Michigan Hockey Duo Honored at CCHA Awards Banquet
3/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
| | Komisarek | | O'Malley |
| | | ||
O'Malley received the Ilitch Humanitarian Award, which is bestowed upon the CCHA's top citizen based on his contributions off the ice as well as on to his team, his program, his school and his community.
A backup goaltender for his entire Michigan career behind senior Josh Blackburn (Choctaw, Okla.), O'Malley currently serves on two student-athlete councils within the athletic department, mentors troubled elementary school students, participates in home-building projects with Habitat for Humanity, visits sick children at Mott's Children's Hospital as part of the From the Heart program, and is involved with REAL (Real Education About Life), a group of student-athletes who address issues involving alcohol on campus. O'Malley was recently selected as the REAL spokesperson for the state of Michigan to help fight underage consumption of alcohol, and he will be appearing in his U-M jersey on a poster that will be distributed in every elementary school, fire station and police station in the state of Michigan promoting his cause. In addition, funding was recently approved for a bone marrow drive that is being partially organized by O'Malley through the From The Heart program.
Other awards handed out at the CCHA Awards Banquet included: Player of the Year -- Ryan Miller of Michigan State; Rookie of the Year -- Pat Dwyer of Western Michigan; Coach of the Year -- Guy Gadowsky of Alaska Fairbanks; Best Offensive Defenseman -- John-Michael Liles of Michigan State; and Best Defensive Forward -- Bobby Andrews of Alaska Fairbanks. Scott Titus of Ohio State received the Terry Flanagan Memorial Award, which is presented annually to a player who has overcome some type of personal adversity and is active on the university campus and surrounding community.
No. 10 Michigan (24-9-5, 19-5-4 CCHA), the CCHA regular-season champion, will open play in the CCHA Super Six Championship at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday (March 16) at 2 p.m. The top-seeded Wolverines will face the lowest remaining seed from Friday's (March 15) quarterfinal games between No. 3 Northern Michigan and No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 4 Alaska Fairbanks and No. 5 Ohio State. The winner of Saturday's game, which will be televised live on FOX Sports Net Detroit, will advance to the Super Six championship game at 3 p.m. Sunday (March 17).
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
