The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) has announced a “Watch List” for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top netminder in NCAA Division I men’s hockey and five student-athletes from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) have been selected. Rorke Applebee (Lake Superior State), Oliver Auyeung-Ashton (Northern Michigan), Owen Bartoszkiewicz (Michigan Tech), Josh Kotai (Augustana) and Alex Tracy (Minnesota State) were named to the group of 29 vying for the nation’s top netminder honor.
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Below are the five CCHA goaltenders named to the Watch List, which was limited to netminders with either a .917 or better save percentage or a 2.40 or better goals-against average (for a complete list click here):
Rorke Applebee, So., Lake Superior State (Chateauguay, Que.)
Applebee has a 7-10-0 record in 18 appearances for the Lakers so far this season, posting a 2.62 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. The CCHA Goaltender of the Week on January 5, he has made 551 total saves across 1030:34 minutes. He has made 30 or more saves 11 times and 40 or more stops in four starts.
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, Fr., Northern Michigan (Coquitlam, B.C.)
Auyeung-Ashton has played in 12 games for the Wildcats so far this season, going 0-10-0 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a league-high .934 save percentage. Stopping 368 shots in 640:52 minutes, he has totaled 30 or more saves in half (6) of his appearances and 40 or more in two games.
Owen Bartoszkiewicz, Jr., Michigan Tech (Northville, Mich.)
Bartoszkiewicz is 14-7-2 in 23 appearances for the Huskies so far this season, posting a 2.35 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage with two shutouts. Making 562 total saves across 1328:27 minutes. The four-time CCHA Goaltender of the Week has 20 or more saves in 19 games and 30 or more stops in two games.
Josh Kotai, Jr., Augustana (Abbotsford, B.C.)
Kotai has started 21 of 23 games for the Vikings so far this season, going 12-6-3 with a 2.04 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage, which is tied for the top mark in the CCHA. A two-time CCHA Goaltender of the Week, he leads nation in total saves (606) and shutouts (3) and has played 1266:29 minutes for the No. 15 Vikings.
Alex Tracy, Sr., Minnesota State (Chicago, Ill.)
Tracy has started 22 games for the No. 17 Mavericks so far this season, going 11-6-5 with a league-best 2.02 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage with two shutouts. Stopping 560 shots over a league-high 1337:52 minutes, the four-time CCHA Goaltender of the Week has six games of 30 or more saves.
The Mike Richter Award has been awarded every year since 2014. This year’s field includes student-athletes from the United States (9), Canada (13), Sweden (3), Czechia (2) and Slovakia (2). Ouf the US goalies, Michigan leads the way with three. It is a young group as there are 11 freshmen, eight sophomores, six juniors and four seniors among those recognized. Eight of the goalies were on last year’s Watch List and two, Trey Augustine of Michigan State and Alex Tracy of Minnesota State, were among the four finalists. Two of the goalies repeat from last year but attend different schools: Arizona State’s Connor Hasley (Bentley in 2025) and Northeastern’s Lawton Zacher (Brown last year).
A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, scouts and media — will pare this list down to approximately a dozen semifinalists within the next three weeks and then ultimately choose a winner from three finalists who will be announced in April during the NCAA Frozen Four. A similar award to recognize the top female goalie in the NCAA is also presented by the HCA.
Past Richter Award Recipients: 2014 - Connor Hellebuyck, UMass Lowell; 2015 - Zane McIntyre, North Dakota; 2016 -Thatcher Demko, Boston College; 2017 - Tanner Jaillet, Denver; 2018 - Cale Morris, Notre Dame; 2019 - Cayden Primeau,Northeastern; 2020 - Jeremy Swayman, Maine; 2021 - Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota; 2022 - Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2023 -Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2024 - Kyle McClellan, Wisconsin; 2025 - Jacob Fowler, Boston College.
For more information, contact:
Perry Laskaris
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)
Laskaris@ccha.com
(651) 308-1065