NMU's Follmer makes CCHA Preseason 2nd team

Courtesy of the CCHA

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Seven teams are represented on the 2012-13 CCHA
Preseason All-Conference Teams announced today by the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Notre Dame junior forward T.J. Tynan, last season’s CCHA Scoring Co-Champion, topped the voting, receiving nine first-place votes and a total of 48 points. It is Tynan’s second consecutive appearance on the Preseason All-Conference First Team.

Notre Dame junior Anders Lee and Western Michigan junior Chase Balisy join Tynan as the other forwards on the First Team. It is also Lee’s second straight appearance on the Preseason All-Conference First Team and Balisy’s first. A pair of junior defensemen are on the blue line for the Preseason All-Conference First Team, as Michigan’s Jon Merrill and Western Michigan’s Dan DeKeyser both earned eight first-place votes and 44 points,
tying them for the second-highest point total among all players.

This is Merrill’s second straight appearance on the First Team. Western Michigan’s
sophomore goaltender Frank Slubowski, last season’s CCHA Tournament MVP, is making his first appearance on a preseason team, rounding out the First Team.

Five-of-six players on the Preseason All-Conference Second Team received multiple first-place votes. Michigan sophomore forward Alex Guptill, the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year, tops the team with four first-place votes, Miami sophomore forward Austin Czarnik and Michigan senior defenseman Lee Moffie both recorded three and Alaska junior forward Cody Kunyk and Michigan State junior goaltender Will Yanakeff both earned two. Northern Michigan senior defenseman Kyle Follmer rounds out the second team, with
one first-place vote. Each player on the Preseason All-Conference Second Team is making their first appearance on a preseason team.

Michigan and Western Michigan lead the Preseason All-Conference Teams with three honorees each.

Voting was conducted among the 11 head coaches in the CCHA. Coaches could not vote for their own players.

2012-13 CCHA Preseason All-Conference Teams

Preseason First Team

Position        Name, Year, School      First   Totals

Forward T.J. Tynan, JR, Notre Dame      9       48

Forward Anders Lee, JR, Notre Dame      7       42

Forward Chase Balisy, JR, Western Michigan      5       40

Defense Dan DeKeyser, JR, Western Michigan      8       44

Defense Jon Merrill, JR, Michigan       8       44

Goaltender      Frank Slubowski, SO, Western Michigan   6       40

Preseason Second Team

Position        Name, Year, School      First   Totals

Forward Austin Czarnik, JR, Miami       3       31

Forward Alex Guptill, SO, Michigan      4       28

Forward Cody Kunyk, JR, Alaska  2       22

Defense Lee Moffie, SR, Michigan        3       34

Defense Kyle Follmer, SR, Northern Michigan     1       22

Goaltender      Will Yanakeff, JR, Michigan State       2       17

Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1

Honorable Mention (next six highest point totals, regardless of position with first-team votes in parentheses): Scott Czarnowczan, JR, D, Ferris State, (2) 19; A.J. Treais, SR, F, Michigan, (1) 18; Kyle Bonis, SR, F, Ferris State, (1) 16; Kevin Kapalka, JR, G, Lake Superior, (2) 15; Andrew Hammond, SR, G, Bowling Green, (1) 15; Sam Calabrese, SR, D, Notre Dame (0) 12.