FORMER FERRIS STANDOUT KEVIN SWIDER RECEIVES TOP LEAGUE HONOR

Former Ferris State University men's ice hockey standout Kevin Swider, who currently plays professionally for the Knoxville (Tenn.) Ice Bears, recently became the first recipient of the eight-team Southern Professional Hockey League's (SPHL) Most Valuable Player Award.

The award is voted on by league coaches, general managers and the media.

Former Bulldog Kevin Swider honored as Southern Professional Hockey League's first-ever Most Valuable Player.

Swider, a native of Livonia, Mich., was the SPHL's scoring champion with 33 goals and a league-leading 73 assists for 106 points in 52 games. An unanimous all-star selection at forward, Swider also led the league in plus/minus with a +34 for the season. He tallied 13 power-play goals, three short-handed markers and six game-winning lamplighters this campaign.

Swider was a significant factor in Knoxville's success this season as the Ice Bears finished first place in the regular-standings standings. The Ice Bears also were honored as the 2004-05 SPHL Sherwood Commissioners Cup Champions, which is given to the team with the most points in the regular season.

Swider returned for his second stint with the Ice Bears last season after beginning the 2003-04 with the Miami (Fla.) Manatees of the World Hockey Associaton 2 (WHA2) and then on to the Florida Everblades of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). In his first stint with Knoxville in 2002-03, Swider totaled 80 points on 40 goals and assists apiece in 53 contests.

At Ferris State, Swider played from 1997-01 while compiling 124 career points on 56 goals and 68 assists in 148 games. He presently ranks tied for 18th place among the school's all-time points leaders while ranking 18th in goals and 22nd in assists. Swider was a Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) All-Rookie Team pick in 1997-98 and also received 2000-01 CCHA All-Academic Honorable Mention Team accolades.

Kevin Swider was the Bulldogs' leading scorer in 2000-01 with 34 points on 17 goals and assists apiece.

Joining Swider on the 2004-05 Knoxville squad was fellow Ferris State hockey alumnus Kevin (K.C.) Caudill. The forward ranked fifth in team scoring this season with 41 points on 25 goals and 16 assists in 56 appearances. He also began the 2003-04 campaign with the Miami Manatees before finishing up the season with the United Hockey League's (UHL) Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings.

Caudill, who hails from Tustin, Calif., skated for Ferris from 1999-03 and was a member of the Bulldogs' first-ever CCHA Championship squad in 2002-03. He recorded 14 points with five goals and nine assists in 79 career outings.