The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/480355
MICHIGAN HOCKEY selections to the first team along with Minnesota defenseman Mike Reilly and Michigan State goalie Jake Hildebrand, led the Big Ten with 33 points in league play, sitting third with 12 goals and second with 21 assists. His plus/minus of plus-14 was good for fourth among Big Ten skaters. The 6-1, 205-pound senior was a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year honors. He needed just one goal when U-M began the Big Ten Tournament March 19 to become the Maize and Blue's first 20-goal scorer since Louie Caporusso (2008-11) had 21 in 2010. "He was our first choice for [Big Ten] Player of the Year," Berenson said. "He was as deserving as anyone, but you could make the case for other candidates in the conference. The player we see every day, it's pretty hard to say there is anyone better than he is." Werenski ranked 15th among all skaters and second among defense- men with 16 points in 20 conference contests. His seven goals in league games were a Big Ten-best among blue liners. "The age factor was a big question about the kid — most kids we get out of his program [U.S. National Development Program] are seniors in high school, a year older, and he comes in a year younger [17] and there could have been a big learning curve, maturity, confidence, whatever it might be because he's younger," Berenson stated. "But our first game against Ferris State, he was as good as anybody in our defensive corps. He showed us that night that 'I'm here to play my game' and he just about took over. "We didn't know for sure where he would fit in, but you watched his con- fidence grow and his game grow as the year went on. He's been a great fit for us and I think we've been a good fit for him." Copp and Downing give Michigan a pair of second-team selections for the first time since 2006, and for the 10th time overall. U-M's captain, the 6-2, 210-pound Copp listed seventh among Big Ten skaters with 20 points in 20 league games, including nine goals and 11 as- sists. He led the conference with two shorthanded markers during league play. BIG TEN AWARD WINNERS Award .......................................................... Player, School Player of the Year .................................................... G Jake Hildebrand, Michigan State Defensive Player of the Year* ............................. D Mike Reilly, Minnesota Goalie of the Year .................................................... Jake Hildebrand, Michigan State Freshman of the Year .................................. F Dylan Larkin, Michigan Coach of the Year .................................................... Guy Gadowski, Penn State Scoring champion ....................................... Zach Hyman, Michigan * Could be a forward or a defenseman.