Big Ten Players Honored with National Awards

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Two Big Ten Hockey student-athletes received national awards and five players achieved All-America status at the "Friday Night at the Frozen Four" awards ceremony, held Friday evening at the RiverCentre Convention Center.

Senior Kyle McClellan of Wisconsin received the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goaltender. The Manchester, Mo., native recorded a 24-12-1 record, 1.94 goals-against average and .931 save percentage. He led the nation in shutouts (7) and save percentage and ranked second in GAA. McClellan becomes the third Big Ten goalie to win the Richter, joining Minnesota's Jack LaFontaine (2021) and Notre Dame's Cale Morris (2018).

Junior forward Dylan Lugris of Penn State earned the Hockey Humanitarian Award, presently annually to college hockey’s finest citizen for leadership in community service. With the assistance of teammates, Lugris organized the charitable Penn State Sled Hockey Classic between the State College Coyotes and the Nittany Lions at Pegula Ice Arena. Lugris helped increase exposure for the Coyotes — who have doubled in roster size and joined a league — by donating nearly $50,000 to the sled hockey organization. Past Humanitarian Award winners from the Big Ten include Wisconsin's Jake Bunz (2019) and Erik Raygor (1998) and Michigan's Blake Sloan (1997).

The announcement of the AHCA/CCM All-American teams found five Big Ten players honored. Sophomore forward Gavin Brindley and sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey of Michigan were named to the West First Team while McClellan, Michigan sophomore forward Rutger McGroarty and Michigan State freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov were chosen to the West Second Team.