NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Awards Given Out

Tampa - The 2011-2012 NCAA Division-I, men’s ice hockey All-America team was released
during the Frozen Four here. Also, on the off day before the upcoming championship game
between Boston College and Ferris State, the Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner was
announced at a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base.

This year’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner was senior forward Jack Connolly of Minnesota-Duluth.

The Hobey Baker Award is given to the best Division-I, Player of the Year. The honor is named after the former Princeton great who was killed in France at the end of World War I in an aviation crash. As part of the festivities, the Baker family was presented with the Croix de Guerre (Cross of War), a French medal for heroism.

Connolly had a 20-40-60 points scoring total this season in 41 games and was a three time Western Collegiate Hockey Association first team honoree. Also, he was a three time All-America. An academic standout, he was one of the forces leading UMD to the NCAA
championship last season.

Connolly gave a warm acceptance, “Although I’m the one receiving this great honor, it would not have been possible without my teammates and I share this all with them.” Connolly added, “I would like to give a special thank you to the UMD coaching staff -- head coach Scott Sandelin, current assistant coaches Derek Plante, Jason Herter, and Bill Watson, and my two former assistant coaches Steve Rohlik, and Brett Larson for having a lasting impact on my college hockey career.”

Before the awards ceremony UMD head coach Scott Sandelin said about the Duluth native son, “Classy is the best way to describe Jack, so these are certainly fitting and well-deserved honors for him. “Everything he does -- on and off the ice -- he does with class. I really can’t say enough about what this young man has meant to our program, our school, and our community over the past four years.”

Connolly becomes the fifth UMD player to claim the Hobey Baker Award in its 32 years of existence. He joins Junior Lessard, Chris Marinucci, Bill Watson and Tom Kurvers.

Jack’s older brother, Chris Connolly, was a senior and captain of Boston College this season and won the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award and was named Hockey East Second Team All-Star.

NOTE: The NCAA semifinals had an announced attendance at 18,605.

NCAA 2011-2012 Men’s Ice Hockey All-America’s

First Team - East

Goalie- Troy Grosenick, SO, Union College
Defense- Danny Biega, JR, Harvard University
Defense- Brian Dumoulin, JR, Boston College
Forward- Spencer Abbott, SR, University of Maine
Forward- Alex Killorn, SR, Harvard University
Forward- Austin Smith, SR, Colgate University Forward

First Team - West

Goalie- Taylor Nelson, SR, Ferris State University
Defense- Torey Krug, JR, Michigan State University
Defense- Justin Schultz, JR, University of Wisconsin
Forward- Jack Connolly, SR, University of Minnesota-Duluth
Forward- Jaden Schwartz, SO, Colorado College
Forward- Reilly Smith, JR, Miami University

Second Team - East

Goalie- Joe Cannata, SR, Merrimack College
Defense- Mat Bodie, SO, Union College
Defense- Tim Kirby, SR, U.S. Air Force Academy
Forward- Barry Almeida, SR, Boston College
Forward- Brian O’Neill, SR, Yale University
Forward- Jeremy Welsh, JR, Union College

Second Team - West

Goalie- Kent Patterson, SR, University of Minnesota
Defense- Chad Billins, SR, Ferris State University
Defense- Dan DeKeyser, SO, Western Michigan University
Forward- Nick Bjugstad, SO, University of Minnesota
Forward- J.T. Brown, SO, University of Minnesota-Duluth
Forward- Jason Zucker, SO, University of Denver

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