Hockey Award Winners Named; Kero MVP

HOUGHTON, Mich. — The Michigan Tech hockey team named its 2014-15 award winners at a recent team meeting. Tanner Kero, who was a Hobey Baker Award finalist and the WCHA Player of the Year, added to his impressive list of postseason accolades with the Merv Youngs Award (most valuable player) as well as three other team awards.

Kero was a unanimous All-American after being named both WCHA Player and Scholar Athlete of the Year. The senior won the WCHA scoring title with 13 goals and 21 assists in 28 league games. He finished the overall season with 46 points on 20 goals and 26 assists. In addition to the Merv Youngs Award (team MVP), Kero earned the Harold Meese Sportsmanship Award, the John MacInnes Slide Rule Award and the Gary Crosby Memorial Award (leading scorer). The Hancock, Mich., native racked up 111 points on 55 goals and 56 assists in 153 career games to rank in a tie for 48th in Tech history. He had a cumulative grade point average of 3.74 in mathematics (actuarial science).

The Gitzen-Loutit Memorial Award for the team's outstanding defensive player was handed to Cliff Watson. The sophomore alternate captain played in 40 games with three goals and 10 assists on the season. He ranked eighth in the nation in blocked shots (87) and finished with plus/minus rating of +6.

Tyler Heinonen won the Elov Seger Award as the team's most improved player. The sophomore forward turned in 14 goals and nine assists in 31 games including 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in the last 13 games of the year. Heinonen had notched two goals and one assists as a freshman.

The Norbert Matovich Memorial Award for the team's outstanding freshman was presented to Dylan Steman. The freshman forward played in all 41 games with 20 total points on eight goals and 12 assists. He also turned in a +19 plus/minus rating.

Alex Petan picked up the George McCarthy Performance Award for Scholastic and Athletic Achievement. The junior forward amassed 40 points in 41 games on the season with 15 goals and 25 assists. He tied for the team-lead with seven game-winning goals and had a team-high seven power-play goals. The alternate captain maintained a GPA of 3.52 in sports and fitness management.

The Rick Yeo Unsung Hero Award went to Michael Neville, who played in 34 games with three goals and eight assists. The sophomore posted a +13 plus/minus rating.

Michigan Tech posted a 29-10-2 record in 2014-15 with a runner-up finish in the WCHA, a top-five ranking for most of the season and the program's first NCAA Tournament berth in 34 years.

Season tickets for the Huskies 2015-16 campaign are on sale at the SDC Ticket Office at 906-487-2073.