BOSTON — The news was welcome although not 100 percent unexpected.

After all, only 10 players in all of college hockey are named finalists for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, and when the list was revealed on Thursday night, Boston College (and former Biddeford High standout) Brian Dumoulin was among them.

“It’s pretty awesome,” said Dumoulin, Friday, moments after the Eagles downed pesky Providence College in a Hockey East semifinal tilt. “I hadn’t heard it until that point. You always think, maybe. But it was really good to hear. It’s just reflects our team. We have a really solid team, and I feel like that’s where I really made a lot of my points. They kind of made me look good. A lot goes to the team, and a lot goes to the coaches. It’s a nice honor and I’m very honored to have it. But it’s not something that I need to have. I’d rather have a Hockey East championship. Or a National championship”.

Of course Dumoulin, a junior, has two of the former and one of the latter, which was earned two years ago when he was a BC freshman.

Since then, his game has grown at both ends of the ice, and so has his stature.

Even though this season he’s been picking his offensive spots a little more carefully and honing up his touch on the defensive end.

“I don’t have as many points as I did last year,” Dumoulin said. “But them (the Baker committee) recognizing that defensively I’ve gotten better. I think that factored into it. And our team is ranked No. 1. I think that had something to do with it. But on a national level, there’s lot of good players. I’m sure there’s a lot that deserved it.”

Certainly his game has passed the white glove test of Jerry York, BC’s veteran coach.

“I think he’s certainly one of the top defensmen this year at the collegiate level,” York said. “You look at all the different leagues, and there are a lot of top defensemen, but from my vantage point, it’s hard to see anyone who has as much of an impact on the game. He’s an offensive threat with the puck and he’s been a terrific leader for us. We’re excited about how well he’s playing, and he’s getting better and better as the year goes on. It’s fun to watch.”

Of course Dumoulin’s parents, Pete and Deb, have been watching the entire time.

He said that both were understandably pleased about their son’s latest in a long line of laurels and successes.

But, he said, they wanted to drop in a few words of advice.

“They were excited,” he said. “They just said, ‘stay hungry, stay humble, and keep focused.’”

Dumoulin is very familiar with some of the other finalists, including Maine forward Spencer Abbott, who was injured in the Black Bears’ 5-3 semifinal win over Boston University.

Having had to stop, or at least slow down Abbott’s trademark rushes down the wing, Dumoulin knows his game-breaking ability, well.

“He’s smart,” he said. “It’s hard to play against smart players and I feel like every time he’s out there, you’ve got to be aware.”

Dumoulin, who won two Class A state championships with Biddeford, said he had a conditional rooting interest in last Saturday’s triumph by the Tigers’ arch-rival Thornton Academy.

“For Coach (Jamie) Gagnon, yes. And coach (Mike) Laflamme,” he said, referring to his former Biddeford coaches who took over at Thornton this year. “I always want them to have success. They put me to where I am now, so I’m very thankful for them. I’m always rooting them on. But not the jersey they were wearing.”

The 10 finalists will later be whittled down to three, with the winner being announced Apr. 6 during the Frozen Four in Tampa.