Crowder Is UAA's MVP (And Many Other Kudos)

Posted by adn_aces

Posted: April 2, 2009 - 4:07 pm

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Junior center Paul Crowder, who turned pro after leading the UAA Seawolves in scoring this season, was named the team's Most Valuable Player at its awards banquet earlier this week.

Crowder racked 14-19--33 totals in 35 games, then signed with the NHL's New York Rangers and was assigned to the club's American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. (In six games with Hartford, Crowder has one assist and a +1 rating).

Defenseman Curtis Leinweber, who also played on the wing a bit, was named UAA's Rookie of the Year. He earned 2-10--12 totals in 22 games while in and out of the lineup with a couple of injuries.

Junior wing Kevin Clark for the second straight season won the Leon Thompson Fan Favorite award, presumably for his combintion of skill (13-18--31 in 34 games) and snarl (team-high 81 penalty minutes). Plus, fans love little guys -- Clark is listed at 5-8 (actually 5-8 and a half) and 170 pounds -- who are as fearless as the winger.

Senior defenseman Mat Robinson won the Most Inspirational award for the second straight season. He logged a ton of ice time and produced 3-12--15 totals, and made the WCHA All-Academic Team for the third straight season.

The Most Improved award went to sophomore center Nick Haddad, who earned 3-7--10 totals in 35 games after registering two assists in 25 games as a rookie.

Freshman wing Jade Portwood won the Corner Man award, which generally rewards tenacity in the tough parts of the rink.

Sophomore center Craig Parkinson bagged the Jack Peterson Student-Athlete award, named after the former faculty representative, a very cool dude.

In the friends of the program department, the Seawolf Trail Blazer Award went to former UAA skater Chriss Homan. And the Brush Christiansen Trail Blazer Award, which generally goes to boosters who back the program and give tirelessly, went to Bruce and Becky Erickson.

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