Kieran Cebrian Named Denver Hockey Team Captain
9/23/2026 2:08:00 PM | (1) Ice Hockey
Cale Ashcroft, Sam Harris, Jake Fisher and Kyle Chyzowski also on 2026-27 leadership group as alternate captains
DENVER – The University of Denver hockey team announced today that senior Kieran Cebrian has been named the 97th captain in program history. Joining Cebrian on the Pioneers' 2026-27 leadership group are fellow seniors Cale Ashcroft and Sam Harris, junior Jake Fisher and sophomore Kyle Chyzowski.
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"I am excited to announce our leadership group for the 2026-27 season, with Kieran Cebrian serving as our team captain," said Richard and Kitzia Goodman Hockey Head Coach David Carle. "Kieran has been part of the Denver hockey family since he was a child skating for the Jr. Pioneers program and has earned this honor. This is a veteran leadership group with him, Cale, Sam, Jake and Kyle, and they understand the commitment to uphold our standard and representing our program with pride. They have the trust and respect of their teammates, and I'm confident they will be able to lead us through the challenges ahead as we defend our national title."
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Cebrian (SEB-ree-en) is a two-time national champion, as he won titles with DU in both 2024 and 2026. He has suited up in 123 games in his collegiate career and has totaled 45 points on 15 goals and 30 assists while also recording a +45 plus/minus rating. The forward has won 53 percent of his faceoffs since stepping on campus in 2023 (1011-of-1908), including winning 11 draws in the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals against Michigan.
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The Denver native and former Jr. Pioneer recorded career highs with 11 assists and 17 points during his junior campaign and tied a personal best with six goals while playing in all 43 games. He earned 2026 NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team honors after combining for two goals and an assist in games against Cornell and Western Michigan on March 27-29 in Loveland, Colorado. Academically, Cebrian is a three-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar and member of the Academic Honor Roll.
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This is the first time that Cebrian has served as team captain since also being in that role with the Colorado Thunderbirds 16U AAA in 2019-20.
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Ashcroft has skated in 124 games over the past three years and helped DU win titles in both 2024 and 2026. The defenseman has registered 31 points (8g/23a), 73 blocked shots, 24 penalty minutes and a +25 plus/minus rating during his collegiate career. The St. Albert, Alberta, native played in all 43 games last season, scoring three goals and recording a career-high nine assists for 12 points. Ashcroft registered assists in both games of the NCAA West Regional versus Cornell and Western Michigan on March 27-29 to earn All-Tournament Team recognition for the Loveland Regional.
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Harris enters this season as the NCAA active leader with 52 goals, with the forward becoming the 63rd player in Denver history to reach the 50-goal threshold. Overall, he has added 39 assists for 91 points in 128 games while also registering a career +47 plus/minus rating and 116 penalty minutes. The San Diego, California, native ranked second on the team last year with 35 points and scored 15 goals to mark his third NCAA campaign with 14 or more tallies. A two-time NCAA National Champion (2024, 2026), Harris was named to the NCHC All-Conference Third Team in 2024-25 and is 41 games shy of tying former teammate Rieger Lorenz's record for the most games played in a four-year career by a DU player (169).
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Fisher registered career highs last season with 11 assists and 19 points while skating in all 43 games during Denver's national championship-winning campaign. He tallied his first career game-winning goal on March 27 vs. Cornell in the NCAA Regional Semifinals and won 10-of-13 faceoffs against Wisconsin on April 11 in the NCAA Championship Game in Las Vegas. The Woodbury, Minnesota, native's .769 faceoff-winning percentage in that outing marked the highest in a game during his DU tenure. Fisher, a 2024 Colorado Avalanche draft pick, has 34 points (16g/18a) in 85 career games.
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Chyzowski ranked fourth on the Pioneers in scoring as a freshman with 27 points and led all rookies last year with 14 goals. The forward appeared in all 43 games last season and finished the campaign with goals in each of the final three contests. He totaled three goals and two assists in the four NCAA Tournament games, including scoring the game-winning goal for the Pioneers late in the third period against Wisconsin in the national title contest, earning a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team. The Surrey, British Columbia, native's first career goal came via a penalty shot on Nov. 21 at Arizona State in what is likely the first time in program history that a player's first career tally came in that occurrence.
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UP NEXT: The Pioneers open the campaign on Oct. 2-3 at Alaska Anchorage before taking on the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 Team in an exhibition on Oct. 10 at Magness Arena. DU's first home weekend of the regular season is Oct. 16-17 when it welcomes Michigan to campus, which includes raising its 2026 national championship banner on that Friday night.
