Cal Decowski, according to his head coach, is someone who never wants the focus on himself, but at the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Awards celebration Thursday night, the University of Minnesota Duluth senior center didn't have much choice as he was announced as the winner of the league's Sportsmanship Award for 2015-16.

"Cal doesn't seek the spotlight -- in fact he shuns it," said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. "What he does seek is to always give his very best, whether it be in practice or games in whatever role we ask. Cal plays hockey the way it's meant to be played and treats the game and its rules with the utmost respect. He's an outstanding leader who leads by example with a work ethic that's second-to-none and someone who always, always puts his fellow Bulldogs first. "

Decowski, a native of Andover, Minn., is serving as an alternate team captain this winter and is one of just six 2015-16 Bulldogs who has skated in all 36 games to date. During his time at UMD, the three-time NCHC All-Academic Team honoree has avoided the penalty box like the plague, taking a mere seven penalties in 131 lifetime outings. Decowski has taken shifts on all four lines since joining the Bulldog program in the fall of 2012 and has been deployed on both the UMD power play and penalty killing units as well.

"He is one of the most humble and modest guys you'll ever meet and I can honestly say that I've never heard anyone utter a negative word about Cal," said Sandelin. "I know the 27 other guys on this team all have a tremendous amount of admiration for him. He's everything they want in a teammate and he's everything we want in player."