Denver Hockey Holds Annual Awards Banquet at Cable Center

DENVER – Senior goalie Sam Brittain (Calgary, Alberta) was named Most Valuable Player, the Star of the Year and shared Defensive Player of the Year honors as the University of Denver celebrated its 58th Annual Hockey Awards Evening on Saturday night at the Cable Center on the DU campus.

The Pioneers (20-16-6) advanced to the NCAA Northeast Regional in 2013-14, marking its school-record seventh consecutive NCAA berth. Denver remains the lone team in college hockey to post 13 consecutive 20-win seasons. The Pioneers also landed 19 members on the All-NCHC Academic Team as well as being the only team in the league to place two players on the first team All-NCHC squad in Brittain and junior defenseman Joey LaLeggia (Burnaby, B.C.).

In addition, the Pioneers said goodbye to seniors Brittain, David Makowski (St. Louios, Mo.), Sean Toriumi (Westlake Village, Calif.) and Wade Bennett (Gardena, Calif.).

The DU senior class of 2014 became just the fourth in school history to play in four straight NCAA tournaments. The seniors finished their careers with 90 wins along with the 2014 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Title.

Brittain earned the Bill Masterton Memorial Award (MVP) following a season that saw him honored as a first team AHCA/CCM All-America selection and the NCHC Goalie of the Year.  Brittain earns his first Masterton Award after recording a career-best five shutouts while posting an overall record of 19-14-6. Brittain ranked among NCAA national leaders with a 2.22 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.

Sophomore Grant Arnold (Centennial, Colo.) earned the Dr. Ralph Verploeg Award for most inspirational player.  Arnold helped lead Denver to its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and the 2014 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Title with his physical play and intensity on the ice. A member of Denver’s “Mash Line”, Arnold has developed into a leader by example while contributing two goals and five assists over 41 games in 2013-14.

Trevor Moore (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) earned the Barry Sharp Memorial Award as top freshman, while sophomore Gabe Levin (Marina del Rey, Calif.) won the Murray Armstrong Award as most improved player.

Levin also earned the Dr. Ken Bredesen Award for sportsmanship, while junior Larkin Jacobson (Sioux City, Iowa) earned the Dr. Art Mason Memorial Award as top scholar-athlete for the third consecutive season.

Bennett was recognized with the Bob Martin Memorial Award for community service, while rookie Moore was the recipient of the Dallas Gaume Award, which is presented to the team’s leading scorer.  Moore recorded a team-high 32 points on 14 goals and 18 assists.

DU Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Nancy Sampson recognized DU's 19 NCHC Academic All-Conference honorees and NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team member Levin, for having a GPA of 3.5 or greater.

Arnold, Bennett, Brittain, Evan Cowley (Evergreen, Colo.), Josiah Didier (Littleton, Colo.), Daniel Doremus (Aspen, Colo.), Brad Hawkinson (Aurora, Colo.), Jacobson, Evan Janssen (Green Bay, Wis.), Zac Larraza (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Makowski, Matt Marcinew (Calgary, Alberta), Nick Neville (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Greg Ogard (Willmette, Ill.), Emil Romig (Vienna, Austria), Quentin Shore (Denver, Colo.), Matt VanVoorhis (Edina, Minn.) and Nolan Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) were all honored for earning a 3.0 GPA or better this season.

The tri-captains of the 2013-14 Pioneers were Makowski, Larraza and Didier.

-EXPERIENCE DENVER ATHLETICS-

 

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