-Golden Eagle Erik Kraska Honored With National Award (3/3/04)
-Minnesota-Crookston Claims Back-to-Back League Crowns (3/1/04)
-MCHA Season Complete; Tournament Starts Friday (2/23/04)
-Just One Week Remaining in MCHA Regular Season (2/16/04)
-MCHA Regular Season Title Belongs to Marian Sabres (2/9/04)
-Marian College Sweeps Weekly MCHA Awards (2/2/04)
-Crookston Sweep Highlights MCHA Weekend of Play (1/26/04)
-Conference Standings Heating Up With One Month Left (1/19/04)
-Marian Highlights Weekend With Defeat of #5 River Falls (1/12/04)
-Former MCHA Member to Drop Hockey Program (1/6/04)
-Former MCHA Players Competing Professionally (12/22/03)
-MCHA Closes Out 2003 Portion of This Year's Schedule (12/15/03)
-Marian and MSOE Move Up Standings With Conference Sweeps (12/9/03)
-MCHA Wraps Up Week of Non-Conference Action (12/1/03)
-Sabres Move to 4-0-0 in Conference; Holiday Schedule Busy (11/24/03)
-Marian and Minnesota-Crookston Earn Weekend Sweeps (11/17/03)
-Everyone Still Tied After Opening Weekend of MCHA Conference Play (11/10/03)
-Finlandia University Approved to Play in MCHA in 2004-2005 (11/3/03)
-Season Number Six for MCHA Gets Underway Tuesday (10/28/03)
-Former MSOE Raider Lee Jenke Looks to Make Mark in SEHL (9/2/03)
-MCHA P.O.Y Odegard Inked to Play in Central Hockey League (8/13/03)
-MCHA Announces 2002-2003 All-Academic Squad (7/23/03)

-March 3, 2004
Minnesota-Crookston's Erik Kraska Named National Player of the Week
Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagle Goaltender Erik Kraska was named the United States College Hockey Online (USCHO.com) Defensive Player of the Week for his performances in goal last weekend in the MCHA Tournament. Kraska received the accolades after being nominated and receiving votes from the staff of the nationally-known website, which is known to hockey fans nation-wide as the "Definitive College Hockey Resource".

Kraska, a sophomore goalie from Plymouth, Minnesota, earned back-to-back victories in the MCHA Tournament, including a 3-0 blanking of the Marian College Sabres in the championship final. He earned MVP honors for the second straight season, compiling a save percentage of .939 on the weekend.
See the USCHO.com release HERE.

 

-March 1, 2004
Minnesota Crookston Wins Back-to-Back Titles
The Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles won the Harris Cup on Sunday (February 29) evening, defeating Marian College by a final score of 3-0 in the MCHA Tournament Championship game at the Fond du Lac Blueline family Ice Center.

An early goal set the stage, as Ben Perkins put in his own rebound just 1:22 into the game to stake Crookston to the early 1-0 lead. That advantage held up until the third period, with the Golden Eagles being the next to break through, scoring at the 8:33 mark of the third. A late empty-netter from Perkins provided the last score. Crookston goalie Erik Kraska was up to the task, stopping all 31 shots the Sabres sent his way, as the sophomore netminder earned MCHA Tournament MVP honors for the second straight season. In the MCHA Consolation game, the MSOE Raiders scored twice in the third period for a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Lawrence University.

The All-Tournament team was named at the conclusion of the action on Sunday, with Minnesota-Crookston goalie Erik Kraska (Plymouth, MN) receiving MVP honors for the second consecutive season. The rest of the All-Tournament team included Crookston forward Ben Perkins (New Brighton, MN); MSOE forward Joe Swanson (Superior, WI); Lawrence forward Pete Mossberg (Salt Lake City, UT); Marian College defenseman Mark Williams (Green Bay, WI); Golden Eagle defenseman Mike Alvestad (Grand Forks, ND); and Marian College goalie Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN).

MCHA Post-Season Awards were given out on Saturday (February 28) as well. Marian College goalie Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN) was chosen MCHA Player-of-the-Year. He posted league-leading totals with his .925 save percentage and 1.63 goals-against-average, while going 13-2-0 between the pipes in league play. Those 13 wins set a season record for the MCHA, adding to the MCHA career marks that Terry holds in games played (47) and victories (37). Marian College head coach Chris Brown received MCHA Coach-of-the-Year honors. This is the second time he has been honored in his four year career, as he led the Sabres to their second regular season crown in three seasons and took his team to the MCHA Tournament Championship for the fourth consecutive year. He won the Harris Cup at the end of the 2001-2002 season and is the Sabres all-time winningest coach, both in total wins (65) and winning percentage (.640).

-February 23, 2004
Regular Season Complete; MCHA Tournament Starts Friday
The MCHA’s regular season came to a close over the weekend with a light schedule, as just two teams had games remaining. Minnesota-Crookston lost to Augsburg (MN), while Northland College came away from a road trip to Finlandia with a split. With the regular season over, the post-season is about to begin. Marian College will play host to the MCHA Tournament this upcoming weekend, with games being played from Friday (February 27) through Sunday (February 29), culminating with the MCHA Tournament Championship slated for a 5:00 PM start on Sunday. Follow all of the action on the MCHA’s Tournament website, which will be updated all weekend long with box scores, game stories, pictures, and everything else that happens on the ice.

