St. Cloud State men's hockey earns Academic All-NCHC honors

While student-athletes in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) continue to perform well on the ice, many of them are also performing well in the classroom as 113 NCHC student-athletes earned NCHC Academic All-Conference Team honors for the 2018-19 season, the conference unveiled Tuesday. Among the 113 honorees, 52 were also named NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes for their exceptional academic accomplishments, the most in the conference's history.

This list of honorees includes 13 student-athletes from St. Cloud State University. Huskies to earn Senior Scholar-Athlete awards this season are Clark Kuster, Blake Lizotte. Jimmy Schuldt, Tyler Anderson and Kevin Fitzgerald. The Huskies' Academic All-NCHC award winners are Kuster, Blake Lizotte, Jimmy Schuldt, Tyler Anderson, Kevin Fitzgerald, Mika Illvonen, Will Hammer, Robby Jackson, Luke Jaycox, Jon Lizotte, Patrick Newell, Jack Poehling and David Zevnik.

To be eligible for the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, a student-athlete must compile a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average or better while having completed at least one academic year at his current institution. Student-athletes that have accrued a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better are honored as NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, in addition to Academic All-Conference. The 52 Distinguished Scholar-Athletes are by far the most recipients since the NCHC switched to its current criteria for the Distinguished Scholar-Athletes/Scholar-Athlete Team in 2015-16, topping the old mark of 39 from 2016-17. The 113 members of the Academic All-Conference team are the third-most in the NCHC's six seasons.

Of the 52 student-athletes to be tabbed NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, 30 of them have posted a GPA north of 3.7, including five with a 3.9 GPA or higher. Omaha led all NCHC schools with 11 Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, including eight of them having a GPA above 3.7 (also tops in the NCHC). Denver had nine student-athletes earn the honor, while North Dakota is home to eight recipients and Western Michigan saw seven Broncos collect Distinguished Scholar-Athlete accolades.

Among the 113 NCHC Academic All-Conference Team members, seven schools placed at least 13 student-athletes on the team, led again by Omaha with 19 representatives. Colorado College and Western Michigan were tied for second among the NCHC teams with 16 honorees, while Denver saw 14 Pioneers recognized. Miami, North Dakota and St. Cloud State all produced 13 Academic All-Conference Team members.

While freshmen and first-year transfers are not currently eligible for the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team or Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition, those freshmen and transfers that achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better at the conclusion of the 2018-19 academic year, will be added to the Academic All-Conference Team by the NCHC over the summer. Similarly, any freshmen or transfers who compile a 3.5 GPA or better will be named an NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete.

The Huskies are currently ranked #1 in the nation in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey Division I men's hockey polls. SCSU (21-4-3, 13-2-3 NCHC) will continue its 2018-19 season on Feb. 22-23 with games at Omaha. Fans can watch these games on NCHC.tv/scsu or listen on The River 96.7 FM

The 2018-19 NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, chosen from senior Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, will be announced at the NCHC Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 21 in Saint Paul, Minn. on the eve of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.

All 113 members of the 2018-19 NCHC Academic All-Conference Team are listed below by school, with those also earning NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition in BOLD.

ST. CLOUD STATE
Tyler Anderson
Kevin Fitzgerald
Will Hammer
Mika Ilvonen
Robby Jackson
Luke Jaycox
Clark Kuster
Blake Lizotte
Jon Lizotte
Patrick Newell
Jack Poehling
Jimmy Schuldt
David Zevnik

Saint Cloud State University Athletics

St. Cloud State men's hockey earns Academic All-NCHC honors

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Anderson

Kevin Fitzgerald

Will Hammer

Mika Ilvonen

Robby Jackson

Luke Jaycox

Clark Kuster

Blake Lizotte

Jon Lizotte

Patrick Newell

Jack Poehling

Jimmy Schuldt

David Zevnik

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