We all voted. We gave you a chance to chime in (most of you generally failed at providing anything substantive, but you're fans, so it's okay).
Now, it's time to see how the All-WCHA teams look. With the new Final Five format, there is no more awards banquet on the Thursday of the play-in round. With that gone, the league has decided to simply throw out a press release to announce the honors, then they will try to have all the major award winners on hand during the Final Five for media availability and recognition during the games.
Here is the press release from the WCHA:
Two seniors representing regular season and MacNaughton Cup champion University of North Dakota – forward Matt Frattin and defensemen Chay Genoway – were today (March 10) honored as WCHA Player of the Year and WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, respectively, to highlight the men’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association individual awards for the 2010-11 season. Frattin and Genoway were also both voted to the All-WCHA First Team.
The league’s other major individual awards went to University of Wisconsin defensemen Justin Schultz as WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, University of Denver forward Jason Zucker as WCHA Rookie of the Year, Frattin as WCHA Scoring Champion, North Dakota netminder Aaron Dell as WCHA Goaltending Champion, and to Dean Blais of the University of Nebraska Omaha as WCHA Coach of the Year.
Frattin, who received 58 votes in player of the year balloting, also captured the league’s scoring title (conference games only) with 40 points (22g, 18a), the most points by a Sioux player in league games since 2000-01. In 28 league games he averaged 1.43 points per game as the Sioux claimed the regular season championship for a record 15th time overall and second time in the past three seasons. A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Frattin is tied for the NCAA Div. 1 lead with 29 goals, including a nation’s-best 19 goals scored away from home, and leads UND in points (49), goals (29), power-play goals (9), game-winning goals (4), and shorthanded goals (2). He is currently riding his second nine-game point streak for the season, scored a goal in eight straight games earlier this season, and has gone consecutive games without a point on only two occasions. Frattin is a draftee of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
Genoway, who also earned All-WCHA First Team honors, was named the men’s WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year in a vote of league member team Faculty Athletic Representatives. A two-time team captain and one of only three individuals to earn WCHA Scholar-Athlete honors four times (the others were Scott McCulloch of Colorado College from 2005-09 and Jenna Hewitt of Minnesota State from 2006-10), Genoway maintains a 3.558 cumulative grade-point average at North Dakota and will graduate in May with a BBA in Management. After a season-ending injury last year, the Morden, Manitoba product went on to earn a 4.0 GPA in the fall of 2010, has done a team-leading 68.5 hours of community service during this academic year and was named an ESPN the Magazine All-American as a junior. He is the fourth highest scoring defenseman overall in the WCHA this season with 26 points (6g, 20a) despite missing eight games, ranked second in the WCHA in points per game by a defenseman at 0.95, leads all active WCHA defensemen with 116 career points, and put together a 12-game point streak earlier this season, tying a 33-year old school record for defensemen. Genoway is also a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award and has earned UND’s Archie Krum Memorial Athletic Scholarship for “leadership qualities, high academic standards and athletic excellence” three years in a row.
The WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year Award is determined from nominations made by the member institutions and each institution then has one final vote. The criteria is as follows: 1) must be a senior student-athlete, i.e. one who is finishing his competition as an eligible player in the WCHA; 2) consistently displays outstanding sportsmanship on and off the ice; 3) is a good student making satisfactory progress toward a degree; and 4) is a good hockey player who has performed consistently as a regular member of the team.
To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his or her overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at his or her present institution.
The league’s 12 head coaches voted the University of Wisconsin’s Justin Schultz as WCHA Defensive Player of the Year. From West Kelowna, British Columbia, Schultz is the first sophomore to win the award and also earned All-WCHA First Team accolades. Schultz is the second straight Badger to earn the league’s top defensive award, with defensemen Brendan Smith earning the honor in 2009-10. Schultz’s 18 goals so far this season are the most for any defenseman in the country since the 2002-03 season and one off the UW record. He’s the nation’s leading point scorer among defensemen and also leads the Badgers with 46 points. Among his goals are nine power-play goals, five first goals and three game-winning goals, including an overtime game-winning goal. A draftee of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, he posted the first hat trick by a UW defenseman since 1991-92 and logs over 30 minutes of ice time per game.