-February 16, 2004
Conference Season Complete; MCHA Tournament Starts February 27
The MCHA’s conference season came to a close this week, with Marian College finishing in first with a 14-2-0 league mark after splitting with Minnesota-Crookston this past weekend. The Golden Eagles are the #2 seed, wrapping up league play at 10-5-1. MSOE swept Lawrence University over the weekend, finishing in third in the standings at 9-7-0. Lawrence placed fourth, and Northland finished fifth in league play. To check out the statistical leaders for league play in 2003-2004, go to: www.collegehockeystats.com/confstats/mcha for all of the final leaders. Just one week of non-conference play remains before the MCHA Tournament held in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin from February 27-29, 2004. The MCHA site will have a link to the tournament on the home page by the end of the week.

Players of the Week:
-MSOE Raiders freshman defenseman Luke Hasbargen (Rhinelander, WI) earns MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors for the second time this season, as the electrical engineering major played a major role in the Raiders weekend sweep. He came up with key stops defensively, helping his team hold the Vikings to just a 1-for-12 showing on the power-play, and also had the game-winning goal in Saturday’s 3-1 victory. He finished +3 for the weekend.
Other Nominees: Mike Beauchaine (Lawrence), Pat McKay (Marian)

-Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles sophomore goalie Eric Kraska (Plymouth, MN) earns his first MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors in ’03-‘04. Kraska earned a split for his team with first-place Marian, with the loss coming in a one-goal game. He had a .948 save % on the weekend, making 55 saves combined. He finished MCHA play with a 9-3-1 mark and a 2.83 GAA, both second in the league.
Other Nominees: Andrew Isaac (Lawrence), Matt Burzon (MSOE)

-MSOE Raiders freshman forward Brian Soik (Stevens Point, WI) becomes the first three-time winner of the MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week this season. The mechanical engineering major had a six-point weekend (1G/5A), helping lead the Raiders to a sweep of Lawrence. He had assists on the game-winning goals both nights, while finishing +5 on the weekend.

-February 9, 2004
Marian College Wins Second MCHA Regular Season Crown in Three Years
The Marian College Sabres beat the MSOE Raiders twice over the weekend, and with the victories claim the regular season MCHA title in the process. After a 5-1 win clinched at least a share on Saturday, the Sabres held on for a 2-1 win at home on Sunday to earn the championship. The Sabres are hitting their stride at the end of the season, as they have won six in a row overall and seven consecutive league games. That is the difference from a year ago, when Marian went 0-3-1 in their final four MCHA games and watched Minnesota-Crookston come from behind to win the crown. In the other weekend series, Crookston kept pace with the Sabres with an 8-2 win over Northland on Saturday, but the Lumberjacks earned a 5-5 OT tie with the Golden Eagles on Sunday. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the league seedings for the tournament are in place.

Players of the Week:
-Northland College Lumberjacks sophomore forward Ryan Potts (Fort Wayne, IN) wins MCHA Player-of-the-Week accolades, becoming the second Northland player to earn the honor this season. The business major had a five point (3G/2A) weekend, including a hat-trick in the ‘Jacks 5-5 tie on Saturday. He scored the first three goals for his team, netting the third short-handed while helping limit the Golden Eagles power-play to just 1 goal in 10 opportunities.
Other Nominees: Andy Allen (Marian), Brock Anundson (UM-Crookston)

-Marian College Sabres senior goaltender Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN) earns MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors for his play in the Sabres title-winning weekend sweep. The studio art major made 16 saves on Saturday and 24 on Sunday, finishing with a 1.00 GAA and a .952 save percentage for the week. His MCHA numbers for the season include a 12-1-0 record, 1.40 GAA, and .934 save percentage.
Other Nominees: Derek Lehrke (Northland), Erik Kraska (UM-Crookston)

-Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles freshman forward David Perri (Plymouth, MN) earns MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors for the second time in the past three weeks. Perri had a three-goal weekend, finishing +4 on the ice for the two games.
Other Nominees: Cody Hovdestad (Northland)

-February 2, 2004
Sabres Sweep; Minnesota-Crookston Moves Into Second
The Marian College Sabres became the first MCHA team to score 10 or more goals in a game this season, as they swept the Northland Lumberjacks by scores of 13-0 and 9-1 on the weekend. With MSOE playing just a mid-week non-conference game, Minnesota-Crookston took advantage, sweeping Lawrence University to move into second place in the standings. The Golden Eagles got by the Vikings 4-3 in overtime on Friday before winning 6-4 in game two. The league witnessed three hat tricks on the weekend, the most ever for one week in the MCHA. Lawrence’s David Olynyk, Marian’s Brent Chandler, and his Sabre teammate Matthew Bobo all pulled off the scoring feat.

Players of the Week:
-Marian College Sabres junior forward Jon Daigle (Richmond, BC) earns his second MCHA Player-of-the-Week award this season, as he had a league-high 8 points on the weekend. The middle secondary education and English double-major had quite a weekend, starting off with a goal and an assist on Friday before registering 2 goals and 4 assists in Saturday’s victory. Daigle finished the weekend +7 on the ice.
Other Nominees: Brad Hawkins (Marian), Jay Tupa (UM-Crookston), Mark Erickson (UM-Crookston), David Olynyk (Lawrence)

-Marian College Sabres freshman defenseman Matthew Bobo (Mattawan, MI) is the MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week. The administration of justice major finished +5 on the weekend, recording 5 points (3G/2A). The highlight came Saturday night, as he scored a goal in each period, including the final one of the game with just :09 on the clock to complete his first career hat trick.
Other Nominees: Marc Tveit (UM-Crookston), Gharrity McNett (Lawrence)

