Men's Ice Hockey

CCHA announces Preseason All-Conference Team

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) announced today the 2021-22 CCHA Preseason All-Conference Team as selected by the eight head coaches of the conference. Three Universities were represented and Minnesota State led the way with four preseason all-conference nods.

Minnesota State goaltender Dryden McKay was unanimously voted as the CCHA Preseason Goaltender of the Year, receiving all eight votes from CCHA head coaches. The senior netminder returns to Minnesota State after recording the league's best goals against average (1.54) last season. McKay tallied an impressive .924 save percentage (SAV%), a 21-4-0 record and 10 shutouts during the 2020-21 campaign. McKay was named last season's WCHA Player of the Year and WCHA Goaltender of the Year prior to being named a Hobey Hat Trick Finalist, which is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player. He was also named a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, which is an annual award given to the goaltender voted to be the most outstanding in Division I NCAA men's ice hockey during the regular season.

Mavericks’ forwards Julian Napravnik and Nathan Smith each received six votes to be nominated to the CCHA Preseason All-Conference team. Napravnik returns for his senior season after recording the fifth most league points (10G, 18A) in 27 games played last season. He also finished first in the league with six game-winning goals and tallied the third most power-play goals (5). Napravnik was named the WCHA's Offensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-WCHA First Team. Smith, a prospect of the Winnipeg Jets, will suit up as a junior for Minnesota State this season after posting 25 points (9G, 16A) in 28 games and leading the league with 13 power-play points (5G, 8A). Smith was also selected to the 2019-20 WCHA All-Rookie Team, the 2020-21 All-WCHA Second Team and the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team.

Northern Michigan senior forward Joseph Nardi garnered five votes following a second-place finish in the league with 33 points (12G, 21A) in 29 games. He was also second in the league in assists (21) and finished tied for first in power-play points (13). Last season, Nardi was selected to the All-WCHA Second Team.

Akito Hirose earned seven nominations en-route to securing one of just two defenseman positions on the CCHA Preseason All-Conference team. As a freshman last season, the Minnesota State blueliner was tied for fifth among league defenseman and finished tied for second among freshman scoring with 15 points (1G, 14A) in 28 games.  Hirose earns the honor after being selected as the WCHA Rookie of the Year a season ago.

Michigan Tech’s Colin Swoyer received six votes after finishing tied for second among league defenseman last season with 17 points (3G, 14A) in 30 games. Swoyer also finished third in the league with 53 blocked shots during the 2020-21 campaign. Swoyer earned All-WCHA Second Team honors last season.
 
 
2021-22 CCHA Preseason All-Conference Team
 
Position          Name, Year, School                                       
Forward          Julian Napravnik, SR, Minnesota State
Forward          Nathan Smith, JR, Minnesota State     
Forward          Joseph Nardi, SR, Northern Michigan   
Defense           Akito Hirose, SO, Minnesota State   
Defense           Colin Swoyer, SR, Michigan Tech       
Goaltender      Dryden McKay, SR, Minnesota State 
 
Others receiving votes: Trenton Bliss, Sr., F, Michigan Tech (4); Louis Boudon, Jr. F, Lake Superior State; Andre Ghantous, Jr., F, Northern Michigan; Owen Sillinger, Sr., F, Bemidji State. Elias Rosén, Jr., D, Bemidji State (3); Jacob Nordqvist, Sr., D, Lake Superior State.

Earlier today, the CCHA announced the 2021-22 CCHA Preseason Coaches’ Poll results. Two more awards will be announced today as the CCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year will be announced at 12:30 p.m. CT / 1:30 p.m. ET and the CCHA Preseason Player of the Year will follow at 1:30 p.m. CT / 2:30 p.m. ET.

The CCHA Media Day will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, Sep. 21, 2021, beginning at 9 a.m. CT / 10 a.m. ET. Along with CCHA Commissioner Don Lucia and CCHA Director of Officiating Kevin Langseth, all eight CCHA Head Coaches will preview the upcoming season and be available to answer questions from local, regional and national media outlets virtually via a Zoom video conference.

The CCHA officially drops the puck on their first season since the 2012-13 campaign Saturday, Oct. 2. All eight CCHA teams will be in action with four non-conference games and three exhibition contests scheduled. The first CCHA conference game will take place on Friday, Oct. 8 when the St. Thomas Tommies visit the Northern Michigan Wildcats. The first time all eight CCHA teams will face each other in one weekend will be Nov. 18-20

About the CCHA:
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) competes in the highest level of NCAA Division I Hockey and is regarded as one of the top player development leagues in the world for the National Hockey League (NHL). The CCHA consists of eight member institutions, four in the state of Michigan: Ferris State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University and Northern Michigan University. Three in the State of Minnesota: Minnesota State University-Mankato, Bemidji State University and University of St. Thomas. One in Ohio: Bowling Green State University.
 

For media inquires, contact:

Dominic Hennig
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Hennig@ccha.com
(586) 925-6095
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