Finalists for the Hobey Baker Award Announced
The nation's top 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award were announced yesterday.
The list was derived from a ballot of all 60 Division I coaches and one fan
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vote that has been taking place on www.voteforhobey.com.
A final selection committee of 25 members and fan vote will determine The Hobey
Hat Trick of three finalists on April 2 with the winner announced on April 11
in Buffalo, New York during the NCAA Frozen Four championships. Since 1981,
the Hobey Baker Award has been given out to the most outstanding college hockey
player in the country.
Alphabetically, here are the 2003 Hobey Baker Award Finalists:
Eaves - Boston College - Junior forward - Faribault, Minnesota
The captain of the Eagles has come off an award winning season by garnering
Hockey East 1st Team All Star and Co-Player of the Year honors en route to leading
Hockey East in scoring with 56 points in 34 games. Eaves, son of Wisconsin Badger
head coach Mike, had 18 multiple-point games including a six-point game while
averaging almost two points a game.
Higgins - Yale Univ. - Sophomore forward - Smithtown, New York
Emerging as one of the ECAC's top scoring threats, Higgins recorded 38 points
in 25 games, leading the conference with 18 goals. Last season's ECAC Rookie
of the Year is 6th in the nation in goals per game and 10th in points per game
and is ECAC Co-Player of the Year. Chris skated for the U.S. Junior National
Team for the second consecutive year finishing third on the team in points.
Chris Kunitz - Ferris State - Senior forward - Regina, Saskatchewan
For the second straight year and second time in school history, the Bulldogs
have a Hobey candidate. Kunitz helped lead Ferris to their first ever CCHA regular
season championship by leading the conference in points and in goals for the
second straight year. He is a two-time 1st Team All Star posting 19 multiple-point
games including 11 multiple-goal games and is 2nd in the nation in scoring with
30 goals and 40 assists in 38 games.
LeNeveu - Cornell Univ. - Sophomore goaltender - Fernie, British Columbia
Two years running now, LeNeveu has had the best goals against record in the
nation and his current mark of 1.14 not only leads all goalies in the land by
a goal per game, but would be the lowest ever in college hockey history. He
has 8 shutouts on the season tying the ECAC record and has set the single season
team mark passing the legendary Ken Dryden. He is a 1st Team ECAC All Star and
Co-Player of the Year and has stopped over 94% of shots he's faced. LeNeveu
leads the nation in goals against average, saves percentage and shutouts.
Liles - Michigan State - Senior defenseman - Zionsville, Indiana
On pace to become the first defenseman in Spartan history to lead the team in
scoring in consecutive seasons, Liles has posted 45 points in 36 games. A two-time
1st Team CCHA All Star, he is the first player in league history to be named
top Offensive Defenseman twice. He currently leads the nation in points per
game by a defenseman.
Parise - North Dakota - Freshman forward - Faribault, Minnesota
The only freshman to make this year's top ten, the WCHA Rookie of the Year is
currently the nation's highest scoring first year player with 61 points in 37
games. Parise racked up 20 points in his first half dozen college games. He
is currently 4th in the nation in points and fifth in goals. The "Zack
Attack" was felt in the international arena at the recent World Junior
Championships where he led the U.S. team in scoring.
Tom Preissing - Colorado College - Senior defenseman - Rosemount, Minnesota
The WCHA Student Athlete of the Year became only the fifth defenseman in league
history to score 20 goals after tallying 17 in his first three years combined.
The three-time WCHA All Star is second in the nation in scoring by a defensemen
and Tom has been a key cog in the Tiger power play that leads the nation at
a 30% clip - his 15 power play goals is second in the nation.
Peter Sejna - Colorado College - Junior forward - Liptovsky Mikulas,
Slovakia
WCHA and national scoring leader, Sejna is the only player in college hockey
averaging two points per game (77 points in 38). A 1st Team WCHA All Star and
the league's Player of the Year, Peter recorded points in all but one game this
season. He set a school record with a 31-game scoring streak. Sejna is only
the second European player to be a Hobey Baker candidate.
Joe Tallari - Niagara Univ. - Junior forward - Thunder Bay, Ontario
For the first time in Hobey history, a member of College Hockey America (CHA)
is a top ten finalist. Tallari led the league in points and goals and is 9th
in the nation in points. He is a 1st Team CHA All Star and was selected as the
league's Player of the Year. On his way to recording 16 multiple-point games,
Joe established several team scoring records.
J. Umberger - Ohio State - Junior forward - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The former CCHA Rookie of the Year, had a stellar season posting 25 goals and
52 points to rank second in the CCHA scoring derby. A 1st Team CCHA honoree,
R.J. tallied points in 33 of 39 games and bagged 8 game winning goals, second
most in the nation. The Buckeyes alternate captain has led the team in scoring
two straight years and is 11th in the nation.
By conference, the CCHA and WCHA both have three candidates; the ECAC has two
while Hockey East has one. The CHA has their first ever Hobey finalist. Seven
forwards, two defensemen and one goalie comprise the on-ice mix and include
six Americans, three Canadians and one from Slovakia.