Bowling Green State University Athletics
Hockey Program Hands Out Awards At Annual Banquet
April 28, 2009 | Ice Hockey
April 28, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, OHIO - The Bowling Green State University hockey program held its annual Awards and Senior Recognition Banquet Sunday honoring the three seniors and handing out their awards for the 2008-09 season. The event was held in Olscamp Hall on the Bowling Green campus.
Sophomore forward Dan Sexton, who recently signed a professional contract to play with the Anaheim Ducks, was the recipient of the Jim Sears Award, given to the team's most valuable player, and the Sam Cooper Trophy as the leading scorer on the team. Sexton played in all 38 games leading the team with 17 goals and 22 assists with three of his goals game-winners to tie for the team lead. The Apple Valley, Minn. native was among the Central Collegiate Hockey Association leaders in points (39, t-6th), goals (t-5th), assists (t-13th), power-play points (5-13--18, t-5th), short-handed goals (2, t-3rd) and game-winning goals (3, t-11th). Nationally, his point total (1.03 point per game) was 38th. The honorable mention All-CCHA selection last season was tied for seventh in scoring in CCHA play (28 points), tied for seventh in goals (12) and tied for 11th in assists (16).
Junior defenseman Kyle Page earned the Jack Gregory Award, given each year to the top scholar athlete on the team, the Dr. Ron Zwierlein Leadership Award and the Jim Ruehl Award as the best defensive player. Page was BGSU's nominee for the CCHA Scholar Athlete of the Year Award carrying a 3.54 GPA in sport management. Page, the captain of the team in 2008-09, played in all 38 games and had four goals and 10 assists to rank second on the team among defensemen in scoring. The Wixom, Mich. native added an offensive side to his game over the last half of the season scoring 13 points (4-9) in the last 23 contests of the season after scoring only six points (0-6) in the first 87 games of his career. Page's point total was tied for 18th among all CCHA defensemen last season.
Senior forward Brandon Svendsen was named the winner of the Howard Brown Award (Coaches Award). Svendsen was second on the team in scoring with 30 points and was second in assists (18) and tied for second in goals (12). An alternate captain last season, Svendsen's point total was tied for 23rd in the CCHA while his goal and assist totals were tied for 24th and tied for 26th, respectively. The Maplewood, Minn. native, who played in all 38 games last season, led the team with six power play goals, which was tied for 10th in the conference, and his three short handed tallies were tied for first in the league and was tied for sixth nationally. Svendsen played in 148 games during his career scoring 32 goals and adding 44 assists. Svendsen signed with the Idaho Steelheads in the ECHL after the season and helped them make the playoffs.
Junior forwards Josh Boyd and Tommy Dee received the Bill and Helen Lloyd Award as the most improved players. Boyd, who had played a total of 20 games with one goal and one assist in his first two years in the program, earned a spot in the regular lineup this season playing each of the last 30 games of the season, and a total of 35 contests for year. Boyd, from Columbus, Ohio, had three goals and six assists last season. Dee, Boyd's line mate for most of the season, played in 37 games scoring seven goals and adding one assist. Dee, a Maple Grove, Minn. native, played 58 games with five goals and five assists in his first two seasons in the program.
The Dr. Tom Wojciechowski Recognition Award, presented to a person who has spent their time in service to the program, was given posthumously to James Brennan, who had worked for many years in the penalty box at BGSU games and also spent much of his time working with the youth hockey program in Bowling Green and the ice shows at the BGSU Ice Arena.
Kevin Schmidt, who was an alternate captain last season, and Jimmy Spratt were also recognized along with Svendsen as the senior members of the 2008-09 team for their four years of dedication to the hockey program at BGSU.
2008-09 Bowling Green State University Hockey Award Winners
Jim Sears Award (MVP) - Dan Sexton
Jack Gregory Award (Scholar-Athlete) - Kyle Page
Dr. Ron Zwierlein Leadership Award - Kyle Page
Sam Cooper Award (Leading Scorer) - Dan Sexton
Howard Brown Award (Coaches' Award) - Brandon Svendsen
Bill & Helen Lloyd Award (Most Improved) - Josh Boyd & Tommy Dee
Jim Ruehl Award (Best Defensive Player) - Kyle Page
Dr. Tom Wojciechowski Recognition Award (Distinguished Service to the Program) - James Brennan
