University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
Gary Prior 1980 - Hockey
A rugged forechecker and a top two-way winger, Gary Prior, a 1995 UVM Hall of Fame inductee, played at Vermont for two years after transferring from Penn, which dropped hockey in 1978. Ironically, Prior's first collegiate goal came at Gutterson Fieldhouse when, as a freshman, his Penn team upset Vermont, 5-4, in 1977. Following his sophomore season at Penn, he was named the team's Most Improved Player.
As a junior at Vermont, Prior was the team's fourth-leading scorer with 11 goals and 28 assists. He followed up that strong season with 10 goals and 26 assists as a senior. Adding his numbers at Penn, Prior finished his career with 37 goals and 78 assists for 115 points.
Prior and teammate Tom Cullity, who also transferred from Penn, were a powerful one-two offensive punch for UVM. Cullity was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.
After Prior's junior season, coach Jim Cross had this to say about his solid two-way winger: "Gary Prior is a marvelous player. He is one of the best cornermen I have coached. When Gary goes into the corner for the puck, you just know he'll come out with it. He is a very steady hockey player."
Following his senior season, Prior was named winner of the Coaches' Unsung Hero Award.
After graduating from UVM, Prior went to Germany, where he played professionally for two years. He then returned to Canada, but later went back overseas and played in Finland.
