Men's Ice Hockey
Athletes of the Week

Week of Feb. 8 - 14
Brant Marple, Senior (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview--Northern Michigan-CCHA), Forward of UW-Eau Claire
Marple recorded three assists during the weekend as the Blugolds went unbeaten in two games.  Against UW-Superior on Feb. 13, Marple assisted on all three goals in a 3-3 tie.  He has a team-leading 13 assists on the season.  UW-Eau Claire also upset No. 4-ranked College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) on Feb. 12.

Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Nick Graves, Freshman, Goalie, Hewitt/Sioux City-USHL, Alpena-NAHL

Week of Feb. 1 - 7
Tyler Czuba, Senior (Kelowna, British Columbia/Swan Valley-MJHL), Forward of UW-River Falls
Czuba played a key role in the team’s two come-from-behind wins during the week.  UW-River Falls scored three goals in the final 10 minutes of the game at UW-Stout to erase a 2-0 deficit, and scored five third period goals to overcome a 2-1 deficit against UW-Eau Claire.  In the team’s 3-2 win at UW-Stout on Feb. 5, Czuba had an assist on the team’s second goal of the game that came at 13:14 of the third period.  The goal tied the game at 2-2. On Saturday, Czuba recorded a hat trick, and had an assist, to lead the Falcon come back.  His assist came on a power-play goal at 5:59 of the third period and tied the game at 2-2.  He then scored a goal at 7:28 of the period to give the Falcons a 3-2 lead.  After UW-Eau Claire tied the game, he scored at 11:50 to give the Falcons the lead for good.  He also added a power-play goal at 19:36.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Brant Marple, Senior, Forward, Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview)/Northern Michigan-CCHA
UW-Stevens Point, Kent Detlefsen, Sophomore, Defenseman, Lakeville, Minn./UW-Superior-NCHA/WIAC
UW-Stout, Andy Sternberg, Senior, Forward, Duluth, Minn. (East)/Wasilla-NAHL
UW-Superior, Bryan Dalbec, Sophomore, Goalie, Superior

Week of Jan. 25 - 31
Johnny Meo, Freshman (Vernon Hills, Ill./Ursuline--Mahoning Valley-NAHL), Forward of UW-Stevens Point
Meo had two goals in two games during the week.  Against No. 3-ranked St. Norbert College on Jan. 28, he tallied the lone Pointer goal in a 3-1 loss.  In the second period, Meo flicked the puck off the St. Norbert keeper to score his fifth goal of the season.  At UW-Eau Claire on Jan. 29, he tallied the third goal of the game midway through the second period in a 4-3 Pointer triumph.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Caleb Wolfgram, Freshman, Defenseman, White Bear Lake, Minn. (Topeka-NAHL)

Week of Jan. 18 - 24
Luke Nesper, Sophomore (Eagle River/Northland Pines--Alexandria-NAHL), Forward of UW-Stevens Point
Nesper scored two goals to propel the Pointers to their first conference road win of the season against UW-River Falls on Jan. 23.  Just 3:29 into the first period, Nesper found the back of the net to give the Pointers an early lead.  In the third period with less than five minutes remaining and the score tied, Nesper beat the Falcon keeper on an even-strength strike to give the Pointers a 2-1 win.  Nesper has seven goals this season with two game winners.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Joe Bluhm, Senior, Forward, Red Wing, Minn.
UW-Stout, Scott Motz, Senior, Forward, Lake Elmo, Minn. (Tartan)/Alexandria-NAHL
UW-Superior, Derek Stauber, Freshman, Defenseman, Duluth, Minn.

Week of Jan. 11 - 17
Jordan Singer, Freshman (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial--Bismarck-NAHL), Forward of UW-Eau Claire
Singer played a key role in the Blugolds’ 5-1 victory over No. 3-ranked St. Norbert College on Jan. 16.  He picked up a goal in the first period, the eventual game-winner, while also recording two assists in the game to help UW-Eau Claire defeat the Green Knights for the first time since 1995.  He also scored a goal on Jan. 15, in the Blugolds’ 3-2 loss to the Green Knights.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Josh Calleja, Junior, Forward, New Richmond/Wisconsin-MNJHL
UW-Stout, Joe Knoepke, Freshman, Forward, Rochester, Minn. (Century)/Alexandria-NAHL

Week of Dec. 14 - Jan. 10
Tyler Czuba, Senior (Kelowna, British Columbia/Swan Valley--MJHL), Forward of UW-River Falls
Czuba came up with big goals in the team’s two wins during the week.  He tallied back-to-back goals in the team’s 5-3 win at the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Jan. 8.  After the Tommies took a 1-0 lead, Czuba scored at 9:38 and 14:02 of the first period.  On Jan. 9, he scored two more goals in the team’s 4-3 overtime win at St. Mary’s University (Minn.). With the Cardinals leading 3-1, Czuba scored at the one-minute mark and at 1:26 of the third period to tie the game.  The two goals in 26 seconds were the fastest by a player this year for the Falcons.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Isaiah Bennis, Freshman, Forward, Eau Claire (Memorial)/Bismarck-NAHL
UW-Stevens Point, Garrett Suter, Junior, Defenseman, Madison (Oregon)/Waterloo-USHL
UW-Stout, Joe Knoepke, Freshman, Forward, Rochester, Minn. (Century)/Alexandria-NAHL
UW-Superior, Chris Wilson, Senior, Forward, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Week of Dec. 7 - 13
Scott Motz, Senior (Lake Elmo, Minn./Tartan--Alexandria-NAHL), Forward of UW-Stout
Motz finished the weekend in which UW-Stout swept UW-River Falls, 6-1, 6-5, by scoring two goals and three assists.  In the 6-1 win over the Falcons on Dec. 11, Motz had an assist to Joel Gaulrapp in the second period, then scored the only even strength goal of the game with less than three minutes left in the game.  In a wild 6-5 win, Motz had a hand in the first two goals of the game, giving Gaulrapp an assist on the opening goal of the game, then getting a power play goal to open the second period and give UW-Stout a 2-0 lead.  Motz assisted on a power play goal in the third period to give the Blue Devils a 5-4 advantage.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Jordan Singer, Freshman, Forward, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Centennial)/Bismarck-NAHL
UW-Stevens Point, Jon Madden, Sophomore, Forward, Brighton, Mich. (Howell)/Waterloo-USHL

