To say the University of Minnesota Duluth was well-represented on the 2019-20 All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference first team would be putting it mildly.

Of the seven individuals named to the All-NCHC first team, over half -- four to be exact -- are Bulldogs. That quartet includes a pair of repeat selections in senior goaltender Hunter Shepard and junior defenseman Scott Perunovich along with sophomore forwards Noah Cates and Cole Koepke. This marks the largest group of Bulldogs to ever make an all-conference first team. The previous high was three set in 1984-85 when UMD was aligned with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Shepard, the reigning NCHC Goaltender of the Year and a 2018-19 All-NCHC first team honoree, was the only league puckstopper to play every minute of his team's games this winter. In league play, the 2018-19 All-American ranked first in wins (he was 17-5-2), and second in both goals against average (2.13) and saves percentage (.923).  Shepard is now the only UMD goalie to secure all-conference first team status on more than one occasion.

With his selection, Perunovich joins Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Jack Connolly (2010-12 with the WCHA) as the only two Bulldogs to land all-conference first team honors three different seasons. He's also the league's first three-time All-NCHC first team pick. This past season, Perunovich finished as the NCHC's top scorer in conference games (the first defenseman to ever do so) with 32 points on four goals and an league-best 28 assists. A two-time All-American and two-time NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year award recipient, Perunovich also topped the conference in power play points (18) while ranking fifth in blocked shots (43) and eighth in plus-minus rating (+12).

Cates, who has been used at both left wing and center this season, finished third behind Perunovich and the University of North Dakota's Jordan Kawaguchi in the league scoring race with 25 points. A member of the 2018-19 NCHC All-Rookie team, he also was third in goals (11) and fifth in assists (16) and power play scores (4).

Koepke reigned as the NCHC leader in goals (league games only) with 14 and also had no conference equals when it came to shots on goal (a 5.33 per game average). His 28 league points were good for fourth among NCHC combatants while his three game-winning goals put him at No. 2.

UMD had no players on the second team or attain honorable mention honors.