Bowling Green State University Athletics
Hockey Announces Team Awards for 2017-18 Season
April 28, 2018 | Ice Hockey
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green hockey program distributed team awards for the 2017-18 campaign after posting a 23-12-6 record on the year. Seven Falcons were awarded the nine team awards for their successes throughout the 2017-18 season.
Earning the Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award was senior captain Mitch McLain. A native of Baxter, Minn., McLain holds a 3.515 cumulative grade point average and will graduate in May with a mild-to-moderate intervention specialist degree. McLain was named a WCHA Scholar Athlete in addition to his third WCHA All-Academic honors. The Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award is named after the 12-year Bowling Green Athletics Director and Bowling Green Athletics Hall of Fame member. Gregory also served as the Director of Athletics in 1984, when the Falcons won its National Championship. McLain was also honored with the Dr. Ron Zweirlein Leadership Award after serving as the 2017-18 team captain and totaling a team-leading 18 goals on the season. On the season, McLain tallied 32 points by 18 goals and 14 assists, and surpassed the 100-point marker in the WCHA Semifinals at Northern Michigan (March 4), while the Leadership Award is named after Dr. Ron Zwierlein, former Freddie Falcon and Bowling Green Director of Athletics from 1994-99.
The recipient of the 2017-18 Sam Cooper Leading Scorer Award was sophomore defenseman Alec Rauhauser. A native of Bismarck, N.D., Rauhauser topped the Falcons by accruing 39 points by nine goals and 30 assists. Rauhauser also garnered All-WCHA First Team and WCHA Defensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts in the 2017-18 campaign. Named after longtime professor and BGSU Athletics Hall of Famer Sam Cooper, who an instrumental piece in the start of the Bowling Green hockey program, the Leading Scorer Award was the first of two awards for Rauhauser. After posting the most points by a single Falcon since the 2008-09 season, and appearing on the box score in 28 of the season's 41 games, Rauhauser was also awarded the Jim Sears Most Valuable Player Award, named after Sears who served as a host for hockey players as they attended BGSU.
After serving as the alternate captain for the 2017-18 campaign, senior forward Tyler Spezia was recognized with the Howard Brown Coaches Award. A native of Clinton Township, Mich., Spezia appeared in 33 of the Falcons 41 games on the season where he tallied 10 goals and six assists for 16 points on the year. In his career, Spezia also finished plus-34 on the ice. After serving as a host family for hockey players as they attended BGSU, the Coaches Award is named after Bowling Green community member Howard Brown.
For his multimedia work, feature videos and intro video creation, the Dr. Tom Wojciechowski Recognition Award was presented to Multimedia Production Coordinator Michael Leopardo. Named after longtime hockey physician and dedicated team doctor, the Recognition Award is presented for distinguished service to the program.
After marking 10 points in his freshman campaign, and improving to 19 in his sophomore season, forward Lukas Craggs was named Bill and Helen Lloyd Most Improved Player Award. A native of Elmhurst, Ill., Craggs tallied 10 goals and nine assists on the season and was named Bowling Green hockey's first Great Lakes Invitational Most Valuable Player in program history by a five-point tournament. Bill Lloyd, a 1948 graduate of BGSU and his wife Helen are dedicated supporters of the Falcon Hockey program and the namesake of the Most Improved Player Award.
After posting a 15-8-4 record on the season, sophomore goaltender Ryan Bednard was named the Jim Ruehl Best Defensive Player Award. A native of Macomb, Mich., Bednard appeared in 29 games where he marked a 2.25 goals against average and .916 save percentage between the pipes, including three shutout performances. An award named after the former director of the BGSU Ice Arena and CCHA Commissioner in 1984, the Defensive Player Award is named in honor of Jim Ruehl.
Rounding out the team awards were freshmen Brandon Kruse and Max Johnson, who were jointly named to the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year honor. Both Falcons were named to WCHA All-Rookie Team honors, while both also appeared in all 41 games for the Falcons on the season. A native of Saline, Mich., Kruse tallied 33 points by eight goals and 25 assists, the most of the freshman class and second most on the Bowling Green squad. Additionally, Kruse recorded six multi-point nights on the season, including a high of three on two occasions, was named WCHA Rookie of the Month for January, and his 0.80 points per game ranked 10th of all Division I freshman players.
