Two-time first-team honoree Jeff Jillson, a junior defenseman from Michigan, is the oldest player on a CCHA’s First-Team all-Conference squad that includes five sophomores.
Jillson is making his second consecutive appearance on the First Team. Michigan State sophomore goaltender Ryan Miller and Western Michigan forward David Gove, second-team selections last year, are the only other repeat performers on either team.
Sophomore forward David Brisson and sophomore defenseman Greg Zanon are the first players ever selected all-Conference from Nebraska-Omaha. They are the fastest players on an expansion team to be selected first-team all-CCHA since Ted Speers earned all-league honors for Michigan in 1982-83, one year after the Wolverines joined the CCHA.
Michigan teammates, sophomore forwards Mike Cammalleri and Andy Hilbert, round out the first-team’s forward line, both earning their first all-CCHA honors. It is the fourth time in the last eight years a pair of Wolverine frontliners have been first-team forward selections.
Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller’s First-Team all-Conference Selection continues a streak of four straight years that a Spartan goaltender has been named either First- or Second-Team all-CCHA. Miller, who was a Second Team honoree last season, follows in the footsteps of Chad Alban (First — 1997-98) and Joe Blackburn (Second — 1998-99).
Second Team selections Mike Bisahi and David Gove, a junior and senior, respectively, from Western Michigan, mark the first time since 1995-96 (Marc Magliarditi — First Team and Jeremy Brown — Second Team) that two Broncos have earned all-Conference honors in the same year. They are joined up front by Miami University’s Jason Deskins. Deskins, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, earned honorable mention all-CCHA in 1998-99.
On defense for the Second Team are junior Andrew Hutchinson and sophomore John-Michael Liles from Michigan State. They complete the Spartans’ sweep of the position, becoming the first defensive tandem to do it on either team since MSU’s Gary Haight and Don McSween both collected First-Team accolades in 1984-85.
The teams were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches and are based on performances in league games. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
2000-01 CCHA all-Conference Teams
FIRST TEAM
F Andy Hilbert, SO, Michigan
F Mike Cammalleri, SO, Michigan
F David Brisson, SO, Nebraska-Omaha
D Jeff Jillson, JR, Michigan
D Greg Zanon, SO, Nebraska-Omaha
G Ryan Miller, SO, Michigan State
SECOND TEAM
F Mike Bishai, JR, Western Michigan
F Jason Deskins, JR, Miami
F David Gove, SR, Western Michigan
D Andrew Hutchinson, JR, Michigan State
D John-Michael Liles, SO, Michigan State
G Josh Blackburn, JR, Michigan
G Phil Osaer, JR, Ferris State
2000-01 All-Academic Team
F Dan Carlson, Sr., Notre Dame
F Jim Lawrence, Sr., Alaska-Fairbanks
F Dave Noel-Bernier, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
F Curtis Valentine, Sr., Bowling Green
F David Gove, Sr., Western Michigan
D Jim Dube, Sr., Ferris State
D Jeff Jillson, Jr., Michigan
D Daniel Samuelsson, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha
2000-01 Bauer/CCHA All-Rookie Team
F Jeff Campbell, Western Michigan (Hensall, Ont.)
F Dave Steckel, Ohio State (Westbend, Wis.)
F R.J. Umberger, Ohio State (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
D Mike Komisarek, Michigan (Islip Terrace, N.Y.)
D Brett Lebda, Notre Dame (Buffalo Grove, Ill.)
G Dan Ellis, Nebraska-Omaha (Orangeville, Ont.)