-Marian College Sabres freshman forward Justin Birks (Penticton, BC) earns MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors, topping some tough competition. The sports management major tied with a league-high 8 points for the past seven days. Justin had a goal and 2 assists on Friday, and topped that effort with a goal and 4 assists on Saturday as he finished +6 for the weekend.
Other Nominees: Joe Searl (Lawrence), Brent Chandler (Marian), Chad Little (Marian), Chris Knapp (UM-Crookston)

-January 26, 2004
Minnesota-Crookston Sweep Makes Three-Way Race for First
With current MCHA-leader Marian College idle this week, the Crookston-MSOE weekend series proved to be a big match-up. The Golden Eagles didn’t disappoint, as they kept alive their chances for a conference championship repeat with a 4-2, 6-5 sweep of the Raiders. As it stands today, just six points separate first place from third in the league standings, with six MCHA games left for Marian and UM-C, and four left for MSOE. In the other weekend affair, Lawrence escaped the long road trip to Northland with a victory and a tie.

Players of the Week:
-Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles sophomore forward Nate Haskins (Spooner, WI) becomes the first Golden Eagle to earn MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors since the last week of November. The natural resources and wildlife management major had a four point weekend (2G/2A), with his biggest goal being the game-winner in Friday’s 4-2 defeat of MSOE.
Other Nominees: Pete Mossburg (Lawrence), Ryan Becker (Northland)

-Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles senior defenseman Mike Alvestad (Grand Forks, ND) and Lawrence Vikings freshman goaltender Andrew Isaac (Mississaugua, ONT) split MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors, the second time the league has had defensive co-winners this year.  Alvestad, a business management and marketing major, recorded a hat trick in Saturday’s 6-5 win over MSOE, with his third goal of the night not only coming short-handed, but also as the game-winner. Isaac, an economics major at Lawrence, made 44 saves in Friday’s win and another 31 in Saturday’s tie, finishing the weekend with a .904 save percentage.

-Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles freshman forward David Perri (Plymouth, MN) earns MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors with his play in the Golden Eagles sweep of MSOE. Perri had a four point weekend (2G/2A), starting off Friday with a goal and two assists, including a helper on the game-winner. On Saturday, he scored Crookston’s fifth goal in a 6-5 victory.
Other Nominees: Joe Searl (Lawrence), Cody Hovdestad (Northland)

-January 19, 2004
MSOE and Marian Open Lead in Conference Standings
The MSOE Raiders and Marian College Sabres both swept weekend MCHA series, opening up a lead in the standings on the rest of the league. The Sabres needed overtime on Friday to help sweep Lawrence, but improve to 9-1-0 in league action and now have 18 points. The Raiders have 14 standings points and are 7-3-0, good for a six-point lead over third place after their two-game sweep of Northland. Minnesota-Crookston was the only team to play non-conference this week, getting a goal with just :28 remaining to earn a 5-5 overtime tie with Concordia (MN).

Players of the Week:
-MSOE Raiders freshman defenseman Luke Hasbargen (Rhinelander, WI) and Marian College Sabres senior forward Brad Hawkins (Nepean, ONT) become the first players this season to split MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors, as each played a key role in their team’s undefeated week. Hasbargen, an electrical engineering major, scored the Raiders first two goals in a win on Friday. On Saturday, his goal gave the Raiders a 2-1 lead in an eventual 5-2 victory as he scored three times on the weekend. Hawkins became just the fourth Sabre to record over 100 career points, as his assist on Friday got him into the 100-point club. He went one better on Saturday, assisting the game-tying goal and scoring the game-winner in the Sabres 3-1 triumph. He now has 102 career points (42G/60A).
Other Nominees: Andy Fieber (Lawrence); Mark Erickson (UM-Crookston); Jon Daigle (Marian)

-Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles senior defenseman Jay Tupa (Fargo, ND) earns his first MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors this year with his play in the Golden Eagles lone game of the week. The business management and marketing major was +4 in the 5-5 tie with Concordia (MN), while recording two assists as well.
Other Nominees: David Yolo (MSOE)

-MSOE Raiders freshman forward Brian Soik (Stevens Point, WI) becomes the first newcomer to earn MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors in back-to-back weeks this season. A week after splitting the award, the mechanical engineering major wins it solo for his play in MSOE’s sweep of Northland. Soik was +3 on the weekend, while recording four points with two assists each night. He had helpers on the Raiders game-tying and game-winning goals on Saturday.
Other Nominees: Jon McKernan (Lawrence)

-January 12, 2004
Marian Represents MCHA Well With Upset of #5 UW-River Falls
Marian College took on the challenge of playing the #5 team in the country on the road this past weekend, and came back home with a 4-2 victory and a tough 2-1 loss to the Falcons, who entered play with just one loss on the season. The defeat of the #5 team marked the highest-ever ranking of a team that the Sabres knocked off, as they limited the Falcons to a 2.00 goals-against-average in the series. Three other MCHA teams were back in non-conference action, as league play will be in order for the upcoming weekend.

Players of the Week:
-Marian College Sabres senior goaltender Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN) becomes the first Marian player to earn MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors since week one of the season. The studio art major made a huge impact on the weekend, coming up with 39 saves (.951 save %) in Friday’s 4-2 Marian victory over #5 UW-River Falls. Terry fell 2-1 on Saturday night, but his final numbers for the weekend included 69 saves, a 2.00 GAA, and a .945 save percentage.