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TICKETS: Single-game tickets as well as mini plans and group packages for the DU hockey's championship-defense campaign in 2026-27 are on sale now. Click here for more information.
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"I am excited to announce our leadership group for the 2026-27 season, with Kieran Cebrian serving as our team captain," said Richard and Kitzia Goodman Hockey Head Coach David Carle. "Kieran has been part of the Denver hockey family since he was a child skating for the Jr. Pioneers program and has earned this honor. This is a veteran leadership group with him, Cale, Sam, Jake and Kyle, and they understand the commitment to uphold our standard and representing our program with pride. They have the trust and respect of their teammates, and I'm confident they will be able to lead us through the challenges ahead as we defend our national title."
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Cebrian (SEB-ree-en) is a two-time national champion, as he won titles with DU in both 2024 and 2026. He has suited up in 123 games in his collegiate career and has totaled 45 points on 15 goals and 30 assists while also recording a +45 plus/minus rating. The forward has won 53 percent of his faceoffs since stepping on campus in 2023 (1011-of-1908), including winning 11 draws in the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals against Michigan.
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The Denver native and former Jr. Pioneer recorded career highs with 11 assists and 17 points during his junior campaign and tied a personal best with six goals while playing in all 43 games. He earned 2026 NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team honors after combining for two goals and an assist in games against Cornell and Western Michigan on March 27-29 in Loveland, Colorado. Academically, Cebrian is a three-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar and member of the Academic Honor Roll.
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This is the first time that Cebrian has served as team captain since also being in that role with the Colorado Thunderbirds 16U AAA in 2019-20.
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Ashcroft has skated in 124 games over the past three years and helped DU win titles in both 2024 and 2026. The defenseman has registered 31 points (8g/23a), 73 blocked shots, 24 penalty minutes and a +25 plus/minus rating during his collegiate career. The St. Albert, Alberta, native played in all 43 games last season, scoring three goals and recording a career-high nine assists for 12 points. Ashcroft registered assists in both games of the NCAA West Regional versus Cornell and Western Michigan on March 27-29 to earn All-Tournament Team recognition for the Loveland Regional.
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Harris enters this season as the NCAA active leader with 52 goals, with the forward becoming the 63rd player in Denver history to reach the 50-goal threshold. Overall, he has added 39 assists for 91 points in 128 games while also registering a career +47 plus/minus rating and 116 penalty minutes. The San Diego, California, native ranked second on the team last year with 35 points and scored 15 goals to mark his third NCAA campaign with 14 or more tallies. A two-time NCAA National Champion (2024, 2026), Harris was named to the NCHC All-Conference Third Team in 2024-25 and is 41 games shy of tying former teammate Rieger Lorenz's record for the most games played in a four-year career by a DU player (169).
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Fisher registered career highs last season with 11 assists and 19 points while skating in all 43 games during Denver's national championship-winning campaign. He tallied his first career game-winning goal on March 27 vs. Cornell in the NCAA Regional Semifinals and won 10-of-13 faceoffs against Wisconsin on April 11 in the NCAA Championship Game in Las Vegas. The Woodbury, Minnesota, native's .769 faceoff-winning percentage in that outing marked the highest in a game during his DU tenure. Fisher, a 2024 Colorado Avalanche draft pick, has 34 points (16g/18a) in 85 career games.
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Chyzowski ranked fourth on the Pioneers in scoring as a freshman with 27 points and led all rookies last year with 14 goals. The forward appeared in all 43 games last season and finished the campaign with goals in each of the final three contests. He totaled three goals and two assists in the four NCAA Tournament games, including scoring the game-winning goal for the Pioneers late in the third period against Wisconsin in the national title contest, earning a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team. The Surrey, British Columbia, native's first career goal came via a penalty shot on Nov. 21 at Arizona State in what is likely the first time in program history that a player's first career tally came in that occurrence.
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UP NEXT: The Pioneers open the campaign on Oct. 2-3 at Alaska Anchorage before taking on the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 Team in an exhibition on Oct. 10 at Magness Arena. DU's first home weekend of the regular season is Oct. 16-17 when it welcomes Michigan to campus, which includes raising its 2026 national championship banner on that Friday night.
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TICKETS: Single-game tickets as well as mini plans and group packages for the DU hockey's championship-defense campaign in 2026-27 are on sale now. Click here for more information.
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Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Hockey on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Hockey on X
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Hockey on Instagram
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Players Mentioned
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