FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Brian Monahan (monahan@nchahockey.org), Chris Zills (zills@nchahockey.org)

The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association league office announced today the Men's Conference All-NCHA team, Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year and All-Freshmen team.  The awards are voted on by the league head coaches.

View full release here (pdf)

The 2013-14 Player of the Year is St. Norbert goaltender David Jacobson (Jr, G - Janesville, Wis.).  Through games of February 27, Jacobson posted a 1.28 goals against average and a .935 save percentage.  Both statistics rank first in the NCHA.  His goals against average ranks second in the nation, with Jacobson having played roughly double the minutes of the individual he trails.  His conference goals against average was a miniscule 1.08.  Jacobson led the league in wins as well with a 17 overall and 13 in conference play.  He lost just once all season.

"David is a very competitive kid and he's a very athletic kid," said St. Norbert head coach Tim Coghlin.  "He makes some saves that he shouldn't make.  He can do things like that ... He's a confident young man and that stems from his work ethic and his preparedness."

Jacobson was named All-NCHA for the third straight year.  He was named All-American and NCHA All-Freshmen in 2012 as well.

The 2013-14 Coach of the Year is Lake Forest's Ryan McKelvie.  McKelvie is in his third year behind the Forester bench, where he has guided the program to its most overall wins in eight years.  Lake Forest earned the No. 4 seed and home ice for the Quarterfinals in this year's Harris Cup Playoffs.  The Foresters will play at St. Norbert in the Semifinals this Saturday night.

The 2013-14 Freshman of the Year is St. Norbert's Blake Thompson (Fr, D - Listowel, Ont.).  Thompson recorded three goals and 17 assists in his first year with the Green Knights.  His 17 points in conference games were tied for first among all defensemen and were just one point back of the Freshman scoring leader, Lawrence's Blake Roubos (Fr, F - Niagara Falls, Ont.).  Thompson is currently the highest scoring freshman defensemen in the country.

St. Norbert led all schools with five student-athletes named to the All-NCHA team.  Other highlights from this year's distinguished group include Marian's Tyler Klein (Sr, F - Fargo, N.D.) being selected to his second straight All-NCHA team.  Lake Forest's Ben Certo (Jr, D - Grand Island, N.Y.) earned All-NCHA after being named to the All-Freshmen team last year.  Adrian's Duston Hebebrand (Jr, F - Waterloo, Ont.) was named All-NCHA after capturing the conference scoring crown with 15 goals inside 27 points. 

Adrian was the lone school to send two student-athletes to the six-member All-Freshmen team.  Brett Pinkerton (Fr, F - Pilot Mound, Man.) and Michael Hoy (Fr, D - South Lyon, Mich.) were selected as a forward and defenseman, respectively.  Lawrence's Roubos made the team after winning the Freshmen scoring title. 



NCHA Regular Season Champions: St. Norbert College

NCHA Player of the Year: David Jacobson (St. Norbert College)
NCHA Freshman of the Year: Blake Thompson (St. Norbert College)
NCHA Coach of the Year: Ryan McKelvie (Lake Forest College)

2013-14 NCHA All-Conference (Alphabetically by position)
Forward: Mason Baptista (St. Norbert College, Junior)
Forward: Bobby Barrett (Lake Forest College, Junior)
Forward: Duston Hebebrand (Adrian College, Junior)
Forward: Tyler Klein (Marian University, Senior) 2013 All-NCHA
Forward: Brandon Nowakowski (College of St. Scholastica, Senior)
Forward: Joe Perry (St. Norbert College, Senior)

Defense: Ben Certo (Lake Forest College, Sophomore) 2013 All-Freshman
Defense: Marian Fiala (St. Norbert College, Junior)
Defense: Ryan Gieseler (Adrian College, Junior)
Defense: Blake Thompson (St. Norbert College, Freshman)

Goalie: Tyler Bruggeman (College of St. Scholastica, Sophomore)
Goalie: David Jacobson (St. Norbert College, Junior) 2013 All-NCHA, 2012 ALl-NCHA, 2012 All-Freshman
Goalie: Leo Podolsky (Lake Forest College, Sophomore)

*Note: Extra spot at goalie due to tie in voting

2013-14 NCHA All-Freshmen Team (Alphabetically by position)
Forward: Jack Lewis (Lake Forest College)
Forward: Brett Pinkerton (Adrian College)
Forward: Blake Roubos (Lawrence University)
Defense: Michael Hoy (Adrian College)
Defense: Blake Thompson (St. Norbert College)
Goalie:  Austin Campbell (MSOE)