University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey senior defenseman Riley Bodnarchuk was named to the first-ever National Collegiate Hockey Conference Academic All-Conference Team for the 2025-26 season on Thursday. The new NCHC Academic All-Conference Team consists of nine upperclassman student-athletes, with one representative from each member school.

The student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average on each NCHC team earned a spot on the new Academic All-Conference Team. Recipients must be at least a junior in school and have spent a full academic year at their current institution (no first-year transfers).

Bodnarchuk, who was named a finalist for the NCHC's Senior Scholar-Athlete Award on Wednesday, carries a 3.97 grade-point average while majoring in exercise and rehabilitation science. A four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and a four-time NCHC Academic All-Conference Team member, the Okotoks, Alberta native has made the Dean's List every semester at UMD. Having played 91 games over his four-year career. Bodnarchuk has two goals and two assists for four points from the Bulldog blueline.

The No. 10 Bulldogs and Bodnarchuk will host St. Cloud State University in the NCHC Quarterfinals that get underway Friday night at AMSOIL Arena at 7:07 p.m.