Twenty-three members of the North Dakota men's hockey team -- and 23 on the women's hockey team -- will be honored at halftime of the UND vs. Houston Baptist women's basketball game on Thursday during academic awards night.

They all are on the athletic director's honor roll for having grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher for either last semester or for their cumulative college careers.

Altogether 276 athletes in seven men's and nine women's sports will be recognized at Thursday's game.

Men's hockey: Ben Blood, Aaron Dell, Taylor Dickin, Brad Eidsness, Derek Forbort, Connor Gaarder, Rocco Grimaldi, Corban Knight, Mario Lamoureux, Mark MacMillan, Andrew MacWilliam, Tate Maris, Nick Mattson, Brock Nelson, Brendan O'Donnell, Andrew Panzarella, Michael Parks, Stephane Pattyn, Derek Rodwell, Carter Rowney, Dan Senkbeil, Dillon Simpson, Colten St. Clair.

Women's hockey: Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Kayla Berg, Michelle Bonapace-Potvin, Andrea Dalen, Ashley Furia, Megan Gilbert, Leah Jensen, Josie Johnson, Shannon Kaiser, Michelle Karvinen, Kelsey Ketcher, Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux-Kolls, Mary Loken, Layla Marvin, Margot Miller, Stephanie Ney, Jorid Dagfinrud, Allison Parizek, Ashley Holmes, Jordan Slavin, Alyssa Wiebe, Tori Williams.

CONNOLLY A FINALIST

Senior center Jack Connolly is one of 10 finalists for Lowe's CLASS Award, which goes to a senior who excels in competition, the classroom, character and the community.

Taylor Matson, the Gophers' captain, was one of 20 nominees for the award but was not chosen as a finalist. Goalie Brad Eidsness of North Dakota and forward Drew LeBlanc of St. Cloud State also were among the nominees. The winner will be named during the Frozen Four which will be held April 5-7 in Tampa, Fla.

* Mercyhurst defenseman Molly Byrne, of Plymouth, Minn., is College Hockey America's rookie of the month for January. Byrne had one goal and seven assists in six games last month. She played for Totino-Grace as a freshman and for Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault the next three seasons.