 with the recognition of the top 20 players from the conference's first two decades. This distinguished group will also comprise the first class of inductees into the Atlantic Hockey Hall of Honor. The honorees will be revealed weekly during the 2022-23 regular season with the final player revealed on Feb. 21.
 
The only defenseman in Atlantic Hockey history to record more than 120 career points and more than 100 career assists, Ringwald was the backbone of the defensive corps for three AHA regular season championship squads and RIT's 2010 Frozen Four team.
 
"My time at RIT had a huge impact on my career and life," Ringwald said. "The education helped open many doors for me. Hockey did too, along with creating many lasting memories. Most importantly, I met many wonderful people including lifelong friends and my wife, Jordanne. I'm very thankful for all of my supporters over the years, and am honored to be included with this group of players, in particular those that I had tough battles against, as well as the three others from RIT."
 
The Oakville, Ont., native debuted with RIT in 2006-07, the Tigers' second season in Division I and first in Atlantic Hockey. The Orange and Black stormed to a 20-7-1 record in AHA play to win the regular season title but were not eligible for the postseason as they were still completing their transition phase from Division III. Ringwald registered 20 points on four goals and 16 assists in his rookie campaign
 
As a sophomore in 2007-08, Ringwald hit the 30-assist mark for the first time with 30 helpers and 33 total points as RIT finished second in the AHA standings and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament. The performance earned Ringwald the first of three consecutive All-Atlantic Hockey awards.
 
In 2008-09, Ringwald posted an identical 3g-30a-33p line to his sophomore season that included a 25-assist total in Atlantic Hockey play as he again earned All-AHA accolades. RIT shared the AHA regular season title with Air Force as both squads finished 20-6-2 in conference play. The Tigers again advanced to the AHA semifinals before they were eliminated.
 
After back-to-back close calls, RIT broke through in a big way in Ringwald's final season in Rochester. The Tigers won their third regular season crown with a 22-5-1 mark and captured the Jack Riley Trophy with a 6-1 win over Sacred Heart in the AHA Postseason championship game. The victory sent Ringwald and his teammates to their first NCAA Tournament and the Tigers took considerable advantage of the opportunity. After upsetting No. 1 East Region seed Denver, 2-1, in the first round, RIT routed New Hampshire, 6-2, to advance to Detroit's Ford Field for the Frozen Four. Ringwald notched a pair of assists in the regional, including one on the first-round game-winner, to earn a spot on the All-Region squad. RIT's season came to an end against No. 3 national seed Wisconsin in the national semifinals to bring the curtain down on Ringwald's stellar career.
 
"When I reflect on my time at RIT, I am amazed by the support system. Administration, team staff, players and fans," Ringwald added. "Scott MacDonald was a major reason I attended RIT. Coaches Wayne Wilson, Brian Hills, Dave Insalaco, and Mike Germain were always willing to put in extra time on the ice or in video review, and they gave me a lot of leeway to be creative and play my style. Mark Cesari and Tim Insko helped me a ton off the ice, as did Jeff Siegel, who put up with my quirky equipment needs.

"I was lucky to play alongside many great players (including two other honorees, Shane Madalora and Jared DeMichiel, who bailed me out on several occasions), and even luckier that many became lifelong friends. The fan support at RIT was unmatched - many of my playing memories are memorable due to the fans and the atmosphere that they created."
 
Ringwald finished his career with an Atlantic Hockey defenseman-record 123 points on 21 goals and an AHA blueliner career-best 102 assists. The assist total also ranks second all-time among all AHA players. His 77 assists and 94 points in AHA play are also defenseman career records with the assist total is tied for third in AHA play among all skaters. He was named the AHA's Best Defenseman as a senior in 2009-10 to go along with his three All-AHA nods.
 
"Dan made an impact on our program from the first day he stepped on the ice at RIT," RIT head coach Wayne Wilson said. "The things that stood out most to me about Dan were his leadership, maturity and poise and how those three things rubbed off on our team during his four years. His hockey IQ is was what allowed him to have success in the Atlantic Hockey Association and his professional career.
Dan was the leader of a very talented defensive group and was the guiding force behind four very successful years RIT was to have in College Hockey during his tenure."
 
Following graduation, Ringwald split three professional seasons between Oklahoma City of the AHL and Greenville and Stockton of the ECHL before skating for two seasons in Europe with Bad Nauheim EC in Germany.