COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In addition to the 118 National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) student-athletes recognized back in March, 62 NCHC freshmen and first-year transfers have now been bestowed 2020-21 NCHC Academic All-Conference Team honors for their work in the classroom over the last year, the Conference announced Wednesday. Among those 62 newcomers, 42 (67.7 percent) also earned NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition for their academic accomplishments following completion of their first year at their current school.
North Dakota rookies Brendan Budy, Riese Gaber, Tyler Kleven, Cooper Moore, Griffin Ness and Jake Sanderson all earned the honor, with Budy, Kleven, Ness and Sanderson also adding the NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete honor.
To be eligible for the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, a student-athlete must compile a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average (or better) and have completed a full academic year at their current institution. Similarly, for NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, a student-athlete must attain a 3.5 cumulative GPA or better with a full year of academic studies. Freshmen and first-year transfers were not eligible when the honors were first announced in early March, as they had not completed a full academic year, but with the 2020-21 academic calendar complete, the newcomers are now eligible to earn NCHC academic honors. Athletic success and playing time are not criteria for these awards.
In all, a record 180 NCHC student-athletes made the 2020-21 Academic All-Conference Team, as 118 sophomores, juniors and seniors were recognized on March 4. The previous high for total members on the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team was 174 in 2016-17. Along with that, a record-shattering 109 student-athletes overall were tabbed NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes this past season, including the 67 sophomores, juniors and seniors announced in March. The 109 NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes are by far the most in the conference's six years since the honor began (the previous record was 74 in 2019-20).
The complete list of freshmen and first-year transfers who earned NCHC Academic All-Conference Team and Distinguished Scholar-Athlete honors in 2020-21 is below, with Distinguished Scholar-Athletes noted in bold. To see the original list of 118 NCHC Academic All-Conference Team members and 67 Distinguished Scholar-Athletes from 2020-21, click here.
COLORADO COLLEGE
Nicklas Andrews
Dominic Basse
Jake Begley
Jordan Biro
Hugo Blixt
Ray Christy
Tyler Coffey
Chase Foley
Jackson Jutting
Hunter McKown
Jack Millar
Marc Pasemko
Logan Will
DENVER
Michael Benning
Connor Caponi
Jack Caruso
Bo Hanson
Reid Irwin
Carter King
Antti Tuomisto
McKade Webster
MIAMI
Joe Cassetti
Robby Drazner
Michael Holland
Dylan Moulton
Jack Olmstead
Ludvig Persson
Hampus Rydqvist
MINNESOTA DULUTH
Blake Biondi
Matt Cairns
Darian Gotz
Wyatt Kaiser
Connor Kelley
Jarrett Lee
Zach Stejskal
NORTH DAKOTA
Brendan Budy
Riese Gaber
Tyler Kleven
Cooper Moore
Griffin Ness
Jake Sanderson
OMAHA
Kaden Bohlsen
Brock Bremer
Jimmy Glynn
Jake Harrison
Nolan Krenzen
Matt Miller
Jack Randl
Jonny Tychonick
ST. CLOUD STATE
Jared Cockrell
Seamus Donohue
Jack Johnston
Brady Ziemer
WESTERN MICHIGAN
Trevor Bishop
Aidan Fulp
Ty Glover
Luke Grainger
Chad Hillebrand
Daniel Hilsendager
Cam Knuble
Hugh Larkin
Jarred White