-Marian College Sabres junior defenseman Mark Williams (Green Bay, WI) receives MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors for his play on the ice in the Sabres games versus UW-River Falls. The business management major played in all situations on the weekend, finishing +1 for the two games, pushing his season total to +13. He helped the defense limit the Falcons to just 1-for-13 on the power play.

-MSOE Raiders freshman forward Brian Soik (Stevens Point, WI) and Marian College Sabres freshman forward Brent Chandler (Pickering, ONT) share MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors. Soik returned to his hometown and scored a goal in MSOE’s loss to UW-Stevens Point while finishing +1 in the contest. Chandler set the momentum for Marian’s victory on Friday, scoring on the power play just 2:02 into the Sabres win over UW-River Falls.

-January 6, 2004
Former MCHA Champion Dropping Hockey Program
The MCHA's inaugural season champion, Findlay University, has announced its intention to drop their hockey program at the end of this year. Findlay went undefeated in their only season of MCHA play, going 11-0-0 in the 1998-1999 season and winning the MCHA Tournament as well, defeating Marian College in the finals. The school moved out of the MCHA the following year when they joined NCAA Division II.

The following story is courtesy of the uscho.com website.

Findlay To Drop Hockey
by Adam Wodon/Columnist

The University of Findlay has become the third school in a year to announce its intention to drop its hockey program, joining Fairfield and Iona. At the end of this season Findlay will revert its program to club and intramural status.

"Strong colleges and universities look to the future, plan ahead, and establish priorities," said school president, Dr. DeBow Freed, who was just hired this past summer. "The University of Findlay has excellent academic programs which need support and budgets which need to be balanced."

Athletic director Steven Rackley said the choice was difficult, but necessary.

"We did what we could to make hockey a successful program here at The University of Findlay," said Rackley. "Considering our current academic push and the economic impact hockey had on our University, it became clear that we needed to make this change."

Findlay moved its entire athletic program from NAIA to NCAA Division II prior to the 1998 academic year. In so doing, it announced its intention to add a women's program and play Division I hockey. This coincided with the construction of a new on-campus facility, Clauss Arena.

But speculation that this move was forthcoming heated up in August when Craig Barnett, the only coach the program had ever known, announced his intention, just as the school year began, to leave and take a position at Lake Forest Academy, a prep school near Chicago. This followed the departure of his father-in-law as president at Findlay.

Former Wisconsin player and assistant Pat Ford was named the team's head coach.

When asked at the time, Barnett said he was hopeful this day wouldn't come.

"We don't think we're in trouble," said Barnett in August. "The administration made a commitment to the program, built a rink on campus, made a big commitment to the CHA. I would hope the new administration would live up to that."

But the new administration decided otherwise.

"The hockey program has brought many good features to the campus, the city of Findlay, and the area," said Freed. "Hockey players and coaches have represented the University well. It would be great if the program could be continued; unfortunately, it cannot."

The decision top drop the program leaves the future of Findlay's hockey conference, College Hockey America, in doubt. With just five teams set for next season, the CHA could lose its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which it enjoyed for the first time in 2003. According to NCAA by-laws, six teams are required for a conference to be eligible for an automatic bid.

Speculation has already begun in earnest, however, about the possibility of the CHA bringing in another program, such as one from Atlantic Hockey, in time for the 2004-05 season. Jack McDonald, athletic director at Quinnipiac, didn't rule out the possibility his school would seek entrance in the CHA, but with Vermont making moves towards Hockey East, the college hockey jigsaw puzzle is still too difficult to figure out.

"There's not an athletic director in this country that hasn't thought about a different league," said McDonald. "We're all keeping our eye out for what's best for our institution. But we don't know what college hockey is going to look like in a few years, so there's a lot of dominoes that still can and will fall out there."

Robert Morris, which is currently set to begin play in 2004-05 as an independent, is another possibility.

In fact, Findlay went through a similar process, which led to a host of issues over the years.

In September 2000, the MAAC refused to allow its schools to play Findlay, because of a provision in its own by-laws that prohibits league members from play provisional D-I opponents. The move was widely criticized at the time, particularly because it cut eight games from Findlay's schedule, dropping it below the 25-game threshold required for that season to count as one year of its provisional status. The hockey community scrambled to help Findlay add enough games to its schedule.

"This is really a short-term issue for Findlay. [But] the hockey community is still a minority in the ranks of the NCAA, and this is an unprecedented approach to the sport," said Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna at the time. "We usually help one another in the hockey community."

Later, when the CHA was applying for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, there were questions surrounding the validity of Findlay's full Division I status. Just after gaining acceptance in the NCAA as a Division II institution, Findlay announced its intention to move to Division I hockey. But the NCAA had just passed a nine-year moratorium on teams playing up. Findlay asked for a waiver to play up in hockey, and got it. But when the time came for the automatic bid, there were questions over Findlay's paperwork regarding that waiver. Without Findlay, the CHA would not have received the auto-bid.

Again, the hockey community rallied to help Findlay's cause, the waiver was retroactively granted, and the CHA received the automatic bid.

It is because of this that today's announcement was greeted with such consternation from the hockey community.

"A lot of the hockey world went out of their way to support Findlay, the newer teams and conferences, to play them, to help them out," said Bruce McLeod, WCHA commissioner.

"It hurts on many levels. Some of these things are hard to take. Some of the ramifications are that the CHA may lose their bid, and on the personal level, Pat Ford and his family and all the others who have made a commitment to the Findlay program. Sometimes you can't control those outside forces that come in and affect our world of college hockey."

