Sibling Bonding
The history of BU's hockey siblings sharing the ice
Origins
Seventeen pairs of siblings (soon to be nineteen in 2024-25) have shared the ice together in BU Hockey history, starting all the way back in 1924-25 with Julian Kontoff and Morey Kontoff. In their first game together, the Kontoffs both scored, a 3-3 tie vs. MIT, becoming the first pair of Terrier brothers to do so in the same game.
It wasn’t until the 1951-52 season that the program witnessed its next fraternal connection. Future legendary Terrier Head Coach Jack Kelley’s younger Paul joined the team as a goaltender, becoming the first (and so far only) Skater-Goalie siblings in program history. In 1957-58, Prince Edward Island’s Dave and Don MacLeod helped the Scarlet and White lift the Beanpot Trophy for the first time in their history in 1958, and by extension, they are the first pair of brothers to do so. In the 9-3 drubbing of the Northeastern Huskies, each brother scored two, with Dave doing so in the first and second periods and Don scoring both of his in the third.
The O’Connell brothers, Mike and Dennis, joined the Scarlet and White in the 1963-64 season. The duo combined for 16 points in their single season together and Mike’s only season in Scarlet. Dennis was in the top four in scoring all three of his seasons at BU, ending his career with 94 points.
Marvelous Meagher Brothers
For seven years, from 1973 to 1980, the Meagher Brothers thrilled Terrier fans. Terry and Rick (1973-76), followed by Rick and Tony (1976-77), scored more than any sets of brothers before them or since them, combining for 369 during their brotherly era. Terry and Rick became the first pair of Terrier brothers to play in what is now known as the Frozen Four; doing so in all three years together, Rick and Tony followed with another appearance in their one season together. In 1978, Tony Meagher would do alone what he and his brothers were never able to do together—bring a National Championship back to Commonwealth Avenue.
The Meagher brothers recorded four of the top six and the top three best seasons in school history by a pair of siblings
Lappin-Sacco
Ten years after the Meaghers, the BU brothers legacy continued with Scott and Steve Shaunessy, marking the beginning of seven straight sibling seasons on Comm Ave (1986-1993). Notably, Scott’s daughter, Julia, later played alongside BU Hockey’s first pair of sisters, Luisa and Lilli Welcke.
In the 1988-89 season, BU featured multiple pairs of brothers for the first time: Chris and Mike Lappin, and David and Joe Sacco. The Saccos are the only set of siblings besides the Meaghers to score over 33 goals in a season, achieving this in 1988-89. The Lappins and Saccos became brothers-in-law when David married the Lappins' sister, Elizabeth.1
Twinning
Mike and Mark Bavis arrived in the 1989-90 season as the first pair of twins to share the ice for the Terriers. They played together for four years, combining for 66 goals and 162 points. Their 145 penalty minutes in the 1992-93 season remain the most by a pair of brothers in a single season in program history.
The women’s program finally got their own pair of siblings when Luisa and Lilli Welcke transferred to the Terriers from the Maine Black Bears, becoming the first pair of BU siblings to do so. The German sisters are also the first non-North American siblings to play together at BU.
Champions Together
On April 11, 2009, in Washington, D.C., the Boston University Terriers captured their fifth national championship in program history. With that win, Matt and Kevin Gilroy, along with Vinny and Victor Saponari, became the first pairs of siblings to win a national championship together in Scarlet and White. The Gilroys also set a record for the lowest penalty minutes by a pair of siblings in a season, accumulating only 14 between them.
Band of Brothers
The sons of legendary forward Tony Amonte, Ty and Tristan, began the new era of Terrier siblings in the 2021-22 season, becoming the first duo whose father also played at BU.
The 2022-23 season brought Terrier Nation sibling scoring not seen on Comm Ave since the late ‘70s. The Modern Meaghers, Lane and Quinn Hutson are the only siblings in school history to record over 56 points in multiple seasons together since Rick and Terry in 74-75 and 74-76. They are also the only siblings (not named Meagher) to record over 83 points in a season (85, 2023-24) and over 50 assists in a season (52, 2023-24). Like the Meagher, there are two pairs of Hutson brothers that have played (or will play) together on Comm Ave, with Lane and Quinn together in 2022-23 and 2023-24 and Cole joining Quinn in the upcoming 2024-25 (Lane signed with the Montreal Canadiens in the off-season).
The 2023-24 season featured the most siblings playing for BU Hockey simultaneously in school history (four pairs): Case and Gavin McCarthy, Aiden and Macklin Celebrini, Quinn and Lane Hutson, and Luisa and Lilli Welcke. Of the 163 goals scored by the men's team that season, 71 were scored by the six brothers, accounting for 43.6% of BU’s goals. Aiden Celebrini scored his only goal of the season on a night when his brother Macklin recorded a multi-goal game (10/21 at Notre Dame). The Hutsons both scored in three games that season, including back-to-back nights against UMass Lowell on November 10th and 11th. Quinn's goals on the 11th were part of a hat trick, a feat that Lane had accomplished the week before, making them the first pair of brothers to score hat tricks in back-to-back home games at Agganis Arena. The season also saw the most brothers to compete in the same Frozen Four in program history.
The Modern Terrier Siblings Era will continue for a fourth consecutive season, with two new siblings joining the Terriers: Kiera Healey and Cole Hutson. For the first time in program history, BU Women’s Hockey will have two pairs of siblings simultaneously: Luisa and Lilli Welcke, and Sydney and Kiera Healey. Additionally, this marks the first time that the women’s team has had more siblings than the men’s team in a season. Cole Hutson joins his brother Quinn, the high-scoring defenseman who surpassed their other brother, Lane's scoring totals with the USNTDP while setting the single-season and career points records for the program. Cole will look to break the freshman scoring records that Lane set in the 2022-23 season.
Other Notes
Tommy and Mary Grace Kelley are the only brother-sister duo in school history to play on their respective BU Ice Hockey teams at the same time, doing so from 2015-17.
Five Brothers captained the Terriers in a season where they played with their brother:
Morey Kontoff (1924-25)
Terry Meagher (1975-76)
Rick Meagher (1976-77)
Matt Gilroy (2008-09)
Case McCarthy (2023-24)
In my research, I also found a mention of the brother of the Kontoffs marrying a Ruth Lappin in 1927, but I was unable to determine if she was related to the hockey players of the same name