University of Minnesota Athletics
Goligoski, Vannelli, Okposo and Johnson Earn All-WCHA Honors
3/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
University of Minnesota men’s hockey players Alex Goligoski (Grand Rapids, Minn.), Mike Vannelli (St. Paul, Minn.) and Kyle Okposo (St. Paul, Minn.) were named to 2006-07 All-WCHA Team, while Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) and Okposo were named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team, as announced at the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Awards Ceremony today at the Rivercentre in St. Paul, Minn. Goligoski was named to the First Team, while Vannelli and Okposo were named to the Second Team. In addition, Goligoski was named the 2006-07 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year.
Goligoski, a junior defenseman, became Minnesota’s first WCHA Defensive Player of the Year since Jordan Leopold won the award in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Goligoski earned All-WCHA First Team honors a season after being named to the All-WCHA Second Team and two years removed from his appearance on the WCHA All-Rookie Team. An assistant captain, Goligoski owns totals of 9-27--36 to rank first in the WCHA in defenseman points and points per game (0.90). His 36 points currently rank second in the nation among blueliners. Goligoski owns a team third-best nine multi-point games and ranks second on the team with a plus/minus rating of +18. He has a point in 23 of 40 games this season and has four three-point games on the year. A two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week this season, Goligoski becomes the 48th Golden Gopher to earn All-WCHA First Team honors and the first defenseman since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.
Vannelli, a senior defenseman, earned his first career All-WCHA honor after posting career-high totals in points (32), goals (9) and assists (23). The team captain this season, Vannelli ranks second in the WCHA and fourth in the nation in points among defensemen. With 9-23--32 through 40 games this season, he is 15 points ahead of his scoring pace from last season (7-10--17). A two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week this season, Vannelli recorded the first hat trick by a Minnesota defenseman since 1997 with his three-goal game on Jan. 20 vs. Denver. The hat trick was only the third by a Golden Gopher blueliner in the last 44 years. Vannelli has a point in 20 of 40 games this season, ranks third on the team with nine multi-point games and is first on the team lead with a plus/minus rating of +19.
Okposo a freshman center, earned All-WCHA Second Team and WCHA All-Rookie Team honors with totals of 19-20--39 to rank tied for first on the team in scoring. Okposo leads the team in goals and ranks third in the WCHA in freshman scoring. The native of St. Paul has eight multi-point games and a team-best three multi-goal games on the season. Okposo is looking to become the first freshman lead the Golden Gophers in scoring since Thomas Vanek led Minnesota with 31-31--62 in 2002-03. Vanek was also the last freshman to lead the team in goals in 2002-03. The No. 5 overall draft pick of the New York Islanders at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Okposo has a point in 28 of 36 games this season, a goal in 15 contests and an assist in 15 contests.
Johnson, a freshman defenseman, was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team after leading the conference’s rookie blueliners in scoring with totals of 3-19--22 in 37 games. Johnson ranks third among Minnesota defenseman and eighth on the team in scoring. Owning four multi-point games this season, Johnson leads the team in shots and blocked shots. The top overall draft pick of the St. Louis Blues at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Johnson owns a plus/minus rating of +9 and has three assists on game-winning goals this season.
In addition to the awards presented to Goligoski, Vannelli, Okposo and Johnson, the following six Golden Gophers were previously named to the All-WCHA Academic Team – Justin Bostrom, So., F; Kellen Briggs, Sr., G; Gino Guyer, Sr., F; Mike Howe, Jr., F; Evan Kaufmann, Jr., F; Derek Peltier, Jr, D; and Tom Pohl, Jr., F. Earlier this season, Kaufmann and Pohl were named WCHA Scholar-Athletes.
Below is a look at the 2006-07 WCHA awards.
All-WCHA First Team
F – Ryan Duncan, North Dakota
F – Mason Raymond, Minnesota Duluth
F – Andrew Gordon, St. Cloud State
D – Alex Goligoski, Minnesota
D – Matt Niskanen, Minnesota Duluth
G – Bobby Goepfert, St. Cloud State
All-WCHA Second Team
F – Kyle Okposo, Minnesota
F – Jonathan Toews, North Dakota
F – Travis Morin, Minnesota State
D – Mike Vannelli, Minnesota
D – Taylor Chorney, North Dakota
G – Brian Elliott, Wisconsin
All-WCHA Third Team
F – Andreas Nödl, St. Cloud State
F – T.J. Oshie, North Dakota
F – Ryan Dingle, Denver
D – Lee Sweatt, Colorado College
D – Steve Wagner, Minnesota State
G – Michael-Lee Teslak, Michigan Tech
All-WCHA Rookie Team
F – Kyle Okposo, Minnesota
F – Andreas Nödl, St. Cloud State
F – Ryan Lasch, St. Cloud State
D – Erik Johnson, Minnesota
D – Jamie McBain, Wisconsin
G – Alex Stalock, Minnesota Duluth
WCHA Player of the Year – Ryan Duncan, North Dakota
WCHA Defensive Player of the Year – Alex Goligoski, Minnesota
WCHA Rookie of the Year – Andreas Nödl, St. Cloud State
WCHA Co-Coaches of the Year – Bob Motzko, St. Cloud State/Jamie Russell, Michigan Tech
WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year – Lee Sweatt, Colorado College
WCHA Scoring Champion – Ryan Duncan, North Dakota
WCHA Goaltending Champion – Brian Elliott, Wisconsin
