The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced the award winners for 2025-26 Defensive Defenseman of the Year, Defensive Forward of the Year and Rookie of the Year and three student-athletes from two different programs have been recognized. Jack Anderson (Michigan Tech) was named Defensive Defenseman of the Year, while Lucas Wahlin (St. Thomas) earned Defensive Forward of the Year honors. Lucas Van Vliet (St. Thomas) was voted Rookie of the Year.
Notable Links:
CCHA Defensive Forward of the Year: Lucas Wahlin, Sr., St. Thomas (Woodbury, Minn.)
Wahlin appeared in all 26 CCHA games for the Tommies, notching 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points, which was the second-highest total in the league. He was a +9 with a league-high 101 shots, netting one power-play goal and two shorthanded tallies. Defensively, he blocked 17 shots and won 48.2% of his face-offs.
Overall, Wahlin has played in 34 games for St. Thomas this season, scoring 21 goals with 17 assists for 38 points. An All-CCHA First Team selection and Hobey Baker Award nominee, he has led the Tommies to the Mason Cup Semifinals.
CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year: Jack Anderson, Sr., Michigan Tech (St. Louis, Mo.)
Anderson played in all 26 conference games for Michigan Tech this season, averaging 23:07 minutes per game, which ranked fifth among CCHA defensemen. His 48 blocked shots ranked seventh and he was a +11, which was second-best. Scoring six goals and dishing out 11 assists for 17 points, he had a five-game goal streak, which is the second longest in the nation in over 20 years. He blocked at least one shot in 20 games and had five blocks in a game twice.
On the season, Anderson has played in 38 contests, totaling 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. An All-CCHA First Team honoree and a finalist for Defenseman of the Year, he has led Michigan Tech reach the Mason Cup semifinals this weekend.
CCHA Rookie of the Year: Lucas Van Vliet, Fr., St. Thomas (Livonia, Mich.)
Van Vliet led all CCHA rookies in assists (17) and points (27), while playing in 25 of 26 conference games for the Tommies. Posting a +3 rating, he had five power-play tallies, one shorthanded goal and three game winners. His 78 shots were second-most among conference first-year skaters and he averaged 18:56 minutes in league play.
Overall, Van Vliet has 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points, which ranks seventh among all conference skaters. Skating in 35 games for the Tommies, his 113 shots on goal rank third among all skaters.
Voting for the 2025-26 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the nine head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The league's year-end award announcements continue tomorrow with the Defenseman of the Year (11am ET), Goaltender of the Year (12pm ET) and Forward of the Year (1pm ET).
The 2026 Mason Cup Playoffs begin tonight, with four best-of-three quarterfinal series. Every playoff game can be seen live on Midco Sports Plus! For complete bracket, links and news, visit ccha.com/masoncup.
For more information, contact:
Perry Laskaris
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)
Laskaris@ccha.com
(651) 308-1065