Junior forwards Barret Ehgoetz (Niagara) and Jared Ross (Alabama-Huntsville) have been selected as the CHA’s co-players of the year as well as earning unanimous recognition as first-team all-conference selections.
CHA regular-season champion Bemidji State had a pair of individuals honored; freshman Luke Erickson was named the league Rookie of the Year and Tom Serratore the Coach of the Year. In a vote of league coaches, Ehgoetz and Ross were named first-team selections on all eligible ballots, as was fellow junior Brendan Cook of Bemidji State.
The First Team All-CHA defensemen are Bemidji State senior Bryce Methven, also a unanimous selection, and Alabama-Huntsville sophomore Jeremy Schreiber. Niagara sophomore goalie Jeff VanNynatten rounds out the first-team.
Ehgoetz, a second-team All-CHA pick last season, shares the national lead in scoring with 50 points, on 25 goals and 25 assists. That ties him for second on the league’s all-time single-season scoring list. He recorded a hat trick, Oct. 25, in leading the Purple Eagles to a 5-2 win over then top-ranked New Hampshire.
Ross, one of two repeat First Team selections, became the first CHA player to earn the College Sports Television/Hockey Commissioners’ Association national player of the month award after scoring 11 goals and 21 points in 10 games in January. He led the nation in points per game and assists per game, tallying 30 assists and 47 points in 30 game. Cook led Bemidji State with 23 goals and 39 points through the regular season. He is currently second in the nation in game-winning goals (7), tied for second in shorthanded goals (5) and tied for fourth in power-play goals (10).
For leading his team to its first CHA title, Serratore was named the league’s Coach of the Year by his peers. In his third season at the Beaver helm, he led BSU to a 16-3-1 league mark and a 19-12-3 overall record. In three seasons, he has compiled an overall record of 45-44-16.
Meanwhile, Methven also is a repeat First Team selection after anchoring a defensive corps that led the league in scoring defense (2.59) and fewest shots allowed per game (24.76). Schreiber earned all-rookie honors last year and has become the league’s only defenseman this season to reach double figures in goals, scoring 10 while adding 11 assists for 21 points. VanNynatten earns First Team all-conference honors after finishing 10th nationally in winning percentage (.673) while leading the CHA with 16 victories and a pair of shutouts.
The All-CHA Second Team is led by Niagara senior Joe Tallari. The coaches’ preseason choice for league player of the year honors, and a Hobey Baker Award finalist a year ago, Tallari started the season slowly but finished tied for fourth in scoring with 31 points on 14 goals and 17 assists.
Three of the six members of the league’s all-rookie team were unanimous picks, led by CHA rookie of year Luke Erickson of Bemidji State.
The CHA all-academic team consists of 50 players representing all six league institutions. Air Force senior Mike Polidor becomes the first goalie in league history to earn the student-athlete of the year award while being named to the academic squad for the third consecutive year. An astronautical engineering major, he has a 3.89 grade point average.
2004 All-College Hockey America Teams
First Team
F Brendan Cook, Jr., Bemidji State
F Barret Ehgoetz, Jr., Niagara
F Jared Ross, Jr., Ala.-Huntsville
D Bryce Methven, Sr., Bemidji State
D Jeremy Schreiber, So., Ala.-Huntsville
G Jeff VanNynatten, So., Niagara
Second Team
F Riley Riddell, Jr., Bemidji State
F Joe Tallari, Sr., Niagara
F Kris Wiebe, Jr., Findlay
D Peter Jonsson, Jr., Bemidji State
D Andrew Lackner, So., Niagara
G Grady Hunt, Sr., Bemidji State
All-Rookie Team
F Mike Batovanja, Fr., Findlay
F Luke Erickson, Fr., Bemidji State
F Nate Higgins, Fr., Wayne State
D Kenny Macaulay, Fr., Findlay
D Pat Oliveto, Fr., Niagara
G Will Hooper, Fr., Findlay
CHA Co-Players of the Year — Barret Ehgoetz, Jr., C, Niagara; Jared Ross, Jr., C, Alabama-Huntsville
CHA Rookie of the Year — Luke Erickson, Fr., RW, Bemidji State
CHA Student-Athlete of the Year — Mike Polidor, Sr., G, Air Force
CHA Coach of the Year — Tom Serratore, Bemidji State
Academic Team
Air Force — Matt Bader, So., F; Buck Kozlowski, Sr., D; Ross Miller, Jr., D; Mike Polidor, Sr., G; Brooks Turnquist, So., D.
Alabama-Huntsville — Ryan Brown, Jr., D; Steve Milosevski, Sr., LW.
Bemidji State — Jesse Balsimo, Sr., D; Travis Barnes, Sr., F; Wade Chiodo, Sr., F; Brendan Cook, Jr., F; Lou Garritan, So., F; Jean-Guy Gervais, So., F; John Haider, Jr., D; Jared Hanowski, Sr., F; Ryan Huddy, So., F; Peter Jonsson, Jr., D; Andrew Martens, So., D; Bill Methven, Sr., F; Bryce Methven, Sr., D; Dannie Morgan, Sr., G; Andrew Murray, Jr., F; Anders Olsson, Sr., D.
Findlay — Mark Bastl, Jr., C; David Erickson, Jr., D; Nate Markus, Sr., D; Christian Olson, Sr., C; Paul Prefontaine, Jr., D; Andrew Radzak, So., C; Rigel Shaw, Jr., LW; Brian Sherry, Sr., C; David Vogt, Jr., LW; Aaron Weegar, Sr., LW; Kris Wiebe, Jr., RW.
Niagara — Shayne Baylis, Jr., D; Rob Bonk, Jr., G; Ryan Gale, Jr., F; Casey Handrahan, Jr., D; Brian Hartman, So., D; Dave Hominuk, Sr., D; Hannu Karru, Sr., F; Nick Kormanyos, Sr., F; Andrew Lackner, So., D; Jordan Meloff, Sr., F; Bryan Mills, So., D; Paul Muniz, Sr., F; Jeff VanNynatten, So., G.
Wayne State — Marc Carlson, Sr., G; Matt Kelly, So., G; Steve Kovalchik, So., D.