Honored as the WCHA Rookie of the Year was University of Denver forward Jason Zucker, who was named on 78 ballots after leading all first-year conference players in scoring – and finishing third overall – with 36 points (20g, 16a). From Las Vegas, Nevada, Zucker made a strong bid to become just the second freshman in the 59-year history of the WCHA to win a scoring title, with DU’s Vic Venasky first accomplishing the feat in 1970-71 with 39 points (14g, 25a) in 22 games. One of only two players to score 20 goals in WCHA action, he ranked second nationally among rookies with 1.12 points per game, had 12 multiple-point games, and tallied 14 points (4g, 10a) during a career-high nine-game point streak. Zucker was named the National Div. 1 Rookie of the Month for February and was a two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week. He is a draftee of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
Earning the WCHA goaltending crown for 2010-11 was North Dakota’s Aaron Dell, who was also voted to the All-WCHA First Team. A sophomore from Airdrie, Alberta, Dell topped all league netminders with a 1.97 goals-against average in conference play, posting a 19-4-1 WCHA mark and a .912 save percentage over 1,432:09 of action. He won the league’s goaltending crown by the widest margin since 2001-02 and led the WCHA in league wins (19) and winning percentage (.812). In 33 overall games, Dell is tied for second in the nation in wins (24), ranks second in GAA (1.95), third in winning percentage (.781), and is tied for fourth in shutouts (4). A two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week, he put together a shutout streak of 224 minutes, :31 seconds, the second-longest in school history and the longest in nearly 60 years.
The WCHA Coach of the Year for 2010-11 is Dean Blais of the University of Nebraska Omaha. Blais, who earns the award for the fourth time in his collegiate coaching career, led his Mavericks to a 17-9-2 league mark and third place finish, just one point out of second, as well as to a home playoff berth in the team’s first season in the WCHA. Named on 49 ballots, he guided UNO to it’s best-ever conference finish, to the most conference wins in school history, and as of March 10, the Mavericks have also already secured the second-highest single season win total in school history with 21. Blais, who earned his 300th career win on Feb. 12 against Wisconsin, was previously honored as the league’s coach of the year in 1996-97, 1998-99 and 2000-01 as head coach at North Dakota.
Three different conference-member teams – North Dakota, Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin – are represented on the All-WCHA First Team for 2010-11. Named to the All-WCHA First Team (statistics are league games only) were: F – Matt Frattin, Sr., North Dakota (28 gp, 22-18=40); F - Jack Connolly, Jr., Minnesota Duluth (28 gp, 9-28=37); F – Mike Connolly, Jr., Minnesota Duluth (28 gp, 19-15=34); D – Justin Schultz, So., Wisconsin (28 gp, 10-19=29); D – Chay Genoway, Sr., North Dakota (20 gp, 5-14=19); G – Aaron Dell, So., North Dakota (19-4-1, 1.97 gaa, .912 sv%).
Members of the 2010-11 All-WCHA Second Team are: F – Jason Zucker, Fr., Denver (28 gp, 20-16=36); F – Drew Shore, So., Denver (28 gp, 15-19=34): F – Justin Fontaine, Sr., Minnesota Duluth (28 gp, 14-18=32); D – Jake Gardiner, Jr., Wisconsin (28 gp, 5-18=23); D – Matt Donovan, So., Denver (28 gp, 4-17=21); G – Kent Patterson, Jr., Minnesota (13-5-5, 2.31 gaa, .926 sv%).
Voted to the All-WCHA Third Team for 2010-11 were: F – Jason Gregoire, Jr., North Dakota (24 gp, 18-13=31); F – Jaden Schwartz, Fr., Colorado College (17 gp, 10-15=25); F – Drew LeBlanc, Jr., St. Cloud State (28 gp, 11-17=28); D – Kurt Davis, Sr., Minnesota State (28 gp, 5-14=19); D – Justin Faulk, Fr., Minnesota Duluth (28 gp, 6-15=21); G – John Faulkner, So., Nebraska Omaha (16-9-2, 2.54 gaa, .910 sv%).
And voted to the All-WCHA Rookie Team for 2010-11 were: F – Jason Zucker, Fr., Denver (28 gp, 20-16=36); F – Jaden Schwartz, Fr., Colorado College (17 gp, 10-15=25); F – J.T. Brown, Fr., Minnesota Duluth (28 gp, 12-14=26); D – Justin Faulk, Fr., Minnesota Duluth (28 gp, 6-15=21); D – David Makowski, Fr., Denver (27 gp, 4-14=18); G – Sam Brittain, Fr., Denver (13-6-3, 2.40 gaa, .920 sv%).
