Mavericks Announce Year-End Award Winners
May 19, 2015 | Hockey
OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha hockey team handed out its year-end awards following the historic 2014-15 season.
The Mavericks made their first ever appearance in the Frozen Four after winning the Midwest Regional with victories over Harvard and RIT. UNO finished with a record of 20-13-6, setting a school record for fewest losses in a season and fewest goals against (90). The Mavericks were third in the NCHC with a record of 12-8-4-3. They finished the season ranked fourth in the country.
Senior Ryan Massa was named the team's Most Valuable Player and its Outstanding Goalie. Massa finished with a record of 14-8-6 while posting school records for goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.939). His save percentage led the country while he was sixth in the NCAA in goals-against. Massa was the Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player for backstopping both wins while turning aside 73 of 74 shots.
Sophomores Austin Ortega and Jake Guentzel shared the Mavericks' award for Outstanding Forward. Guentzel led the team with a career-best 39 points including a career best 14 goals. He finished the season with a seven-game point-scoring streak, tying a team season high. Ortega was second with 37 points and led the team with 20 goals, both career highs. Along the way, he set the NCAA record with 11 game-winning goals.
Junior Brian Cooper was named UNO's Outstanding Defenseman. He compiled a career-best five goals and 11 assists for 16 points to finish in a tie for second in scoring among Maverick defensemen. He also picked up the team's plus/minus award for leading the team with a +14 rating.
Jake Randolph and Tyler Vesel shared the Rookie of the Year Award. Randolph was third in team scoring with 26 points including 21 assists that were second-best among all players on the team. Vesel was fourth in team scoring with 23 points and led all NCAA forwards with 62 shot blocks.
Sophomore Justin Parizek was the team's Most Improved Player. One year removed from his freshman campaign when he earned six points including one goal, he scored 13 goals, third-best on the team, and had 21 points to tie for fifth in team scoring.
Senior Dominic Zombo was the Mike Rehmeier Biggest Heart Award recipient for his perseverance in the face of a season-long injury. Zombo had 14 points and was +7 while playing in only 29 games. One of UNO's co-captains, Zombo gave the Mavericks a big lift when he returned to play in the NCAA Playoffs.
Zombo's fellow senior co-captain, Brian O'Rourke, earned the Seventh Man Award which emphasizes spirit, attitude and citizenship. O'Rourke was part of UNO's senior leadership which helped guide a team that featured 10 freshmen and seven sophomores. He played in 36 games for the Mavericks, earned four points and tied with Cooper for the team lead with 73 blocked shots.
Sophomore goaltender Kirk Thompson was named the team's top student-athlete. He leads the team with a 3.91 cumulative grade point average. On the ice, he went 5-5-0 with career bests in goals-against average (2.70) and save percentage (.905) while earning his first career shutout.
The Mavericks open the 2015-16 season on Friday, Oct. 9 at Minnesota State.
The Mavericks made their first ever appearance in the Frozen Four after winning the Midwest Regional with victories over Harvard and RIT. UNO finished with a record of 20-13-6, setting a school record for fewest losses in a season and fewest goals against (90). The Mavericks were third in the NCHC with a record of 12-8-4-3. They finished the season ranked fourth in the country.
Senior Ryan Massa was named the team's Most Valuable Player and its Outstanding Goalie. Massa finished with a record of 14-8-6 while posting school records for goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.939). His save percentage led the country while he was sixth in the NCAA in goals-against. Massa was the Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player for backstopping both wins while turning aside 73 of 74 shots.
Sophomores Austin Ortega and Jake Guentzel shared the Mavericks' award for Outstanding Forward. Guentzel led the team with a career-best 39 points including a career best 14 goals. He finished the season with a seven-game point-scoring streak, tying a team season high. Ortega was second with 37 points and led the team with 20 goals, both career highs. Along the way, he set the NCAA record with 11 game-winning goals.
Junior Brian Cooper was named UNO's Outstanding Defenseman. He compiled a career-best five goals and 11 assists for 16 points to finish in a tie for second in scoring among Maverick defensemen. He also picked up the team's plus/minus award for leading the team with a +14 rating.
Jake Randolph and Tyler Vesel shared the Rookie of the Year Award. Randolph was third in team scoring with 26 points including 21 assists that were second-best among all players on the team. Vesel was fourth in team scoring with 23 points and led all NCAA forwards with 62 shot blocks.
Sophomore Justin Parizek was the team's Most Improved Player. One year removed from his freshman campaign when he earned six points including one goal, he scored 13 goals, third-best on the team, and had 21 points to tie for fifth in team scoring.
Senior Dominic Zombo was the Mike Rehmeier Biggest Heart Award recipient for his perseverance in the face of a season-long injury. Zombo had 14 points and was +7 while playing in only 29 games. One of UNO's co-captains, Zombo gave the Mavericks a big lift when he returned to play in the NCAA Playoffs.
Zombo's fellow senior co-captain, Brian O'Rourke, earned the Seventh Man Award which emphasizes spirit, attitude and citizenship. O'Rourke was part of UNO's senior leadership which helped guide a team that featured 10 freshmen and seven sophomores. He played in 36 games for the Mavericks, earned four points and tied with Cooper for the team lead with 73 blocked shots.
Sophomore goaltender Kirk Thompson was named the team's top student-athlete. He leads the team with a 3.91 cumulative grade point average. On the ice, he went 5-5-0 with career bests in goals-against average (2.70) and save percentage (.905) while earning his first career shutout.
The Mavericks open the 2015-16 season on Friday, Oct. 9 at Minnesota State.
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