University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey defenseman Adam Kleber was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's Defensive Defenseman of Year Friday. He is the first Bulldog to earn the honor since the award began in 2016-17, and he's also the first sophomore to garner the accolade.
 

Kleber has had 12 games with two or more blocks in a game, and seven with three or more. The Chaska, Minn. native is part of penalty kill unit that ranks first in the NCHC and second in the NCAA with a 88.9 successful kill rate. Part of defensive core allowing just 24.7 shots a game – fifth lowest in the NCAA and 26.3 in NCHC play and is averaging 21:49 minutes on the ice a game -- the third most on the team. 


Kleber has had 45 blocks this season and also posted a +10 -- he has a career-best 10 points on three goals and seven assists, which includes one game-winning goal.


Kleber and the Bulldogs will head to Grand Forks, ND this weekend to face the No. 2 University of North Dakota Saturday in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinals. The puck is set to drop at 6:00 p.m.