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'U' Trio Named CSC Men's At-Large Academic All-Americans
7/17/2024 11:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey, Wrestling
Men's hockey, wrestling student-athletes honored Wednesday
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota had three student-athletes named to the 2023-24 Academic All-America® men's at-large teams Wednesday as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC). Justen Close and Ryan Chesley represented men's hockey on the Academic All-America First and Third Team, respectively, while Isaiah Salazar from the Golden Gophers wrestling team was named to the Third Team.
The trio of Golden Gophers tied for the most of any NCAA Division I institution for the men's at-large teams, which encompasses 10 sports: fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. The latest additions give Minnesota a total of 12 Academic All-Americans for the 2023-24 season.
This year marks the first time in program history where men's hockey has had multiple selections in one season and brings the team's all-time total to five, while Salazar is the seventh to represent the wrestling program with the prestigious honor.
Close is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and earns the nod as an Academic All-American for the first time in his tenure. He posted a 22-10-5 record in goal and ended the season with 1,052 saves, the fifth-most in the country. An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection, the Kindersley, Saskatchewan, native earned three Big Ten Conference First Star of the Week honors in 2023-24 and was named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award. He ended his career tied for first in Gophers' history for shutouts (13) and save percentage (.924), while sitting second for goals-against average (2.18). Close was given Minnesota's Lindahl Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award, landed on the Academic All-Big Ten Team for the fourth-straight year, and completed his master's degree this spring.
Chesley finished the 2023-24 campaign with eight points on two goals and six assists as he played all 39 games for the men's hockey team along the blue line and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team. A product of Mahtomedi, Minn., the sophomore led the Maroon and Gold by blocking 77 shots, ranking eighth in the NCAA and tops among all players in the Big Ten Conference, while helping the team rank 16th in the country for scoring defense. Chesley was named a 2024 AHCA/Krampade All-American Scholar and selected to the Academic All-Big Ten Team as a Business and Marketing Education major.
Already an All-American for his efforts on the mat in 2023-24, Salazar adds the same distinction for his performance in the classroom. A senior from Greeley, Colo., he was the Big Ten Conference champion at 184 pounds for the Maroon and Gold this season before placing sixth at the NCAA Championships. He posted a 24-4 record, including an 18-match win streak, and went undefeated during the dual season behind an 11-0 mark to earn Minnesota's J Robinson Outstanding Wrestler honor and also was given the team's Verne Gagne Leadership Award. Salazar is a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American, three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, and a two-time recipient of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award over his career.
The trio of Golden Gophers tied for the most of any NCAA Division I institution for the men's at-large teams, which encompasses 10 sports: fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. The latest additions give Minnesota a total of 12 Academic All-Americans for the 2023-24 season.
This year marks the first time in program history where men's hockey has had multiple selections in one season and brings the team's all-time total to five, while Salazar is the seventh to represent the wrestling program with the prestigious honor.
Close is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and earns the nod as an Academic All-American for the first time in his tenure. He posted a 22-10-5 record in goal and ended the season with 1,052 saves, the fifth-most in the country. An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection, the Kindersley, Saskatchewan, native earned three Big Ten Conference First Star of the Week honors in 2023-24 and was named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award. He ended his career tied for first in Gophers' history for shutouts (13) and save percentage (.924), while sitting second for goals-against average (2.18). Close was given Minnesota's Lindahl Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award, landed on the Academic All-Big Ten Team for the fourth-straight year, and completed his master's degree this spring.
Chesley finished the 2023-24 campaign with eight points on two goals and six assists as he played all 39 games for the men's hockey team along the blue line and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team. A product of Mahtomedi, Minn., the sophomore led the Maroon and Gold by blocking 77 shots, ranking eighth in the NCAA and tops among all players in the Big Ten Conference, while helping the team rank 16th in the country for scoring defense. Chesley was named a 2024 AHCA/Krampade All-American Scholar and selected to the Academic All-Big Ten Team as a Business and Marketing Education major.
Already an All-American for his efforts on the mat in 2023-24, Salazar adds the same distinction for his performance in the classroom. A senior from Greeley, Colo., he was the Big Ten Conference champion at 184 pounds for the Maroon and Gold this season before placing sixth at the NCAA Championships. He posted a 24-4 record, including an 18-match win streak, and went undefeated during the dual season behind an 11-0 mark to earn Minnesota's J Robinson Outstanding Wrestler honor and also was given the team's Verne Gagne Leadership Award. Salazar is a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American, three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, and a two-time recipient of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award over his career.
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