Dawgs Captain Matt O'Dea Named SPHL Defenseman of the Year
SPHL Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs

Dawgs Captain Matt O'Dea Named SPHL Defenseman of the Year

Published on April 22, 2026 under SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release


ROANOKE, VA. - The SPHL announced on Wednesday that Roanoke's captain Matt O'Dea has been named SPHL Defenseman of the Year.

O'Dea is in his sixth season in Roanoke, serving as an alternate captain for the previous three campaigns before becoming the team's captain this year. The 31-year-old defenseman has been dominant this season, leading all SPHL defensemen in several categories with nine goals (tied-first), points (37), power-play assists (18), and power-play points (19) in the regular season. In February, O'Dea set a new franchise record with his 128th career assist, surpassing former Dawg Mac Jansen's mark of 127. He was previously named to the All-SPHL Second Team in 2023-24.

The Dawgs will face the Evansville Thunderbolts for Games Three and Four of the semifinal series. Game Three will be played Wednesday, April 22, at Ford Center at 8:00 P.M. ET. Game Four will be played at Ford Center in Evansville on Thursday, April 23, at 8:00 P.M. ET. Game Five, if necessary, will return to Berglund Center on Saturday, April 25, at 7:05 P.M. ET. The Dawgs must win the semifinal series to advance to the President's Cup Final. Roanoke's 2026 postseason is sponsored by Haley Toyota.

Check out the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



SPHL Stories from April 22, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central