A pair of British Columbia Hockey League graduates have been recognized for excellent seasons with the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux.
Junior defenseman Chay Genoway, a Vernon Vipers alum, has been named to the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA)/Reebok All-America West second team.
A native of Morden, Manitoba, Genoway was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Defensive Player of the Year this season after recording a career-high 32 points and tying for the team lead with a career-high 29 assists. He was also named to the All-WCHA first team and was an All-College Hockey News second team selection for the second straight season.
In 123 career games, Genoway has 16 goals and 64 assists for 80 points, leaving him 20 points away from becoming only the ninth defenseman in Sioux history to reach the 100-point plateau. His six career game-winning goals are two shy of the UND school record for a defenseman. Genoway is a two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete and a two-time All-WCHA Academic selection.
Meanwhile, senior forward Ryan Martens was named one of five honorable mentions for the 2009 Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award, which was won by Air Force senior forward and second-year captain Mike Phillipich.
The award was established by the HCA in honor of former Army player Derek Hines, who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in September 2006. Martens was the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s (WCHA) nominee after enjoying the best season of his career with 10 goals and 12 assists in a personal-high 40 games. His 22 points exceeded the 19 points in he had amassed in his first three years combined at UND. The Selkirk, Manitoba, native was also a key member of UND’s power-play and ranked sixth on the team with four power-play goals.
Martens’ contributions to the program extended beyond the ice. Earlier this spring, he was named to his third straight All-WCHA Academic team. He also played a central role in the development of two significant off-ice projects at Ralph Engelstad Arena: the arena’s NHL Wall and Legends Wall. Martens also served as producer of “Brad Miller Time,” a weekly internet show hosted by teammate Brad Miller that is the most viewed feature on UND’s official athletics website, FightingSioux.com.
Other honorable mentions for the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award included Ferris State forward Cody Chupp, Niagara defenseman Armando Scarlato, Vermont forward Dean Strong and Brown forward Matt Vokes.
Each of the six NCAA Division I hockey conferences submitted a nominee for the award that goes to the student-athlete who personifies Hines’ spirit and relentless commitment. The winner was chosen by sports information directors from the six conferences.
