LaLeggia named HCA National Rookie of the Year
After a breakout season with 38 points on 11 goals and 27 assists, freshman defenseman Joey LaLeggia was named the Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Division I Rookie of the Year on Friday.
LaLeggia, originally from Burnaby, British Columbia, skated in 42 of 43 games for the Pioneers during the 2011-2012 season and ranked 1st among NCAA rookie defensemen in points, goals and assists, as well as being tied for 4th among all NCAA rookies in points.
LaLeggia was an All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie Team selection, an All-WCHA First Team honoree and the 2011-12 WCHA Rookie of the Year. He finished the season with three power-play goals, a shorthanded goal and a game-winning goal, recording an eight-game point streak December 30 through January 28. LaLeggia scored at least one point in 23 games, finishing the season with a +13 plus/minus rating.
Before coming to Denver, LaLeggia played for the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League from 2009-2011. He tallied 82 points on 20 goals and 62 assists in 58 games in the 2010-2011 season.
The HCA Rookie of the Year is selected by a vote by the assistant coaching staffs of all 58 NCAA Division I hockey teams. Players on the ballot receive five points for a 1st-place vote, three points for a 2nd-place vote and one point for a 3rd-place vote.
Zucker named Second-Team All-American
Former Pioneer forward Jason Zucker, who left Denver to join the Minnesota Wild on March 27, was named CCM Hockey Division I West Second-Team All-American on Friday by the American Hockey Coaches Association at the 2012 Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla.
Zucker, who was a sophomore at DU, ended his Pioneer career with 91 points on 45 goals and 46 assists during 78 career games. During the 2011-2012 season, he ranked 2nd on the team with 46 points on 22 goals and 24 assists. Zucker is the 38th Pioneer to earn All-America honors, joining 2010 Pioneer All-Americans Marc Cheverie, Rhett Rakhshani and Patrick Wiercioch.
Zucker finished the season tied for 2nd in WCHA scoring with 37 points on 19 goals and 18 assists in 27 league games and was named to the All-WCHA Second Team and Inside College Hockey All-WCHA First Team. During his freshman season, he ranked 2nd in the nation in rookie scoring at 1.12 points per game.
Since his first game with the Wild on March 28, Zucker has played six games and earned two points off two assists so far.
53 student-athletes make winter Dean’s List
A total of 53 Pioneer student athletes were named to the Dean’s and Hornbeck Lists for the 2012 winter quarter at DU, including 20 student athletes with perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
The Dean’s List is comprised of students who take at least 15 credit hours and earn a 3.75 GPA or better. Hornbeck Scholars are students who take between 12 and 14 credit hours and earn a 4.0 GPA. The Pioneer women’s soccer team led the way with nine honorees in the winter quarter, followed by men’s lacrosse with seven honorees.
Men’s and women’s skiing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming, hockey, gymnastics, women’s lacrosse, women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball all included honorees as well.
