The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced that Bemidji State University fifth-year senior Kyle Looft has been voted Defenseman of the Year. He was previously named the conference’s Best Defensive Defenseman and to the CCHA First Team and is a Finalist for CCHA Player of the Year, along with teammate Mattias Sholl and Minnesota State’s Sam Morton.
The Beavers’ two-time captain, Looft (Mankato, Minn.) led all CCHA skaters in plus-minus in league action at +16 and paced conference blueliners in assists (14) and points (18), despite playing in only 20 games. Scoring four goals, including one on the power play, he was fifth among all skaters and first among defensemen in multi-point games (5). He blocked 28 shots at the defensive end.
Looft has recorded career-highs in goals (6), assists (22) and points (28) through 30 total games this season, earning CCHA Defenseman of the Month honors in October and November. The four-time CCHA Defenseman of the Week has three power-play goals to his credit and 62 shots, with 51 blocks at the defensive end of the ice.
In 167 career games, Looft has 15 goals and 38 assists for 53 points. Six of his goals have come on the power-play, while three have been game-winners. He is a multiple-CCHA Scholar-Athlete and AHCA/Krampade All-American Scholar.
Voting for the 2023-24 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the eight head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced that Bemidji State University junior Mattias Sholl has been voted Goaltender of the Year. He was named to the CCHA First Team earlier this week and is now a Finalist for CCHA Player of the Year, along with teammate Kyle Looft and Minnesota State’s Sam Morton.
Sholl (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) led conference netminders in goals-against average (2.03) and winning percentage (.786), going 10-2-2 with a .924 save percentage in 14 games for the Beavers. Posting one shutout in conference play, he had 342 saves, including a season-high 46 in a 2-2 tie with Michigan Tech. Allowing two goals or fewer in 11 of his 14 starts, he made 25 or more saves in seven league contests.
Through 22 total games this season, Sholl is 13-7-2, with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage, making 557 saves over 1310:30 minutes of action. He has three shutouts to his credit, which have all come since February 1. Over that same stretch, he is 9-1-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
Sholl has played in 78 career games for the Beavers, going 37-33-7 with four shutouts. He has posted a 2.50 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
Voting for the 2023-24 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the eight head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The CCHA Player of the Year will be announced on Friday at 10am (CDT).