University of Minnesota Athletics
Vanek Named WCHA Rookie of the Year
3/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Freshman Thomas Vanek was honored as the WCHA Rookie of the Year at the annual WCHA Awards Ceremony on Thursday afternoon at the Landmark Center in St. Paul, Minn. Vanek and the Golden Gophers will face Minnesota State on Friday night in the semifinals of the WCHA Final Five at the Xcel Energy Center.
In addition to his rookie of the year award, Vanek was named second- team All-WCHA. He was joined on the second team by junior defenseman Paul Martin and sophomore blueliner Keith Ballard. Junior Troy Riddle was named to the league's third team.
Joining Vanek on the WCHA All-Rookie team was freshman defenseman Chris Harrington. Vanek and Harrington were the lone Golden Gopher freshmen to play in all 39 games.
Vanek led the WCHA rookies in scoring with 15-18--33 in 28 league games. His 52 points are the most by a Golden Gopher freshman since Jay Cates had 53 in 1985-86. His 25 goals are the second-highest total by a Golden Gopher freshman in school history.
Vanek beat out North Dakota's Zach Parise for rookie of the year honors by just one vote. He is the third rookie from Minnesota to win the award which is in its 13th year of existence. He joins Darby Hendrickson and Mike Crowley.
Martin was named to the WCHA second-team for the second straight year. He currently ranks fifth in the nation among blueliners with 8- 29--37. Ballard was a WCHA All-Rookie last season and this year, ranked third among league defensemen with 5-19--24 in WCHA games.
Riddle earned his first all-league recognition after finishing with 15 goals and 16 assists in 28 WCHA games. He ranks 10th overall in scoring with a career-high 49 points on 25 goals and 24 assists.
A native of St. Cloud, Harrington joined Colorado College's Mark Stuart as All-WCHA rookie defensemen. Harrington has four goals and 11 assists in 39 games.
