Nanook hockey conference honors

March 9, 2018

University Relations

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association has named senior defenseman Zach Frye to the All-WCHA first team, while freshman forward Steven Jandric was named to the All-WCHA rookie team. Furthermore, 16 of Alaska’s 22 returning players were selected to the WCHA’s all-academic team for 2017-2018, including four repeat honorees.

Frye becomes the first Alaska hockey player to be named to the All-WCHA first team since Tyler Morley following the 2015-2016 season, while Jandric becomes the first Nanook freshman to make an appearance on the WCHA’s rookie team since Marcus Basara after the 2013-2014 campaign.

Frye topped the leaderboard in almost every offensive category during league play, leading all conference defensemen in goals (eight), assists (20), points (28), goals per game (0.29), assists per game (0.71), points per game (1.00), game-winning goals (2), shots on goal (102) and shots on goal per games played (3.64). Frye also tied for fifth in blocked shots (41) while appearing in each of Alaska’s 28 league games. In February alone, Frye was the WCHA’s Defensive Player of the Week on three occasions and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Month.

The three All-WCHA First Team forwards are now finalists for the 2017-18 WCHA Offensive Player of the Year, while Frye and Rauhauser are candidates for the Defensive Player of the Year.

In his first year with the Nanooks, Jandric posted 14 assists (fourth among WCHA rookies), along with three goals for 17 points and a plus-five rating. Jandric was named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Week after a four-point weekend (one goal, three assists) against UAA on Dec. 11. The Prince George, British Columbia, native also tallied four game-winning assists and four multi-point efforts.

Jandric, along with the other seven players named to the WCHA’s All-Rookie Team, are now eligible for the league’s Rookie of the Year honor. The conference’s Players of the Year will be announced March 13.

Sixteen Alaska players were also named WCHA scholar-athletes. 

Seniors
**Zach Frye (business administration)
**%Nick Hinz (accounting)
Justin Woods (homeland security)

Juniors
*%Nikolas Koberstein (business administration)
*Ryker Leer (business administration)
*Chad Staley (psychology)
*Jack Weiss (business administration)

Sophomores
Tyler Cline (business administration)
Ross Heidt (English)
Kylar Hope (business administration)
Danny Kiraly (business administration)
James LaDouce (business administration)
%Kyle Marino (business administration)
%Anton Martinsson (business administration)
Tristan Thompson (business administration)
Troy Van Tetering (business administration)

(*two-time honoree, **three-time honoree, % 2017-2018 scholar-athlete)

The Face-Off Club will host the team’s annual end-of-the-year banquet Friday, March 30, at 6 p.m. at the Westmark Hotel and Conference Center.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks hockey team page on Facebook.