Meanwhile, McDonald forsees another opportunity for the college hockey community to rally and figure out a solution that's best for the sport as a whole.

"To panic, wouldn't be right," McDonald said. "To plan is the right thing to do. If the ACC and Big East can re-look at their alignment, there's no reason college hockey can't do the same.

"I think a hockey summit conference is something that should happen. Nobody works better than the hockey fraternity and right now we're at a crossroads."

After Findlay moved its athletic program to Division I, then-athletic director Mary Beth Kennedy, was filled with optimism.

"The success of the men's hockey program over the past three years has been phenomenal," she said in the summer of 1998. "The positive financial impact of the athletic department and the university has certainly contributed to this decision, as well as the opportunity to attract institutions like Army and Air Force to the UF campus."

But the tune was very different today.

"Athletic costs need to be in keeping with what the University can afford while supporting other programs well. The conversion of hockey will help a great deal in constraining total athletic costs and bringing them more in line with University goals to further satisfy programs in several areas," said Freed.

The school said that Clauss Arena will remain open as a 24-hour public-use facility.

Jim Connelly and Jayson Moy also contributed to this article.

-December 22, 2003
Former MCHA Players Making Name for League in Professional Ranks
The 2003-2004 season marks the sixth year of play in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association. One of the greatest accomplishments a player can achieve is to continue his playing career after his MCHA days are over. For a handful of MCHA alumni, that dream is a reality. Former MSOE star and two-time MCHA Player-of-the-Year Ryan Moren is currently in his second season with the Anchorage (AK) Aces. One of his former teammates, Lee Jenke, is now playing for the Northern Michigan Predators. Last year's Player-of-the-Year from Marian College, Dan Odegard, is now playing for the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in Texas, while former Sabre teammate Jamie Davidson is a member of the Knoxville (TN) Ice Bears.

Moren, a member of the MSOE Raiders from 1998-2002, left quite a mark on the MCHA record book. He was a four-time MCHA First Team selection, as well as Player-of-the-Year in both his junior and senior seasons. The 6-2 defenseman was an asset on the offensive side of the puck as well, as he still holds career records for goals (31), assists (51) and total points (82). In fact, his 82 points ranks fourth all-time in league annals.

As a rookie for Anchorage a year ago (2002-2003), Moren played in 72 games, finishing with 6 goals and 16 assists for 22 points. The Aces are currently 15-8-3 overall, as Ryan has appeared in 12 games this season, recording an assist.

Jenke was signed in September to play for the Tupelo T-Rex in Mississippi. However, the T-Rex were forced to cease operations in October 2003 when the Central Hockey League was formed due to a clause that kept the team out of the market. After that, Jenke went to the IIHL tryouts with Northern Michigan and made the squad. He was a former MCHA First Team selection in 2001-2002, where he led the team in scoring (29 points on 12G/17A) and was third in the MCHA. The year before that, the three-time MCHA Player-of-the-Week was named to the MCHA Second Team for his performance.

Jenke has been a key member of the Predators, as he is currently third on the team in scoring with 12 points (7G/5A), and his team is 6-4-0 in it's first 10 games.

Dan Odegard played at Marian College from 1999-2003, leaving last season by winning MCHA Player-of-the-Year accolades, being named MCHA First Team All-Conference, and finishing #3 on the all-time Marian scoring list (134 points on 57G/77A). He became the all-time scoring leader in league play in February 2003, with 99 of his 134 career points coming in conference. His 42 goals in MCHA action is third all-time, while his 52 assists is first as well.

Odegard went to training camp with the Killer Bees in September as one of 25 players trying out for 18 spots on the final roster. He made the team, and has played in all 26 games of the season to this point, and while he has yet to record his first goal as a professional, he does have 5 assists in helping his team to a 13-11-2 record on the season.

Jamie Davidson played 3 years for the Sabres (2000-2003) as a starting defenseman, tallying 4 goals and 18 assists in a 76 game career, finishing #41 on the Sabres all-time scoring list. He holds the MCHA game record for assists by a defenseman, when he finished with 4 helpers (2/16/02) in a win over Northland College. He was originally signed by the Alabama Slammers of the World Hockey Association 2 in September, 2003, but was released in the last week of training camp. He was immediately signed by Knoxville for a three day try-out. In early November, he was signed to a full contract by the Ice Bears.

Jamie has played in 18 games on the season, recording his first professional goal in an overtime loss (11/14/03). He has a goal and 2 assists in 18 games on the season, as his Ice Bears are 9-11-0 overall.

-December 15, 2003
Lawrence Upsets Sabres; MSOE Extends MCHA Win Streak to Four Heading Into Break
The MCHA had an entertaining weekend to head into the holiday/semester break. Lawrence pulled off the biggest surprise, defeating Marian College 1-0, as the Sabres had been 6-0-0 in league play and the Vikings 1-5-0 before the contest on Saturday. The Sabres did earn a split on the weekend to move to 7-1-0 in the standings. MSOE won their third and fourth straight league games, moving to 5-3-0 in the standings with a weekend sweep of Northland College. Minnesota-Crookston represented the league well, as they lost and tied games with St. John’s (MN), a team ranked #9 in the national poll. The league will resume action January 2, 2004. Happy Holidays!

