GRAND FORKS, N.D. – It was the year of the goaltender at the University of North Dakota in 2014-15, as men’s hockey goalie Zane McIntyre and women’s hockey goalie Shelby Amsley-Benzie took home top honors tonight at UND’s Night of Champions awards program in the Memorial Union Ballroom.
Amsley-Benzie was named UND’s Grace Rhonemus Female Athlete of the Year, while McIntyre was named the Glenn “Red” Jarrett Male Athlete of the Year.
Amsley-Benzie became the first goaltender in UND women’s hockey history to earn All-America honors after leading the nation in save percentage (.952) and setting UND’s single-season record for shutouts with nine.
The junior from Warroad, Minn., also received first-team All-America accolades from USCHO and College Hockey News. Amsley-Benzie was UND’s first goaltender to be named WCHA Goaltending Champion and became the program’s career leader in wins and shutouts. She was also honored as UND’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year at tonight’s ceremony.
Other finalists for the Grace Rhonemus Female Athlete of the Year award included: Jayd Eggert (track & field), Erin Grabanski (swimming & diving), McKenzie Hart (volleyball), Mia Loyd (basketball) and Sadie Martin (golf).
McIntyre won the 2015 Mike Richter Award as the most outstanding goaltender in Division I men’s hockey and was one of three “Hobey Hat Trick” finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the nation’s best player. A junior from Thief River Falls, Minn., McIntyre appeared in all 42 games for the NCHC regular-season champions and led the nation with 29 victories, second-most in school history.
The NCHC Goaltender of the Year and a second-team All-American, McIntyre was named NCAA West Region Most Outstanding Player in leading UND to its second consecutive NCAA Frozen Four appearance.
Finalists for the Glenn “Red” Jarrett Male Athlete of the Year award included: Jakob Bissell (track & field) and Tyler Follis (baseball).
UND’s other 2014-15 award recipients included:
Male Freshman of the Year: Martin Pozniak, Swimming & Diving
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Two-time WAC Swimmer of the Week broke school record in the 50 Backstroke at the conference meet
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Led the team in points while winning a combined 24 individual and relay events
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Finalists:Brett Harrison (baseball), Ty Misialek (tennis), Tucker Poolman (hockey), Michael Quesenberry (track)
Female Individual Community Service Award: Taylor Boster, Junior, Track & Field
- Two-time recipient led all UND student-athletes with 216.25 hours of community service
- Volunteered for several organizations, including Development Homes, CPC Planning, and Special Olympics
- Finalists: Patricia Tedjasukmana (swimming), Cassie Walth (swimming)
Male Team Community Service Award: Tennis (third straight year)
- Totaled 255.75 hours of community service (28.42 hours per student-athlete)
- Volunteered for organizations including Red River Valley Community Action, Circle of Friends Humane Society, and Altru Health System
- Finalists:Baseball, Swimming & Diving
Female Team Community Service Award: Basketball
- Totaled 577.50 hours of community service (33.97 hours per student-athlete)
- Volunteered for organizations including Red River Valley Community Action, Relay For Life, Special Olympics, Grand Forks Public Library and more
- Finalists: Swimming & Diving, Track & Field
Swimming news courtesy of the University of North Dakota Athletics Department.