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.