The NCHA men’s conference has announced the 2020-21 season award winners, as well as the all-conference team and all-freshman team.
The 2020-21 player of the year is Adrian sophomore Alessio Luciani, who led the league in points during the shortened eight-game conference season, recording 17 on five goals and a league-high 12 assists.
Luciani also led the league in overall scoring by nine points, finishing with 36 (14 goals, 22 assists) in the 23 games Adrian played this winter.
The league coaches also voted for freshman of the year, resulting in a tie between Adrian’s Jaden Shields and St. Scholastica’s Arkhip Ledenkov.
Shields played a big role in the AC defense leading the league with a 1.25 goals-against average and also tops in penalty kill at 97.1 percent. He finished tied for 14th in scoring overall with eight points (two goals, six assists), a number that placed second among defensemen and fourth among freshmen.
Ledenkov burst on the scene and finished fifth in the league in scoring with 11 points (eight goals, three assists), second in goals, and first in power-play goals. His point total finished second among freshmen.
The 2020-21 coach of the year is Adrian’s Adam Krug, who led the Bulldogs to an unblemished 8-0-0 league ledger, earning the Peters Cup for the second consecutive winter. The team finished 16-6-1 overall and led the NCHA in scoring offense (5.75 GPG) and scoring defense (1.25 GPG) by wide margins.
2020-21 Men’s NCHA All-Conference Team
Forward: Garrett Gintoli, MSOE, Sr.
Forward: Nick Guerra, Concordia Wisconsin, Sr.
Forward: Adam Keyes, Aurora, So.
Forward: Davis Kirkendall, Lawrence, Jr.
Forward: Arkhip Ledenkov, St. Scholastica, Fr.
Forward: Alessio Luciani, Adrian, So.
Forward: Rex Moe, Adrian, Jr.
Defense: Braydon Barker, Concordia Wisconsin, Sr.
Defense: Jack Nickels, MSOE, Jr.
Defense: Joshua Owings, Adrian, Sr.
Defense: Brayden Sampson, Aurora, Jr.
Goalie: Cameron Gray, Adrian, Sr.
Goalie: Logan Halladay, MSOE, Sr.
2020-21 Men’s NCHA All-Freshman Team
Forward: Arkhip Ledenkov, St. Scholastica
Forward: Filimon Ledenkov, St. Scholastica
Forward: Mathew Rehding, Adrian
Defense: Kyle Gierman, Lawrence
Defense: Jaden Shields, Adrian
Goalie: Liam McGarva, Concordia Wisconsin
