UMD Bulldogs "ALLETE" Moments: Classroom

Throughout this year, UMD Athletics is partnering with Minnesota Power, ALLETE to highlight the Bulldogs accomplishments in the 3 C's: Classroom, Competition, Community.

Thirteen University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey players have been named to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Academic All-Conference Team. Eight of those honorees have also been named Distinguished Scholar-Athletes.

All thirteen Bulldogs are repeat recipients, including three-time selection seniors Blake Biondi (Hermantown, Minn.) and Darian Gotz (Hermantown, Minn.). Biondi is also a two-time Distinguished Scholar-Athlete. 

Eight received both honors for the second time: sophomores Riley Bodnarchuk (Okotoks, Alb.), Aiden Dubinsky (Highland Park, Ill.), Joey Pierce (Hermantown, Minn.), Zach Sandy (Fargo, ND), Jack Smith (St. Cloud, Minn.), and Ben Steeves (Bedford, NH); junior Owen Gallatin (Hugo, Minn.); and fifth-year Matthew Thiessen (Steinbach, Man.). 

Sophomore Kyle Bettens (Winnipeg, Man.) and juniors Kyle Kleven (Moorhead, Minn.) and Carter Loney (Columbus, Ohio) joined the Academic All-Conference team for the second year in a row. 

To be eligible for the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, a student-athlete must compile a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average or better, while having completed at least one full academic year at his current institution. Student-athletes that have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better are honored as NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, in addition to Academic All-Conference. 

While freshmen and first-year transfers, including graduate transfers, are not currently eligible for the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team or Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition (due to not having a full year at their current school), those freshmen and transfers that achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year will be added to the Academic All-Conference Team over the summer. Similarly, any freshmen or first-year transfers who compile a 3.5 GPA or better will be named an NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete.

The 2023-24 NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, chosen from senior Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, will be announced at the annual NCHC Awards Celebration, which will be held on Thursday, March 21 in Saint Paul, Minn. NCHC All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams, along with NCHC individual award finalists, will be announced the week prior from March 12-14.

About Minnesota Power, ALLETE:

Our bold vision centers on our commitment to climate, customers and communities. We're a clean-energy leader under our EnergyForward strategy, already delivering 50% renewable energy ahead of all other Minnesota utilities. Now we're doubling down on that with a vision to deliver 100% carbon-free energy to customers reliably and affordably by 2050. Learn more at: https://www.mnpower.com/CarbonFreeEnergyVision