DENVER – University of Denver hockey captain
Kent Anderson was named on Tuesday the winner of the 2025-26 NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award.
To earn the academic accolade from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, a student-athlete must be a fourth-year undergraduate senior with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and have made contributions on and off the ice during their career, including academic and athletic achievements, as well as community service and campus involvement.
Anderson becomes the third player for the Pioneers to earn the distinction from the conference and the second in as many years after goaltender
Matt Davis captured the award in 2025.
Gabe Levin was DU's first winner in the 2015-16 campaign.
The Calgary, Alberta, native has earned a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in finance and minoring in kinesiology and sport studies. He has been named to the Dean's List in each of his 11 previous academic quarters at Denver.
He is a four-time member of the NCHC Honor Roll (formerly known as the Academic All-Conference Team) and has been recognized as a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete by the conference in each of his four seasons. Anderson has been named a national All-American Scholar the previous three summers by the American Hockey Coaches Association and has twice been named to the Academic All-District Team by College Sports Communicators (2024, 2025) while also being recognized on the 2024 CSC Academic All-American Second Team.
Anderson was the Elite 90 Award winner at the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four in St. Pual, Minnesota, for having the highest cumulative GPA among all players at the men's ice hockey national championship, becoming the third DU hockey player to earn the accolade (
Levin, 2016;
Erich Fear, 2019).
Named the 96th captain in Denver hockey history prior to this season on Oct. 3, the defenseman has played in all 38 games and has totaled 35 blocked shots, 12 penalty minutes and a plus-8 rating while also contributing three points (1g/2a).
Anderson was a member of the Pioneers' NCAA-record-breaking National Championship squad in 2024 and ranks second on the team with 145 career games played. He has registered 20 points (5g/15a), a plus-35 rating and 42 penalty minutes during his four-year career in crimson and gold.
The Senior Scholar-Athlete Award is voted on and selected by the NCHC's nine member schools' Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) from submitted nominations. Voting was completed following the regular season and prior to the start of the postseason.
TICKETS: Tickets for DU hockey's Frozen Faceoff Championship matchup vs. Minnesota Duluth on Saturday at Magness Arena are available.
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