GRAND FORKS, N.D. ? The University of North Dakota men's hockey program will celebrate 60 years of UND men's hockey this weekend. The celebration will be held in connection with UND's Friday-Saturday series with Colorado College. The series is UND's first home Western Collegiate Hockey Association series this season.
More than 70 former UND men's hockey players are expected to be on hand this weekend, as UND pays tribute to 60 years (1947-07) of hockey tradition and excellence. Included are eight players who will be honored with 50-year letterwinner pins.
The players receiving their 50-year letterwinner pins include former Fighting Sioux standouts Ben Cherski, Gordon “Ginny” Christian, Dan McKinnon, Reggie Morelli, John Noah, Bob Peabody, Bob Peters and John Wade.
Four of those players ? Cherski, Christian, Morelli and Noah ? will be designated as Fighting Sioux men's hockey legends during the weekend. All four are UND Athletic Hall of Famers.
All eight players being honored with 50-year letterwinner pins will be introduced during the second intermission of Saturday's game against Colorado College.
In addition to attending both of UND's games against Colorado College, the honored players will also attend the Sioux Boosters luncheon Friday at the Alerus Center, a postgame social Friday at Tavern United, a number of team activities on Saturday and a postgame social on Saturday at Sanders 1907 Restaurant.
Ben Cherski (1951-55) was a two-time first team All-American who still holds UND's record for most career goals (131).
Gordon “Ginny” Christian (1947-50) tied for the team scoring lead in both 1947-48 and 1948-49 and was a member of the United States Olympic team that won silver medal in 1956.
Dan McKinnon (1947-50), a UND Athletic Hall of Fame inductee in 1982, was a second team All-American as a defenseman in 1950 and was a member of the United States Olympic team that won silver medal in 1956.
Reggie Morelli (1957-60) scored the overtime goal against Michigan State that gave UND its first national hockey championship in 1959 at Troy, N.Y.
John Noah (1947-51) was a four-year letterwinner and an outstanding defenseman who became the first UND hockey first team All-American in 1951.
Bob Peabody (1957-59) was a two-year letterwinner who played in 40 games as a UND goalie and was a member of UND's 1959 national championship team.
Bob Peters (1957-58 as a player and head coach from 1964-66) posted a school-record 1.27 goals against average in 1957-58, helping UND win the school's first conference championship.
John Wade (1953-56) was a three-year letterwinner who scored 30 goals and had 38 assists in 83 career games and was UND's third-leading scorer in the 1955-56 season.
