A slightly edited WCHA release:
Seventy-seven men's and women's student-athletes make up the fifth annual group of WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipients.
To qualify, conference-member student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution before 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 an overall GPA of at least 3.50 at his/her present institution.
Forty of this season's 77 men's and women's WCHA Scholar-Athletes are repeat honorees from 2008-09.
The number of award winners has gone from 47 the first year n 2005-06 to 49, 79, 71 and now 77.
This season's group of WCHA Scholar-Athletes will be publicly honored on-ice with commemorative plaques at home games during the remainder of the season.
2009-10 WCHA Scholar-Athletes
*indicates repeat honoree
University of Alaska Anchorage (5, all men): *Nils Backstrom (Sr., D, Stocksund, Sweden); Josh Lunden (Sr., F, Coquitlam, BC); *Jon Olthuis (Sr., G, Neerlandia, AB); Dusan Sidor (So., G, Poprad, Slovakia); Jared Tuton (Sr., D, Whitehorse, YT).
Bemidji State University (8, all women): Erin Babineau (So., F, St. Paul, MN); *Annie Bauerfeld (Jr., F, Woodbury, MN); *Erin Cody (Jr., F, Roseville, MN); Emily Erickson (So./Fr., F, Coleriane, MN); Alana McElhinney (So., G, Calgary, AB); Montana Vichorek (So., D, Moose Lake, MN); Marlee Wheelhouse (So., D, Crookston, MN); Jackie Robertson (Sr., D, Inver Grove Heights, MN).
Colorado College (3 all men): David Civitarese (So., F, Calgary, AB); *Brian McMillin (Sr., F, Roseau, MN); *Bill Sweatt (Sr., F, Elburn, IL); *Mike Testwuide (Sr., F, Vail, CO).
University of Denver (8, all men): Joe Colborne (So., F, Calgary, AB); *Brian Gifford (Sr., F, Moorhead, MN); *Matt Glasser (Sr., F, Calgary, AB); *Chris Nutini (Jr., D, Centennial, CO); *Kyle Ostrow (Jr., F, Calgary, AB); Rhett Rakhshani (Sr., F, Huntington Beach, CA); *Tyler Ruegsegger (Sr., F, Lakewood, CO); Patrick Wiercioch (So., D, Maple Grove, BC).
Michigan Tech (2, both men): *Mike VanWagner (Sr., D, Traverse City, MI); *Eli Vlaisavljevich (Sr., D, Shoreview, MN).
Minnesota (2, both women): Nicole Ludwigson (So., F, Bloomington, MN); *Michelle Maunu (Sr., D, Esko, MN).
Minnesota Duluth (4 men, 1 woman): *Rob Bordson (Jr., F, Duluth, MN); Brady Hjelle (So., G, International Falls, MN); *Sarah Murray (Sr., D, Fairbault, MN); *Kenny Reiter (Jr., G, Pittsburgh, PA); *Kyle Schmidt (Jr., F, Hermantown, MN).
Minnesota State University, Mankato (4 men, 10 women): Alli Altmann (So., G, Eagan, MN); *Kala Buganski (Sr., F, Anoka, MN); *Nick Canzanello (Sr., D, Rochester, MN); *Ida Clark (Sr., F, Vallentuna, Sweden); *Rylan Galiardi (Jr., F, Calgary, AB); *Jenna Hewitt (Sr., F, Anoka, MN); *Austin Lee (So., G, Bloomington, MN); Jackie Otto (So., D, Lake Zurich, IL); *Kathleen Rosso (Sr., D, Rogers, MN); Joe Schiller (So., F, Detroit Lakes, MN); *Holly Snyder (Sr., D, Kenosha, WI); *Nina Tikkinen (Jr., F, Salo, Finland); *Amy Udvig (Jr., D, New Brighton, MN); *Ashley Young (Sr., F, South St. Paul, MN).
North Dakota (5 men, 2 women): Brad Eidsness (So., G, Chestermere, AB); Ashley Holmes (So., D, Miltona, MN); *Brittany Kirkham (Sr., G, Nepean, ON); Derrick LaPoint (Jr., D, Eau Claire, WI); Jake Marto (Jr., D, Grand Forks, ND); Chris VandeVelde (Sr., F, Moorhead, MN); Darcy Zajac (Sr., F, Winnipeg, MB).
Ohio State (3 women): Barbara Bilko (So., G, Coldwater, MI); *Rachel Davis (Sr., D, Horton, MI); *Raelyn LaRocque (Sr., F, The Pas, MB).
St. Cloud State (6 men, 9 women): *Jon Ammerman (Sr., D, Moorhead, MN); Jordy Christian (So., F, Moorhead, MN); Anna Donlan (So., G, Hillsboro, WI); *Jenaca Fredheim (Sr., D, Campbell River, BC); Chris Hepp (Jr., D, Savage, MN); *Caitlin Hogan (Sr., F, Oakdale, MN); *Courtney Josefson (Jr., F, Bemidji, MN); Katie Kemmerer (Sr., F, Anchorage, AK); Ashlan Lambert (Jr., D, Eden Prairie, MN); Drew LeBlanc (So., F, Hermantown, MN); *Kelly Meierhofer (Sr., D, Sauk Rapids, MN); Travis Novak (So., F, Lethbridge, AB); *Garrett Raboin (Sr., D, Detroit Lakes, MN); Holly Roberts (Sr., F, St. Cloud, MN); Brittany Toor (So., F, Hartland, MI).
Wisconsin (1 man, 3 women): *Maria Evans (Jr., F, Chanhassen, MN); Ryan Little (So., D, Fond du Lac, WI); Carla Pentimone (Jr./So., F, Chicago, IL); Carolyne Prévost (So., F, Sarnia, ON).