Also a forward, Johnson also registered a 30 point season by 13 goals and 17 assists. 10 of Johnson's 13 goals came on the power play, which ranked sixth overall in the nation of Division I players, and the most of any freshman in the country. A native of Lakeville, Minn., Johnson marked seven multi-point games, and went on a career-long point streak of four games twice. Johnson's efforts in a three-point weekend versus Lake Superior State earned him WCHA Rookie of the Week honors.
In addition to its 23-12-6 overall record, the Bowling Green hockey program also went 17-6-5 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action, marking its fewest league losses since six in 1986-87 by a CCHA record of 24-6-2. Additionally, the Falcons garnered its fourth consecutive 20-win season, and won a playoff series for the eighth straight year.
For more information on the hockey program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGFalconHockey and @BGAthletics) and now on Instagram (bgfalconhockey) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.
2017-18 Team Award Honorees
Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award – Mitch McLain
Dr. Ron Zweirlein Leadership Award – Mitch McLain
Sam Cooper Leading Scorer Award – Alec Rauhauser
Howard Brown Coaches Award – Tyler Spezia
Dr. Tom Wojciechowski Recognition Award – Michael Leopardo
Bill & Helen Lloyd Most Improved Player Award – Lukas Craggs
Jim Ruehl Best Defensive Player Award – Ryan Bednard
Rookie of the Year Award – Brandon Kruse and Max Johnson
Jim Sears Most Valuable Player Award – Alec Rauhauser
ABOUT THE FALCON CLUB
The Falcon Club Scholarship and Success Fund was created to align the Athletic Department's fundraising priorities with the increasing need for scholarship support. Falcon Club membership gifts allow our programs to recruit and retain the best student-athletes as we compete for championships in the MAC and WCHA, while also preparing our current Falcons for success upon graduation. We hope you will consider helping us change lives by making an investment in the 400+ student-athletes that represent BGSU on the field, in the classroom and in the community. To make a gift please visit https://falconfunded.bgsu.edu/project/5311 or call 419-372-2401 to learn more.
Earning the Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award was senior captain Mitch McLain. A native of Baxter, Minn., McLain holds a 3.515 cumulative grade point average and will graduate in May with a mild-to-moderate intervention specialist degree. McLain was named a WCHA Scholar Athlete in addition to his third WCHA All-Academic honors. The Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award is named after the 12-year Bowling Green Athletics Director and Bowling Green Athletics Hall of Fame member. Gregory also served as the Director of Athletics in 1984, when the Falcons won its National Championship. McLain was also honored with the Dr. Ron Zweirlein Leadership Award after serving as the 2017-18 team captain and totaling a team-leading 18 goals on the season. On the season, McLain tallied 32 points by 18 goals and 14 assists, and surpassed the 100-point marker in the WCHA Semifinals at Northern Michigan (March 4), while the Leadership Award is named after Dr. Ron Zwierlein, former Freddie Falcon and Bowling Green Director of Athletics from 1994-99.
The recipient of the 2017-18 Sam Cooper Leading Scorer Award was sophomore defenseman Alec Rauhauser. A native of Bismarck, N.D., Rauhauser topped the Falcons by accruing 39 points by nine goals and 30 assists. Rauhauser also garnered All-WCHA First Team and WCHA Defensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts in the 2017-18 campaign. Named after longtime professor and BGSU Athletics Hall of Famer Sam Cooper, who an instrumental piece in the start of the Bowling Green hockey program, the Leading Scorer Award was the first of two awards for Rauhauser. After posting the most points by a single Falcon since the 2008-09 season, and appearing on the box score in 28 of the season's 41 games, Rauhauser was also awarded the Jim Sears Most Valuable Player Award, named after Sears who served as a host for hockey players as they attended BGSU.
