Bowling Green State University Athletics
BG Sophomore Fosters Success
January 19, 2006 | Ice Hockey
Jan. 19, 2006
TOLEDO, Ohio - BGSU hockey sophomore center Alex Foster has wasted no time making his offensive presence felt while donning the orange and brown digs it takes to be a Fighting Falcon.
He is currently the statistical centerpiece of a BGSU hockey team on a roll, and the NCAA awards committee is quickly taking notice.
Foster, in the midst of a ten-game point-scoring streak, has amassed eight goals and 31 assists for 39 points on the season through this past weekend's split against CCHA rival Western Michigan. He ranks first in the nation in assists and more importantly dwells third nationally with a 1.63 PPG average.
Foster's performance has him up for strong consideration of NCAA hockey's equivalent to the Heisman Trophy: the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
Past winners of the Hobey include former BG standout Brian Holzinger in 1995 and current NHL stars Paul Kariya, Brendan Morrison, Chris Drury and Ryan Miller.
Following a 3-10-1 start, BG is 11-12-1 coming into the Jan. 21 big home contest with Michigan.
Although courted by NCAA fixtures Vermont, Providence, and conference foes Miami of Ohio and Ferris State, Foster decided that sticking close to home would help form the strongest path to success following his two-year development in junior hockey with Danville (Ill.) of the United States Hockey League.
"I'm only over an hour away from home so that's nice," the Canton, Mich., native said. Foster's father, Dwight, played ten seasons in the NHL as a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins.
"I was young when he retired, so I really wasn't involved with his career firsthand," Foster said, "but just growing up with him coaching me on younger teams and just having him there to support me, pretty much just like any other parent, really helped out. Having him around definitely helped give me a little more knowledge of the game growing up."
-- Scott Calhoun
