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.


14 University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey players -- every returning player from last season -- were named to the 2025-2026 NCHC Honor Roll -- formerly called the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team -- Wednesday, with 10 of the honorees also given NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition. All 14 selections are repeat selections, while 10 repeat as NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes from last season.


Senior defensemen Riley Bodnarchuk (Okotoks, Alberta) and Joey Pierce (Hermantown, Minn.) are now four-time honorees, while junior forward Braden Fischer (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and junior defenseman Aaron Pionk (Hermantown, Minn.) garner their third season on the academic team. 10 sophomores repeated as league academic team selections -- forward Callum Arnott (King City, Ontario), forward Blake Bechen (Dubuque, Iowa), forward Harper Bentz (Moorhead, Minn.), goaltender Adam Gajan (Poprad, Slovakia), defenseman Ty Hanson (Hermantown, Minn.), defenseman Adam Kleber (Chaska, Minn.), forward Max Plante (Hermantown, Minn.), forward Zam Plante (Hermantown, Minn.), forward Jayson Shaugabay (Warroad, Minn.) and forward Trevor Stachowiak (Glencoe, Ill.)


Bodnarchuk, Pierce, Fischer, Bechen, Gajan, Hanson, Kleber, Max and Zam Plante, and Stachowiak are also all repeat NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes. To garner NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete honors, a student-athlete must attain a 3.5 cumulative GPA or better with a full year of academic studies.


While freshmen and inter-conference first-year transfers, including graduate transfers, are not currently eligible for the NCHC Honor Roll 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 2025-26 academic year will be added to the NCHC Honor Roll 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. 


Here is UMD's Full List of 2025-26 NCHC Academic Honorees
Callum Arnott*
Blake Bechen*#
Harper Bentz*
Riley Bodnarchuk****#
Braden Fischer**#
Adam Gajan*#
Ty Hanson*#
Adam Kleber*#
Max Plante*#
Zam Plante*#
Joey Pierce****#
Aaron Pionk***
Jayson Shaugabay*
Trevor Stachowiak*#

*Denotes multiple time honoree
#Denotes Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition for 2024-25


To be eligible for the NCHC Honor Roll, which was previously called the 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, or have transferred intra-conference and previously received NCHC academic honors. Student-athletes that have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better are recognized as Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, in addition to NCHC Honor Roll. Among the 113 student-athletes on the NCHC Honor Roll, all nine NCHC schools placed at least six players on the Honor Roll, led by St. Cloud State with 17 honorees. Denver and Western Michigan each put 15 on the Honor Roll, while Colorado College and UMD had 14 student-athletes receiving the honor. North Dakota (12), Arizona State (10) and Omaha (10) all saw double figures on the Honor Roll, as well, while Miami placed six of its seven returnees this season on the Honor Roll. Denver leads NCHC teams with 13 Distinguished-Scholar Athletes this year, followed by 12 each from Colorado College and St. Cloud State. Western Michigan is home to 11 Distinguished Scholar-Athletes, while the Bulldogs saw 10 earn the honor. All nine teams have at least five Distinguished Scholar-Athletes among returning players.
 

The new NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, which will recognize the upperclassman with the highest cumulative GPA on each NCHC team, will be revealed in March. The 2025-26 NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, chosen from senior Distinguished Scholar- Athletes, will also be announced in March during the three-week NCHC Frozen Faceoff. NCHC All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams, along with NCHC individual award winners, will also be announced throughout the weeks of the NCHC Tournament in March.