ST. PAUL, Minn. ? UND men's hockey forward Ryan Duncan (So., Calgary Alberta) was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association player of the year and to the All-WCHA first team today at the league's awards banquet.
Duncan was also named one of 10 national finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, which is presented annually to the nation's best college hockey player. The Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced April 6 at the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis, Mo.
Duncan is the 12th individual in UND school history to be named a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He is UND's first Hobey Baker top 10 finalist since both Zach Parise and Brandon Bochenski were in the top 10 in 2004. Only one UND player has received the Hobey Baker award, that being Tony Hrkac in 1987.
Besides Duncan, other Hobey Baker Award finalists are: defenseman Drew Bagnall (St. Lawrence); goalie David Brown (Notre Dame); goalie John Curry (Boston University); forward Nathan Davis (Miami); forward Eric Ehn (Air Force); goalie Bobby Goepfert (St. Cloud State); forward T.J. Hensick (Michigan); forward David Jones (Dartmouth); and forward Scott Parse (Nebraska-Omaha).
For more information on the Hobey Baker Award, visit www.hobeybaker.com.
Other Fighting Sioux players receiving league recognition today from the WCHA were forward Jonathan Toews (So., Winnipeg, Manitoba) and defenseman Taylor Chorney (So., Hastings, Minn.), who were each named to the All-WCHA second team, and forward T.J. Oshie (So., Warroad, Minn.), who was named to the All-WCHA third team.
Duncan was the WCHA scoring champion this year, with 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 28 league games. He leads all WCHA players in overall scoring, with 51 points (29 goals, 22 assists). He also leads the WCHA in goals (29), power play goals (16) and game-winning goals (6).
Toews is UND's second-leading point scorer, with 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 29 games. His 1.41 point-per-game average is third-best in the nation behind Air Force's Eric Ehn (1.68) and Michigan's T.J. Hensick (1.63).
Chorney is 10th nationally in points per game by a defenseman (0.76), and he has 26 points (7 goals, 16 assists) on the season.
Oshie has 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 38 games. He and Toews are tied for second in UND point scoring.
Duncan is the seventh UND player to be voted the WCHA's player of the year and first since forward Jeff Panzer in 2000-01. Other North Dakota players to receive league player of the year honors include forward Jason Blake (1998-99), defenseman Curtis Murphy (1997-98), forward Tony Hrkac (1986-87), forward Phil Sykes (1981-82) and forward Gerry Kell (1964-65).
Duncan is also the first Fighting Sioux player to be named first team All-WCHA since Bochenski and Parise both received first team all-league honors in 2004.
2006-07 WCHA Awards
Coach of the Year: Bob Motzko, St. Cloud State and Jamie Russell, Michigan Tech
Player of the Year: Ryan Duncan, So., F, North Dakota
Rookie of the Year: Andreas Nodl, Fr., F, St. Cloud State
Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Goligoski, Jr., D, Minnesota
Student-Athlete of the Year: Lee Sweatt, Sr., D, Colorado College
All-WCHA First Team
F ? Ryan Duncan, North Dakota
F ? Mason Raymond, Minnesota Duluth
F ? Andrew Gordon, St. Cloud State
D ? Alex Goligoski, Minnesota
D ? Matt Niskanen, Minnesota Duluth
G ? Bobby Goepfert, St. Cloud State
All-WCHA Second Team
F ? Jonathan Toews, North Dakota
F ? Travis Morin, Minnesota State
F ? Kyle Okposo, Minnesota
D ? Taylor Chorney, North Dakota
D ? Mike Vannelli, Minnesota
G ? Brian Elliott, Wisconsin
All-WCHA Third Team
F ? Andreas Nodl, St. Cloud State
F ? T.J. Oshie, North Dakota
F ? Ryan Dingle, Denver
D ? Lee Sweatt, Colorado College
D ? Steve Wagner, Minnesota State
G ? Michael-Lee Teslak, Michigan Tech
WCHA All-Rookie Team
F ? Andreas Nodl, St. Cloud State
F ? Kyle Okposo, Minnesota
F ? Ryan Lasch, St. Cloud State
D ? Erik Johnson, Minnesota
D ? Jamie McBain, Wisconsin
G ? Alex Stalock, Minnesota Duluth