After serving as the alternate captain for the 2017-18 campaign, senior forward Tyler Spezia was recognized with the Howard Brown Coaches Award. A native of Clinton Township, Mich., Spezia appeared in 33 of the Falcons 41 games on the season where he tallied 10 goals and six assists for 16 points on the year. In his career, Spezia also finished plus-34 on the ice. After serving as a host family for hockey players as they attended BGSU, the Coaches Award is named after Bowling Green community member Howard Brown.
For his multimedia work, feature videos and intro video creation, the Dr. Tom Wojciechowski Recognition Award was presented to Multimedia Production Coordinator Michael Leopardo. Named after longtime hockey physician and dedicated team doctor, the Recognition Award is presented for distinguished service to the program.
After marking 10 points in his freshman campaign, and improving to 19 in his sophomore season, forward Lukas Craggs was named Bill and Helen Lloyd Most Improved Player Award. A native of Elmhurst, Ill., Craggs tallied 10 goals and nine assists on the season and was named Bowling Green hockey's first Great Lakes Invitational Most Valuable Player in program history by a five-point tournament. Bill Lloyd, a 1948 graduate of BGSU and his wife Helen are dedicated supporters of the Falcon Hockey program and the namesake of the Most Improved Player Award.
After posting a 15-8-4 record on the season, sophomore goaltender Ryan Bednard was named the Jim Ruehl Best Defensive Player Award. A native of Macomb, Mich., Bednard appeared in 29 games where he marked a 2.25 goals against average and .916 save percentage between the pipes, including three shutout performances. An award named after the former director of the BGSU Ice Arena and CCHA Commissioner in 1984, the Defensive Player Award is named in honor of Jim Ruehl.
Rounding out the team awards were freshmen Brandon Kruse and Max Johnson, who were jointly named to the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year honor. Both Falcons were named to WCHA All-Rookie Team honors, while both also appeared in all 41 games for the Falcons on the season. A native of Saline, Mich., Kruse tallied 33 points by eight goals and 25 assists, the most of the freshman class and second most on the Bowling Green squad. Additionally, Kruse recorded six multi-point nights on the season, including a high of three on two occasions, was named WCHA Rookie of the Month for January, and his 0.80 points per game ranked 10th of all Division I freshman players.
Also a forward, Johnson also registered a 30 point season by 13 goals and 17 assists. 10 of Johnson's 13 goals came on the power play, which ranked sixth overall in the nation of Division I players, and the most of any freshman in the country. A native of Lakeville, Minn., Johnson marked seven multi-point games, and went on a career-long point streak of four games twice. Johnson's efforts in a three-point weekend versus Lake Superior State earned him WCHA Rookie of the Week honors.
In addition to its 23-12-6 overall record, the Bowling Green hockey program also went 17-6-5 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action, marking its fewest league losses since six in 1986-87 by a CCHA record of 24-6-2. Additionally, the Falcons garnered its fourth consecutive 20-win season, and won a playoff series for the eighth straight year.
For more information on the hockey program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGFalconHockey and @BGAthletics) and now on Instagram (bgfalconhockey) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.
2017-18 Team Award Honorees
Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award – Mitch McLain
Dr. Ron Zweirlein Leadership Award – Mitch McLain
Sam Cooper Leading Scorer Award – Alec Rauhauser
Howard Brown Coaches Award – Tyler Spezia
Dr. Tom Wojciechowski Recognition Award – Michael Leopardo
Bill & Helen Lloyd Most Improved Player Award – Lukas Craggs
Jim Ruehl Best Defensive Player Award – Ryan Bednard
Rookie of the Year Award – Brandon Kruse and Max Johnson
Jim Sears Most Valuable Player Award – Alec Rauhauser
ABOUT THE FALCON CLUB
The Falcon Club Scholarship and Success Fund was created to align the Athletic Department's fundraising priorities with the increasing need for scholarship support. Falcon Club membership gifts allow our programs to recruit and retain the best student-athletes as we compete for championships in the MAC and WCHA, while also preparing our current Falcons for success upon graduation. We hope you will consider helping us change lives by making an investment in the 400+ student-athletes that represent BGSU on the field, in the classroom and in the community. To make a gift please visit https://falconfunded.bgsu.edu/project/5311 or call 419-372-2401 to learn more.
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