Players of the Week:
-MSOE Raiders freshman forward Nick Bilpush (Ellesville, MO) makes it back-to-back weeks that a Raider wins the MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors. The business major had a phenomenal weekend, recording back-to-back hat tricks in a weekend sweep of the Northland Lumberjacks. His 6-goal weekend was highlighted with a natural hat trick on Saturday, scoring three straight times to start the third period.
Other Nominees: Andy Fieber (Lawrence)

-Lawrence University freshman goaltender Andrew Isaac (Mississauga, ONT) becomes the first Viking to claim MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors this season. Isaac picked up the first Lawrence shutout in more than five years on Friday night (last was 11/21/98) when he stopped 35 shots in Lawrence’s 1-0 win over previous MCHA-unbeaten Marian, while taking the loss on Saturday when the Sabres scored in the final minute to earn a 5-4 victory. For the week, he posted a 1-1-0 record, .928 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals-against-average.
Other Nominees: Lee Baldwin (Minnesota-Crookston), Luke Hasbargen (MSOE)

-MSOE Raiders freshman forward Nick Bilpush (Ellesville, MO) becomes the first-ever newcomer to earn MCHA Player-of-the-Week and Rookie-of-the-Week honors at the same time, but no one can argue with his performance on the ice in the past week (see above).
Other Nominees: David Olynyk (Lawrence), Chad Little (Marian), Lee Baldwin (Minnesota-Crookston)

-December 9, 2003
Marian Opens Up Early Lead in MCHA Race
The Marian College Sabres made the most of an early-season battle for the top spot in the league standings, as they swept Minnesota-Crookston in a doubleheader in Fond du Lac over the weekend by scores of 6-2 and 4-1 to move to 6-0-0 in league play and open up an early lead in the race for first. MSOE moved up the standings as well, as they defeated Lawrence by those identical 6-2 and 4-1 scores to move into third place. Northland was the only team playing non-conference contests, falling twice to #9 St. John’s. The games on the schedule this week will be the last for the league before the holiday/semester break.

Players of the Week:
-MSOE Raiders senior forward Jason Martin (Toronto, ONT) becomes the first Raider to claim MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors this season. The business major recorded the MCHA’s first hat trick of the season, as he accounted for three goals – including the game-winner and a short-handed tally - in MSOE’s victory on Saturday. He added a goal in Sunday’s win in finishing +4 on the ice for the weekend. His 4 points tied for the league lead for the week.
Other Nominees: Mark Ewing (Marian), Andy Fieber (Lawrence), Jon Daigle (Marian)

-Marian College Sabres senior goaltender Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN) wins a tough battle for MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors. The studio art major helped snap what was a four-game winless streak (two ties, two losses) that the Sabres had against Minnesota-Crookston with stellar play between the pipes, as he stopped 42-of-45 shots in the two games, recording a .933 save % and a 1.50 GAA. He is now 6-0-0 in league play on the season with a 1.33 GAA and a .938 save percentage in those games.
Other Nominees: Joe Dovalina (MSOE)

-Marian College Sabres freshman forward Ryan Stattner (Anchorage, AK) wins MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors for the second time this season, as the elementary education major continues to put the puck in the net. He scored three goals in the Sabres sweep of the Golden Eagles, accounting for Marian’s first two goals – including the game-winner - on Friday while adding his team-leading 10th goal on Saturday. His 4 game-winners on the season lead the nation in NCAA Division III and his 10 total goals is tied for sixth.
Other Nominees: Jon McKernan (Lawrence), Michael Duta (MSOE), Brent Chandler (Marian)

-December 1, 2003
MCHA Wraps Up Tough Week on Ice Versus Non-Conference Opponents
The MCHA concluded a rough week on the schedule this past weekend by going 1-9-0 versus non-conference foes, including four losses to teams ranked in the Top 10 when the games were played. Conference action will be the order for the week, as an early battle for #1 is brewing when Minnesota-Crookston travels to Marian for two games this upcoming weekend.

Players of the Week:
-UM-Crookston Golden Eagles junior forward Brock Anundson (Baudette, MN) makes it three MCHA Player-of-the-Week awards in the season’s first five weeks as he continues his fine season. The sports recreation management major had a goal and assisted on the game-winner in the MCHA’s lone win on the week over Concordia, and had two more assists on the weekend. A personal highlight was him winning the skills competition at the UW-Stout Thanksgiving Tournament. His 16 points (7G/9A) leads the league and his 1.78 points per game is in the Top 30 in the nation.

-Northland College Lumberjacks sophomore defenseman Ryan Potts (Fort Wayne, IN) wins MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors for his play in the past seven days. The business major scored his fourth and fifth goals of the year, as he tallied a short-handed goal and a power play tally to give Northland a 2-1 lead before St. Olaf eventually rallied for the win. He was even for the game as his line kept the top St. Olaf line without a goal and helped the Jacks penalty kill hold their last two opponents to a 1-17 clip on the power play (.942).

-UM-Crookston Golden Eagles freshman goalie Lee Baldwin (Horace, ND) wins MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors, the first Golden Eagle to do so this year. The business management major made 33 stops on 36 shots in a tough loss to 9-1-0 UW-Eau Claire, a save percentage of .917. He also held the opponent to 0-for-4 on the power play.

