By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com
The votes came in – and boy did they ever – for USPHL Elite Rockets Hockey Club forward Jace Lombardo, the owner of the single season record for points (113 this past 2023-24 season). He won the USPHL Elite Fan’s Choice MVP Award.
Lombardo earned a total of 7,586 votes between the two rounds of voting. The first round opened on May 6, and the final round began on May 8. Lombardo was announced on USPHLElite.com as the winner on May 14. In the final round, when it was a 1-on-1 contest between the top two vote-getters from the first round of voting, Lombardo earned 6,650 votes, good for better than 82 percent of the vote total. He also earned 936 votes for 48 percent of the total vote – out of 92 total players who earned votes, which included write-ins.
“Seeing the vote percentage and winning the USPHL Elite Fan’s Choice MVP is a huge honor for me,” said Lombardo, a 2004-born native of Staten Island, N.Y. “I prided myself this season on being the best captain I could be for my teammates, both on and off the ice, and it’s a great feeling knowing so many people thought I did a good enough job to earn their vote.”
Lombardo has played in the Rockets Midget and Junior program since 2019, after also playing youth hockey with the Rockets even before that. During his time in the junior program, Lombardo has scored 59 goals and 88 assists for 147 points in 72 games, a career point total that is good for fifth all-time in the Elite. He also put up 11 points in eight career playoff games, including eight points in six playoff games this year as the Rockets made their return to the Nationals for the first time since 2022.
“I played for the Rockets for the past five seasons of my hockey career and haven’t had one day at the rink where I wasn’t loving every second,” said Lombardo. “I’ve created unbelievable bonds with my coaches and teammates throughout the years, all while becoming a better hockey player, allowing myself and my teammates to conquer goals we created for ourselves.”
This year, not only were his 113 points a league best, but also his 2.57 points per game average, along with his league-leading 22 power play assists, 32 power play points and eight shorthanded assists. He also saw eight games up with the USPHL Premier Rockets team and scored five points at that level.
“I would describe myself as a hard working player who is always looking to better my teammates as I find myself always looking for an open teammate for a pass,” said Lombardo. “I also try to put the puck in the net when need be, all while being a well-rounded positional asset to my team.”
The USPHL Elite congratulates Jace Lombardo for winning the inaugural 2024 Fan’s Choice MVP award!
