University of Minnesota Athletics
Jordan Leopold wins Hobey Baker Award
4/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
A humble, team-oriented native of Golden Valley, Minn., Leopold has helped rejuvenate the Gopher hockey program by leading them to a berth in the NCAA national championship game to be played Saturday night. Posting an unbelievable 20 goals and 46 total points, he entered the Frozen Four tournament as the nation's leader in goals and points by a defenseman.
Earlier post-season accolades included: being named the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Year; WCHA First Team All Star; and two days ago, All American - All for the second straight year.
Despite the plethora of honors, Jordan's legacy will live on as a leader. "The goal of our group of seniors was to bring the Gophers back to national prominence - get back to the Frozen Four. That's where we need to go with the program," commented Leopold. His team gained a Frozen Four berth for the first time in seven years and a championship game for the first time in 13 years.
"Jordan is a unique defenseman," said third year Minnesota coach Don Lucia. "He brings both offensive and defensive parts of the game. You usually find one or the other. I can't remember the last defenseman who scored 20 goals and can shoot the puck, join the rush and lead it. We usually match him with the other team's top lines and he's very good at shutting them down."
Previous Minnesota Gopher Hobey Baker winners include: forward Brian Bonin (1996), goalie Robb Stauber (1988) and the first ever Hobey winner, forward Neal Broten (1981). Minnesota has the most Hobey Baker winners with four just ahead of University of Minnesota, Minnesota- Duluth and Harvard, who each have three winners. Leopold was announced as this year's Hobey recipient during a nationally televised program. Jordan is a kinesiology major at Minnesota. His NHL right belongs to the Calgary Flames after originally being drafted by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
The Hobey Baker Memorial Award annually honors the top player in Division I college hockey in the U.S. An initial round of balloting by all 60 Division I college coaches determined the 10 finalists. These 10 names are advanced to the Selection Committee, a geopraphically balanced group of 24 members composed of media, NHL scouts, college hockey coaches and supervisors of officials. Additionally, a fan vote conducted on-line allows college hockey fans a 1% vote in each round of balloting. The top three vote getters from the second round of balloting made up the first ever HObey Hat Trick of finalists which included St. Cloud State forward Mark Hartigan and New Hampshire forward Darren Haydar.
Jordan Leopold was honored at the annual Hobey Baker Award Banquet on Friday, April 12 at the Touchstone Energy Place Grand Ballroom in St. Paul, Minn.
