The University of Minnesota Duluth certainly had a strong presence on the 2006-07 All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association First Team, which was announced this afternoon, as a pair of Bulldogs -- defenseman Matt Niskanen and left wing Mason Raymond -- were among six players selected to that elite group.

The two become the first UMD sophomores to receive All-WCHA first team honors since the 1989-90 season when All-American goaltender Chad Erickson was so recognized. It also marks the first time in school history that two sophomores from UMD were first team selections.

Niskanen concluded the 2006-07 regular season ranking second in both scoring and goals among all WCHA defensemen and was also second in the league to Raymond in power play points. In 39 games this season, the 6-1, 195-pounder from Mountain Iron, Minn. had a career-best 31 points on nine goals (seven of which came on the power play) and 22 assists. The last UMD blueliner to produce a larger scoring harvest was senior Andy Reierson in 2001-02 (35 points). Niskanen, who is just the second first-round National Hockey League draft pick to don a Bulldog uniform (Dallas Stars in 2005), was cited as the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Week back on Oct. 17 following a six-point weekend against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

Raymond, a native of Cochrane, Alberta and the Vancouver Canucks' second round draft pick in 2005, reigned as the WCHA’s second-leading overall scorer this past regular season while also topping the league in both assists and power play points. The 2005-06 WCHA All-Rookie Team selection rolled up 46 points -- the most by a Bulldog in three years -- on 14 goals 32 assists and also had a hand in more of his team’s total goals (44.7 percent) than any other WCHA player. Earlier this year (Jan. 20), he set a WCHA 2006-07 single-game high with five assists -- one shy of the UMD record -- at St. Cloud State University. Raymond, who has skated in all 79 games since joining the Bulldog program one year ago, earned WCHA Player of the Week acclaim on two occasions in 2006-07.

In addition, Alex Stalock was chosen to the WCHA All-Rookie Team after pacing all first-year league netminder in virtually every statistical category including overall appearances (23), starts (22), minutes (1363:30) and saves (560) while rolling up a 5-14-3 record. In WCHA play, the South St. Paul, Minn. native also ranked first among that group in both goals against average (3.16) and saves percentage (.889) and was the only rookie goalie to record a shutout in WCHA play this season, turning the trick in an 0-0 overtime tie at Michigan Tech University on Nov. 10). Stalock, a San Jose Sharks draftee (fourth round in 2005), manned the UMD goalmouth in in every minute of the club's opening 10 games -- the first Bulldog to do that in 12 seasons -- and posted a 2.54 goals against average and a .904 saves percentage during that stretch. He also had four assists to his 2006-07 credit.

2006-07 WCHA AWARD WINNERS

Player of the Year: Ryan Duncan (North Dakota)

Rookie of the Year: Andreas Nodl (St. Cloud State)

Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Goligoski (Minnesota)

Student-Athlete of the Year: Lee Sweatt (Colorado College)

Coach of the Year: Bob Motzko (St. Cloud State) and Jamie Russell (Michigan Tech)



All-WCHA First Team

F – Ryan Duncan (North Dakota)

F – Mason Raymond (UMD)

F – Andrew Gordon (St. Cloud State)

D – Alex Goligoski (Minnesota)

D – Matt Niskanen (UMD)

G – Bobby Goepfert (St. Cloud State)

All-WCHA Second Team

F – Jonathan Toews (North Dakota)

F – Travis Morin (Minnesota State)

F – Kyle Okposo (Minnesota)

D – Taylor Chorney (North Dakota)

D – Mike Vannelli (Minnesota)

G – Brian Elliott (Wisconsin)

All-WCHA Third Team

F – Andreas Nodl (St. Cloud State)

F – T.J. Oshie (North Dakota)

F – Ryan Dingle (Denver)

D – Lee Sweatt (Colorado College)

D – Steve Wagner (Minnesota State)

G – Michael-Lee Teslak (Michigan Tech)

WCHA All-Rookie Team

F – Andreas Nodl (St. Cloud State)

F – Kyle Okposo (Minnesota)

F – Ryan Lasch (St. Cloud State)

D – Erik Johnson (Minnesota)

D – Jamie McBain (Wisconsin)

G – Alex Stalock (UMD)