Two players named to the all-league teams were also earlier honored on Feb. 10 as WCHA Scholar-Athletes for 2010-11. They were Chay Genoway (Sr., D, North Dakota) and Drew LeBlanc (Jr., F, St. Cloud State).
Major award winners and members of the various all-league teams who were also recognized today as member of the 2010-11 men’s All-WCHA Academic Team were: Matt Donovan (So., D, Denver), Drew Shore (So., F, Denver), Kent Patterson (Jr., G, Minnesota), Jack Connolly (Jr., F, Minnesota Duluth), Justin Fontaine (Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth), John Faulkner (So., G, Nebraska Omaha), Matt Frattin (Sr., F, North Dakota), Chay Genoway (Sr., D, North Dakota), Jason Gregoire (Jr., F, North Dakota), and Drew LeBlanc (Jr., F, St. Cloud State).
Voting for the major awards and all-league teams in the WCHA is done by conference member team coaches, players, sports information directors and local media. Each member team receives eight ballots and there are 96 total voters. Points for the all-league teams are awarded on a five (1st team vote), three (2nd team), and one (3rd team vote) basis. The WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year award is selected by league-member Faculty Athletic Representatives while the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year is selected by the league’s 12 head coaches.
2010-11 WCHA Major Award Winners
WCHA Player of the Year
Matt Frattin • Senior, Forward
University of North Dakota (Edmonton, AB)
WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year
Chay Genoway • Senior, Defenseman
University of North Dakota (Morden, MB)
WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
Justin Schultz • Sophomore, Defenseman
University of Wisconsin (West Kelowna, BC)
WCHA Rookie of the Year
Jason Zucker • Freshman, Forward
University of Denver (Las Vegas, NV)
WCHA Scoring Champion
Matt Frattin • Senior, Forward
University of North Dakota (Edmonton, AB)
WCHA Goaltending Champion
Aaron Dell • Sophomore, Goaltender
University of North Dakota (Airdrie, AB)
WCHA Coach of the Year
Dean Blais • University of Nebraska Omaha (49 votes)
2010-11 All-WCHA First Team
Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown Pts
F Matt Frattin North Dakota 6-0 206 Sr Edmonton, AB 435
F Jack Connolly Minnesota Duluth 5-8 160 Jr Duluth, MN 354
F Mike Connolly Minnesota Duluth 5-9 190 Jr Calgary, AB 354
D Justin Schultz Wisconsin 6-1 185 So West Kelowna, BC 438
D Chay Genoway North Dakota 5-9 177 Sr Morden, MB 273
G Aaron Dell North Dakota 6-0 191 So Airdrie, AB 283
2010-11 All-WCHA Second Team
Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown Pts
F Jason Zucker Denver 5-10 175 Fr Las Vegas, NV 320
F Drew Shore Denver 6-3 190 So Denver, CO 196
F Justin Fontaine Minnesota Duluth 5-11 175 Sr Bonnyville, AB 183
D Jake Gardiner Wisconsin 6-2 193 Jr Minnetonka, MN 253
D Matt Donovan Denver 6-0 190 So Edmond, OK 151
G Kent Patterson Minnesota 6-1 180 Jr Plymouth, MN 141
2010-11 All-WCHA Third Team
Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown Pts
F Jason Gregoire North Dakota 5-11 196 Jr Winnipeg, MB 113
F Jaden Schwartz Colorado College 5-10 182 Fr Wilcox, SK 87
F Drew LeBlanc St. Cloud State 6-0 185 Jr Hermantown, MN 74
D Kurt Davis Minnesota State 5-9 175 Sr Plymouth, MN 150
D Justin Faulk Minnesota Duluth 5-11 200 Fr South St. Paul, MN 99
G John Faulkner Nebraska Omaha 6-1 207 So Sarnia, ON 123
2010-11 All-WCHA Rookie Team
Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown Votes
F Jason Zucker Denver 5-10 175 Fr Las Vegas, NV 91
F Jaden Schwartz Colorado College 5-10 182 Fr Wilcox, SK 80
F J.T. Brown Minnesota Duluth 5-10 170 Fr Burnsville, MN 44
D Justin Faulk Minnesota Duluth 5-11 200 Fr South St. Paul, MN 82
D David Makowski Denver 6-0 205 Fr Wildwood, MO 44
G Sam Brittain Denver 6-3 210 Fr Calgary, AB 79
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