2000-01 FERRIS STATE HOCKEY AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The Ferris State University men's ice hockey program in conjunction with the FSU Blue Line Club held its annual awards banquet Saturday (April 21) evening at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Big Rapids, Mich.
Junior goaltender Phil Osaer (Livonia), a 2000-01 Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Second-Team honoree, was selected the team's Most Valuable Player. Osaer registered a 9-12-3 mark in net to go along with a 2.36 goals against average and a .909 save percentage in 25 contests this season. Osaer, the CCHA's Defensive Player of the Week (2/12), is presently the school's all-time leader in career goals against average (2.18) and save percentage (.916). He ranked 11th nationally in goals against average and was third among the CCHA's overall goaltending leaders in the statistical category.
Freshman right wing Derrick McIver (Thunder Bay, Ontario) received the Rookie-of-the-Year Award after totaling nine points with four goals and five assists in 28 contests. He also compiled two multi-point game performances and posted a plus three efficiency rating this season.
The Steve Banonis Most Improved Player Award was presented to sophomore right wing-defenseman Phil Meyer (Lansing/Eastern). Meyer, who didn't receive playing time in the 1999-00 campaign, had six points this season with two goals and four assists in 36 outings. The Scholar-Athlete Award was awarded to senior defenseman and three-time Academic All-American Jim Dube (Ottawa, Ontario). Dube, a three-time recipient of the Scholar-Athlete Award, was recently named to the 2000-01 Verizon Academic All-America University Division Men's Fall/Winter At-Large First Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A FSU President's Academic Award winner, Dube joins former Bulldog goaltender Craig Lisko (1990-94) are the only NCAA Division I Academic All-Americans in the school's history. The team captain concluded his career with 73 points on 16 goals and 57 assists in 147 games. Dube, who attained CCHA All-Academic First-Team recognition for the second consecutive season this campaign, paced all FSU defensemen in scoring for the third straight year with 16 points on three goals and 13 assists in 36 games.
Senior center Kevin Swider (Livonia) garnered the Lloyd Earl Award as the team's top scorer. The assistant captain tallied 17 goals and assists apiece for 34 points in 38 contests. Swider, a 2000-01 CCHA All-Academic Honorable Mention pick, registered a team-best 11 multi-point games. He accumulated 124 career points (56-68-124) and 37 multi-point game performances in 148 outings. Swider currently is tied for 14th place among the Bulldog career scoring leaders, tied for 12th in career goals and ranks 18th in career assists.
Junior right wing-center Rob Collins (Kitchener, Ontario) was presented the Plus/Minus Award as a result of recording a team-best +4 efficiency rating. He also finished second in team scoring with a personal season-high 32 points (15-17-32) to go with eight multi-point games in 35 contests. The Blue Line Competitive Award went to senior defenseman Scott Lewis (McAuley, Manitoba), who equaled his personal season-best of 12 points this campaign with five goals and seven assists in 36 appearances. Lewis finished his career with 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points in 147 games.
Patti Lemson was honored with the FSU Blue Line Club Recognition Award for her contributions to the program.
Ferris State compiled a 13-20-5 overall record this season under ninth-year head coach Bob Daniels. The Bulldogs placed eighth in the final CCHA standings this campaign with a 9-15-4 mark (22 points) and participated in the CCHA Tournament for the 20th time in the program's 22-year NCAA Division I history. Ferris will graduate six seniors from this season's team - Dube, Swider, Lewis, left wing Rob Lightfoot (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia), center-left wing Jon Rogger (Bridgeton, Mo.) and goaltender Vince Owen (Thompson, Manitoba).
Osaer and defenseman Chad McIver (Thunder Bay, Ontario) were elected team captains for the 2001-02 season while Collins and defenseman Troy Milam (Lake Orion) will serve as assistant captains.