WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior center Max French (West Kelowna, B.C./West Kelowna) has been named captain of the 2016-17 Bentley hockey team, head coach Ryan Soderquist announced on Thursday. Junior Kyle Schmidt (Menomonee, Wisc./Sioux City) will be the team's assistant captain.

French, who was an assistant captain last season, will take over captain's honors this coming season from Andrew Gladiuk, who graduated. Schmidt takes over as assistant captain from French and Billy Eiserman, who graduated as well.

French will return for his senior season as the nation's leading returning scorer in points per game after averaging 1.47 per contest, which was good to rank T-3^rd nationally. Overall, the B.C. native racked up 47 points on 23 goals and 24 assists. Within Atlantic Hockey, that ranked him 3^rd in both goals and points and 8^th in assists. He was named first team All-Atlantic Hockey for his efforts.

Schmidt was often the right wing on French's line last season to help form a high-scoring top-line. Schmidt had one of the biggest year-to-year scoring increases in the NCAA, going from 11 in his freshman season to 45 in 2015-16, which was T-5^th most in Atlantic Hockey. He was also in the top-10 in the league in goals with 16 (T-10^th) and assists with 29 (4^th).

French and Schmidt are two of 18 returnees from last year's squad that advanced to the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals and pushed top-seed Robert Morris to three games despite being undermanned with injuries. They'll be joined by nine freshmen for a 27 man roster.

The team gets its season underway on Saturday, Oct. 8 at New Hampshire. The home opener is set for Friday, Oct. 14 against Northeastern at the JAR.