Dawgs’ Austyn Roudebush named December Warrior/SPHL Player of the Month

By: Allan Westerholt

HUNTERSVILLE, NC (January 4, 2023) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced today that Austyn Roudebush of the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs has been named the Warrior/SPHL Player of the Month for December.

Roudebush posted a 9-2-0 record, 2.51 goals against average, and a 0.908 save percentage as he helped vault Roanoke to the top of the SPHL standings.

Roudebush was a brick wall between the pipes for the Dawgs as the netminder recorded five games with a save percentage above 0.930, including his first shutout of the season against Quad City on December 29th. The Toledo, OH native was in net for the entirety of Ronaoke’s franchise record nine-game winning streak which began on November 25th. On December 1st, Roudebush became the Dawgs all-time leader in wins with 22 after a 3-2 defeat of Knoxville.

Roanoke’s goaltenders have held opponents to a league best 2.54 goals against per game.

Other nominees for the Warrior Player of the Week were: Nick Fea, Birmingham, (7g, 3a), Zane Steeves, Evansville (3-4-0, 3.33 gaa, 0.907 sv%), Brian Bowen, Fayetteville (8g, 7a, 1 ppg, 2 gwg), Rob Darrar, Huntsville (4g, 14a, ppg, gwg), Justin MacDonald, Knoxville, (5g, 6a, 3 ppg, gwg), David Nippard, Macon (4g, 7a, 2 ppg, gwg), Garrett Milan, Pensacola (7g, 8a, 3 ppg, 2 gwg), Alec Baer, Peoria (8g, 7a, 3 ppg, gwg), Kevin Resop, Quad City (1-2-1, 1.97 gaa, 0.927 sv%), and Austin Albrecht, Vermilion County, (3g, 6a)