-November 24, 2003
Marian Moves Into First Place Tie; Teams Prepare for Holiday Tournaments
Marian College moved into a tie for first place with 8 points (4-0-0 record) by virtue of their sweep of MSOE and Northland knocking off UM-Crookston on Saturday. The Sabres defeated the Raiders by counts of 5-0 on Saturday and 4-1 on Sunday, while the Lumberjacks hung a 4-1 loss on Crookston a night after getting beat 7-1. In non-conference play, Lawrence lost a pair to St. John’s. Thanksgiving Holiday Tournaments are on the agenda, as Marian and Lawrence will be playing in Marian’s holiday tournament, while Crookston and MSOE will be heading to UW-Stout’s holiday tournament.

Players of the Week:
-Northland College Lumberjacks junior forward Ryan Becker (Lucky Lake, Sask.) becomes the first Lumberjack player recognized in 2003-2004, as he received MCHA Player-of-the-Week accolades for his efforts in Northland’s upset of Minnesota-Crookston. The education major had a hand in all of the scoring, tallying 2 goals (including the game-winner) and 2 assists in the 4-1 win.
Other Nominees: Mike Burkhart (Lawrence), Ben Perkins (UM-Crookston); Brian George (Northland)

-Marian College Sabres senior goaltender Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN) and Northland College Lumberjacks junior goaltender Brian George (Tulsa, OK) will split MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors. George made quite an impression on the Golden Eagles, as he made 58 saves on 60 shots (.967) between coming on in relief on Friday and in Saturday’s Lumberjack victory. He also helped hold the Crookston power play to 0-for-10 against him. Dunbar recorded back-to-back wins on the weekend, posting his sixth career shut-out on Saturday and making 49 saves on 50 shots (.980 save %) in the two games.
Other Nominees: Daniel Ljung (Lawrence)

-Marian College Sabres freshman forward Ryan Stattner (Anchorage, AK) makes it back-to-back weeks that Marian claims MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors. The elementary education major scored the game-winning goals in each of the Sabres wins over MSOE, finishing the week with 3 scores total. He now has a team-high 6 goals and 3 game-winning goals on the season.
Other Nominees: Cody Hovdestad (Northland), Joe Searl (Lawrence)

-November 17, 2003
Marian and Crookston Earn Sweeps in Weekend MCHA Play
The Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles stayed hot, as they swept Lawrence University by scores of 8-2 and 5-1 over the weekend to improve to 3-1-0 on the young season and are now 12-2-1 in their past 15 games dating back to last season. Not to be outdone, the Marian Sabres played their first two MCHA games of the season, earning a sweep of their own with identical 6-2 victories over Northland College.

Players of the Week:
-UM-Crookston Golden Eagles junior forward Brock Anundson (Baudette, MN) makes it back-to-back MCHA Player-of-the-Week awards, as he once again led the defending league champs in a 2-0-0 week. The sports recreation management major scored two of his team’s first four goals – including the eventual game-winner – in Friday’s win. He also added his league-leading fifth goal on Saturday. His league high 5 goals and 8 points on the year are more than double the current second-place totals (second in the MCHA is 2 goals and 4 points).
Other Nominees: Mark Ewing (Marian), Patrick Knutson (UM-Crookston)

-UM-Crookston Golden Eagles junior defenseman Marc Tveit (Roseau, MN) earns MCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week courtesy of his performance in the Golden Eagles weekend sweep of Lawrence. The agricultural systems management major scored two goals on the weekend and assisted on the game-winner on Friday. Additionally, he finished +2 in the two games while Crookston’s opponents went just 1-for-10 on the power-play.

Other Nominees: Brett Fox (Marian), Terry Dunbar (Marian)

-Marian College Sabres freshman forward Chad Little (Southampton, ONT) becomes the first Sabre to earn MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week honors in 2003-2004. The administration of justice major tallied three points in the sweep of Northland, getting two goals – one each night – while assisting on the game-winner in Friday’s victory.

Other Nominees: Victor Appelqvist (Northland)

-November 10, 2003
Opening Weekend of MCHA Conference Play Results in…Splits
The MCHA began conference play this past weekend, and after all was said and done there are four teams tied at 1-1-0 in league standings. With Marian College enjoying the week off, Crookston finally started their season, as the defending league champs won their first before falling in overtime against MSOE in their split. In the other league match-up, Northland snapped an 8-game losing streak to Lawrence with a 4-3 win on Friday before Lawrence responded with 5-1 win to earn a split as well.

Players of the Week:
-UM-Crookston Golden Eagles junior forward Brock Anundson (Baudette, MN) gets right into the swing of things to start the season, being named MCHA Player-of-the-Week as he led the defending league champs to a season-opening victory courtesy of his two goal/one assist performance, including the game-winner. The sports recreation management major also added assists on both of the Golden Eagles goals on Saturday, as they fell 3-2 in overtime to MSOE.
Other Nominees: Matt Burzon (MSOE), Gharrity McNett (Lawrence)

-MSOE Raiders freshman goalie Matt Burzon (Danby, VT) gets the nod for MCHA Goalie-of-the-Week courtesy of his performance in his only outing of the week. He helped the Raiders to a 3-2 OT victory over defending conference champ Crookston, stopping 27 of 29 shots on the night, a .931 save % to give the Raiders their first win over the Golden Eagles in nearly two years.
Other Nominees: Erik Kraska (Minnesota-Crookston), Andrew Isaac (Lawrence)

-Lawrence University Vikings freshman forward Nick Anton (Traverse City, MI) makes it back-to-back Vikings for the MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week award. The economics major got Lawrence started with the first goal in their victory on Saturday en route to a three point (1G/2A) weekend.
Other Nominees: Chris Knapp (Minnesota-Crookston), Nick Bilpush (MSOE)

-November 3, 2003
MCHA Approves Addition of Finlandia University to Conference
As the 2003-2004 season begins, the MCHA will be going through change. Finlandia University has been officially selected to join the league after the MCHA members approved their application to the conference. The final vote was unanimous by the league, and the Lions will play a full league schedule in the MCHA in 2004-2005. Finlandia, located in Northern Michigan in the city of Hancock, was very excited to receive the news. “We are tremendously ecstatic about getting into the MCHA,” said Athletic Director Chris Salani. “This is a major step for our hockey program and for our athletic department.” Lion head coach Joe Burcar shares that enthusiasm. “This is great for the program,” he noted. “We will be able to establish some rivalries and play for a championship. We will be able to set our eyes on that goal and look forward to the challenge of the MCHA.”