Week of Nov. 30 - Dec. 6
Brandon Stephenson, Freshman (Saline, Mich./Traverse City-NAHL), Goalie of UW-Eau Claire
In a weekend series with UW-Stout, Stephenson allowed just two goals as the Blugolds defeated the Blue Devils 3-0 on Dec. 4, and earned a 2-2 tie on Dec. 5.  In the first game, he stopped 24 shots to claim his first collegiate win and help UW-Eau Claire beat UW-Stout for the first time in almost six years.  In the 2-2 draw, he made 30 saves while facing 32 shots.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Ben Beaudoin, Sophomore, Forward, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Southern Minnesota-NAHL
UW-Stevens Point, Thomas Speer, Junior, Goalie, Janesville, Wis. (Madison Memorial)/Seguin-OPHL
UW-Superior, Justin Faryna, Freshman, Forward, Calgary, Alberta

Week of Nov. 23 - 29
Chris Wilson, Senior (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan), Forward of UW-Superior
Wilson helped UW-Superior to a pair of wins during the week.  In a 5-3 triumph over Marian University (Wis.) on Nov. 27, he had two assists, including one on the game-winning goal and the other on the team’s fifth goal.  In a 3-2 road win at University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Nov. 28, Wilson had a game-tying shorthanded goal in the third period and contributed two assists.

Also nominated:
UW-Stout, Derek Hanson, Senior, Forward, Bemidji, Minn. (Danville)/Winnipeg-MJHL

Week of Nov. 16 - 22
Scott Motz, Senior (Lake Elmo, Minn./Tartan--Alexandria-NAHL), Forward of UW-Stout
Motz had two goals and two assists as UW-Stout swept past UW-Stevens Point, 6-3, 5-4 (ot), during the weekend.  He recorded what would be the eventual game-winning goal on the power play in the 6-3 win on Nov. 20, and had an assist on the first goal of the game.  In the 5-4 overtime win on Nov. 21, Motz scored the first goal of the game on the power play and then assisted on the game-winning goal in overtime.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Isaiah Bennis, Freshman, Forward, Eau Claire (Memorial)/Bismarck-NAHL
UW-Stevens Point, Donnie Hallmark, Freshman, Ontario, Cal./Sioux City-USHL

Week of Nov. 9 - 15
Brandon Stephenson, Freshman (Saline, Mich.), Goalie of UW-Eau Claire
Stephenson got his first collegiate starts during the weekend as the Blugolds played against UW-River Falls. On Nov. 13, the Blugolds came up just short, losing 2-1 after the Falcons scored a short-handed goal with only 30 seconds left to go in the game.  In that game, he faced 31 shots, and stopped 29. On Nov. 14, the Blugolds and Falcons tied 1-1 and Stephenson recorded 34 saves while he faced 35 shots.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Justin Brossman, Sophomore, Forward, Littleton, Col./Sioux City-USHL
UW-Stout, Andy Sternberg, Senior, Forward, Duluth, Minn. (East)/Wasilla-NAHL
UW-Superior, Tyler Fletcher, Senior, Forward, Calgary, Alberta

Week of Nov. 2 - 8
Tyler Brigl, Senior (Eagan, Minn./Eastview--Bismarck-NAHL), Goalie of UW-Eau Claire
The Blugolds secured their first two wins of the season during the weekend and Brigl allowed just one goal.  Against Augsburg College (Minn.) on Nov. 6, Brigl recorded 22 saves in a 3-0 triumph.  Against No. 10-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Nov. 7, He stopped 30 shots as the Blugolds came away with a 3-1 win.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Bo Storozuk, Senior, Goalie, Swan River, Manitoba/Swan Valley-MJHL
UW-Stevens Point, Travis Erstad, Sophomore, Forward, Stevens Point (SPASH)/Lincoln-USHL
UW-Stout, Tom Lescovich, Freshman, Goalie, Clifton Park, N.Y. (Christian Brothers)
UW-Superior, Derek Stauber, Freshman, Defenseman, Duluth, Minn.

Week of Oct. 19 - Nov. 1
Justin Brossman, Sophomore (Littleton, Col./Sioux City-USHL), Forward of UW-River Falls
Brossman helped the Falcons to a weekend sweep at UW-Superior.  He picked up the lone assist on the game-winning goal that came midway through the third period in a 2-1 win on Oct. 30. In a 7-4 triumph on Oct. 31, he scored the game-winning goal at 12:33 of the second period.  He also picked up three assists in the game, on the team’s third, fourth and sixth goals.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, D.J. Clark, Senior, Forward, Blaine, Minn. (Spring Lake Park)/River Falls-NCHA
UW-Stevens Point, Nic Polaski, Junior, Forward, Delafield (Wasson)/St. Louis-NAHL

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