ANCHORAGE – Senior Matt Bailey was selected as the Most Valuable Player Sunday night as the Alaska Anchorage hockey team wrapped up the 2013-14 campaign with its annual team banquet at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown. Other individual honors went to senior Jordan Kwas, juniors Brett Cameron, Derek Docken and Austin Coldwell, sophomore Bobby Murphy and freshmen Brad Duwe, Dylan Hubbs and Chase Van Allen.
The Seawolves' leader on the ice and in the classroom, Bailey not only garnered the team's MVP honors, but he also received Most Inspirational and the Jack Peterson Student-Athlete accolades. Bailey concluded his collegiate career leading UAA in scoring (38) and goals (20), while earning WCHA First-Team recognition – the Seawolves' First-Team honoree since 1999.
In the classroom, Bailey (Oakbank, Manitoba) was named to the WCHA Scholar-Athlete team for the third straight year – one of nine three-time honorees in the league – and was a three-time member of the WCHA All-Academic Team.
Sharing UAA's first Defensive Player of the Year honor were defensemen Docken (Northfield, Minn.) and Coldwell (Vancouver, Wash.). The duo combined for 15 assists and 22 points, while Coldwell led the Seawolf blueliners with 19 points, matching his freshman's and sophomore's totals combined.
Taking home the team's Rookie of the Year honor was defenseman Van Allen. The Anchorage native led the freshman class from the blueline with eight assists, dressing in 30 games. Van Allen finished the season with a plus/minus of 1 and spent just 18 minutes in the box for infractions.
Most Improved went to Duwe, a local out of Soldotna. After only dressing in seven games during the first half of the season, Duwe cracked the lineup 20 times in the second half, giving the Seawolves seven goals, including the two-game winning strikes that helped UAA defeat Alaska Fairbanks for a WCHA berth.
Cameron, a co-captain from Spruce Grove, Alberta, furnished UAA's Corner Man award. Cameron, who netted 10 goals and a career-high 23 points this season, joins former Seawolves Derek Donald, Justin Johnson and Jade Portwood – to name a few – as a Corner Man honoree.
Also new to UAA this season is the Humanitarian Award. Becoming the first recipient is Murphy, another Anchorage local. Murphy dressed in only seven games this season, but was a huge contributor to the Seawolves off the ice. Murphy volunteered and eagerly helped UAA with all of their charitable work this season.
For just the second time in program history, UAA recognized a student-athlete for a Coaches Award. Joining Jared Tuton from the 2009-10 season was Kwas, a local of Cochrane, Alberta. Kwas was the Seawolves' second-leading scorer, producing 13-19–32 total in 38 games played.
The Leon Thompson Fan Favorite award, voted by the fans on the official UAA Facebook page, went to Hubbs. Hubbs, from Beaumont, Alberta, led the freshman class with 10 points, while leading UAA with 65 minutes in the box.
In addition to the athlete honors, the Brush Christianson Trailblazer was awarded to long-time UAA supporter and the current Kendall Hockey Classic tournament chair, Jerry Dewhurst, while the Seawolf Trailblazer was awarded to Jeff Edwards.
2013-14 ALASKA ANCHORAGE TEAM AWARDS
Team MVP – Matt Bailey
Rookie of the Year – Chase Van Allen
Most Inspirational – Matt Bailey
Most Improved – Brad Duwe
Defensive Player of the Year – Derek Docken & Austin Coldwell
Corner Man – Brett Cameron
Coaches Award – Jordan Kwas
Humanitarian Award – Bobby Murphy
Leon Thompson Fan Favorite – Dylan Hubbs
Jack Peterson Student-Athlete – Matt Bailey
Brush Christiansen Trailblazer – Jerry Dewhurst
Seawolf Trailblazer – Jeff Edwards