The Lions were up to their eventual task the first weekend, as they swept Northland College by scores of 9-3 and 13-4 over the opening weekend of play. They have accumulated a 9-5-1 record versus MCHA teams over the past three seasons. In other action, MCHA teams took on two Top 5 squads, as Marian fell 4-2 to #3 St. Norbert in the league opener, while MSOE was swept by #5 UW-River Falls despite holding the Falcons without a power play goal on their six attempts with the man-advantage. The Sabres and Vikings played a game each against St. Scholastica and UW-Stout over the weekend, with the Sabres splitting and the Vikings falling twice.

Players of the Week:
-Marian College Sabres junior forward Jon Daigle (Richmond, BC) earns the first MCHA Player-of-the-Week honors for 2003-2004. The middle secondary education and English major scored two goals in the Sabres 5-0 defeat of St. Scholastica and had 4 points (2G/2A) on the week.
Other Nominees: Mark Ewing (Marian), Daniel Schroder (Lawrence), Rob Kaufman (MSOE)

-Marian College Sabres senior goaltender Terry Dunbar (Duluth, MN) gets the nod for MCHA Goalie-of-the-Week, as he posted the 5-0 shut-out of St. Scholastica and played well in a tough 4-2 loss to #3 St. Norbert College. The studio art major limited the Green Knights to 3 goals (27 saves) before a late empty-netter. He posted his fifth career shut-out versus St. Scholastica, adding his second career assist on offense as well.
Other Nominees: Daniel Ljung (Lawrence), Matt Burzon (MSOE)

-MSOE Raiders freshman goalie Joe Dovalina (Evergreen Park, IL) and Lawrence University Vikings freshman defenseman Kalle Larsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) make the first MCHA Rookie-of-the-Week award a tie. Dovalina, a business major, made his collegiate debut against the #5 team in the nation and made 55 saves on .917 save %. Larsson, an economics major, tallied a goal and 2 assists in a game versus St. Scholastica.

-October 28, 2003
Let the Games Begin!...Puck Drops on 2003-2004 Season
The MCHA has officially started it's sixth season on Tuesday night, as the Marian College Sabres took to the ice to battle the #3 team in the country in St. Norbert College. The Sabres-Green Knight affair is the only mid-week game on the schedule, as a full slate of contests will highlight the upcoming weekend. Things get heated on Friday (October 31) as four teams will be playing non-conference games: Marian will host St. Scholastica, Lawrence will host UW-Stout, MSOE will host UW-River Falls, and Northland will be at home against Finlandia

-September 2, 2003
Former MSOE Star Jenke Inks Contract With Tupelo T-Rex
The Tupelo T-Rex of the South East Hockey League (SEHL) have signed former MSOE player Lee Jenke to a contract. The team, based in Mississippi, is an expansion team in the SEHL that will play a 60-game schedule this winter. Training camp starts October 5th, 2003 as Jenke looks to play his way to a roster spot.

Jenke - a 2002 MSOE graduate - was an MCHA First Team All-Conference selection in 2001-2002, scoring 21 points (9G/12A) in 16 league games as a senior. As a junior, he tallied 19 points (6G/13A) in being named a Second Team All-MCHA performer.

-August 13, 2003
Reigning MCHA Player-of-the-Year Odegard Signs With Killer Bees
The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League (CHL) have inked former Marian College hockey player Dan Odegard (Oakdale, MN) to a contract for the opportunity to play with them for the 2003-2004 squad. Odegard was a 4-year starter on the Sabre hockey team who wrapped up his stellar career this past winter by being named MCHA Player-of-the-Year and setting the league scoring mark. He was a 4-year All-Conference performer who left Marian third on the all-time scoring list with 132 points (57G/77A).

Odegard becomes the 10th player signed by the Killer Bees and the second rookie. The season is slated to begin October 18, 2003.

Click HERE for the official release from the Killer Bees.

-July 23, 2003
2002-2003 All-Academic Team Members Announced by MCHA
The Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Team was announced Wednesday (July 23) by MCHA secretary/treasurer Dan Huntley and the league office. Players earned the honor by achieving a grade point average of 3.00 or higher for the 2002-2003 academic year and completing their sophomore year in school. Marian College led the way with a league-record 11 players on the squad, breaking the old mark of 10 members by Lawrence University in the 1999-2000 school year. Minnesota-Crookston was second with nine players. MSOE had five on the list, while Lawrence had four and Northland had one making the grade. A highlight for this year's awards were two players who earned the honor for the fourth straight season in Marian's Dan Odegard and Minnesota-Crookston's Scott Mack. They become just the fifth and six players in league history to earn MCHA All-Academic Honors each of their four years in school.

A complete list for each school is below.