MTU’s Petan makes All-Rookie team
Courtesy of the WCHA
MADISON, Wis. — Michigan Tech hockey player Alex Petan was named to the All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie Team today as the league released it’s 2012-13 awards. The Delta, B.C., native became the first Husky to earn a spot on an All-WCHA team since 2007 (Michael-Lee Teslak, All-WCHA Third Team).
Petan finished the WCHA season as the highest-scoring rookie in the league. The right wing put up 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 total points in 28 WCHA games. In 34 games overall, he has 33 total points (15g, 18a)—the most since Colin Murphy (53) in 2004-05. Petan has 10 multi-point games this season and was named WCHA Rookie of the Week March 5 after a three-point weekend at league-leading St. Cloud State. He has produced points in 19 of the team’s 34 games.
Only three other Huskies in school history have been named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team. The last were Pat Mikesch and Jason Wright in 1993. Jamie Ram (1991) was the other.
In addition to the All-WCHA teams, the league announced its 2012-13 All-WCHA Academic Team honorees. To earn recognition as a member of the All-WCHA Academic Team, member team student-athletes must have completed one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and have a grade point average of at least 3.0 for the previous two semesters. Twelve Huskies earned All-WCHA Academic Team accolades: Kevin Genoe (Sr., G, Qualicum Beach, B.C.), Milos Gordic (Jr., F, Burnaby, B.C.), Blake Hietala (So., F, Houghton, Mich.), Daniel Holmberg (Jr., F, Nykoping, Sweden), Tanner Kero (So., F, Hancock, Mich.), Mikael Lickteig (Sr., F, Little Falls, Minn.), Carl Nielsen (Sr., D, Lorain, Ohio), Aaron Pietila (Sr., F, Brighton, Mich.), Blake Pietila (So., F, Milford, Mich.), Chad Pietila (Sr., F, Milford, Mich.), Daniel Sova (Jr., D, Cottage Grove, Minn.) and Bradley Stebner (Jr., D, Fort McMurray, Alb.).
Michigan Tech is in Grand Forks, N.D., preparing for a best-of-three WCHA Playoff series at No. 4-ranked North Dakota this weekend. Games are Friday (Mar. 15) at 8:37 p.m. ET, Saturday (Mar. 16) at 8:07 p.m. ET and, if necessary, Sunday (Mar. 17) at 8:07 p.m. ET.
The full list of WCHA award winners is at WCHA.com