U-M Trio Named 2001-02 Team Most Valuable Players

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For the first time in school history, three University of Michigan ice hockey players -- senior goaltender Josh Blackburn (Choctaw, Okla.) and junior forwards Mike Cammalleri (Richmond Hill, Ontario) and Jed Ortmeyer (Omaha, Neb.) -- received the HAL DOWNES TROPHY, awarded annually to the Wolverines' most valuable player. The trio, along with the entire 2001-02 team, was honored tonight (Sunday, April 14) at the annual Dekers Blue Line Club Hockey Awards Banquet, held at the Ypsilanti Marriott.

Blackburn

Blackburn, the nation's winningest goaltender, with 27 victories, became the first icer in U-M history to cop MVP honors three times in his career. The MVP of the 1998-99 and 2000-01 campaigns, Blackburn started all but one game during the 2001-02 campaign, sporting a 27-11-5 mark to go along with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .905 saves percentage, establishing career-best marks for wins and GAA in a season while equaling his personal best for saves percentage. Blackburn also posted five shutouts during the year to improve his career total to 14, one shy of the school record held by Dallas Stars' netminder Marty Turco (1994-98), who occupied the net prior to Blackburn's arrival. During his career, Blackburn appeared in 150 games, compiling a 92-37-20 record with a 2.28 GAA and a .905 SV%.

Cammalleri

Cammalleri, a first-team All American and second-team All-Central Collegiate Hockey Association pick, led the Wolverines with 23 goals while ranking second on the team in points with 44 (23-21-44) to earn MVP honors for the first time in his career. The Most Valuable Player of the 2002 CCHA Super Six Championship, Cammalleri missed 15 of 17 games from Dec. 15 through March 1, including a 10-game stretch during the second half of the season while recovering from mononucleosis. Cammalleri, named the best forward at the 2002 IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic, averaged 0.8 goals and 1.5 points per game, marks that would place him in the top five nationally if he had skated in 75 percent of Michigan's games, and led the team with nine power-play and seven game-winning goals.

Ortmeyer

Ortmeyer, the team's captain, posted career-high totals in goals (16), assists (23) and points (39) to rank third on the team in scoring. A member of the NCAA West Regional and CCHA Super Six All-Tournament teams, Ortmeyer netted four goals in his last four games, including the game-winning markers in the Wolverines' 3-2 win over Michigan State for the Mason Cup and U-M's 5-3 triumph over Denver in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. Ortmeyer also registered a career-high +23 plus-minus rating to tie for third on the squad in that category.

Sophomore defenseman Andy Burnes (Battle Creek, Mich.) was awarded the VIC HEYLIGER TROPHY as the team's outstanding defenseman after skating in 43 of Michigan's 44 games while tallying career highs in goals (2), assists (6) and points (8), including the first two markers of his career. Burnes doubled his point total from his freshman campaign (0-4-4) while also recording a +8 rating.

The DOC LOSH TROPHY, given to the team's scoring leader, went to junior forward John Shouneyia (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), who amassed a team-high 50 points on 10 goals and 40 assists. Shouneyia, a member of the All-CCHA second team, posted career highs in goals, assists and points during the season while skating in all 44 games, and he ranked among the top 15 nationally with 0.90 assists per game.

Junior forward J.J. Swistak (West Bloomfield, Mich.) received the ALTON D. SIMMS TROPHY as the Wolverines' most improved player after recording two goals and four assists for six points to set career highs for helpers and points in a campaign. Swistak skated in a career-best 27 games during the 2001-02 season, including each of Michigan's last 20 contests, and notched the first two shorthanded goals of his career, including a marker in the NCAA Frozen Four against Minnesota.

The HOWARD COLBY AWARD, presented to the player who exhibits the best sportsmanship, was awarded to freshman forward David Moss (Dearborn, Mich.). Moss, one of four players and two freshmen to skated in all 44 games, compiled four goals and nine assists for 13 points during the season.

Senior forward Craig Murray (Penticton, B.C.) and senior defenseman Jay Vancik (Medina, Ohio) became the first U-M duo to tie for the CARL ISAACSON AWARD, which is given to the player with the team's highest grade-point average. Murray, an organizational studies major, tallied seven goals and a career-high seven assists for 14 points while skating in 39 games, while Vancik, a sports management and communication major, skated in all 44 games while posting 3-8-11 totals to notch a career-bests in each category. Murray and Vancik each carry a 3.08 GPA, and both earned special mention honors on the CCHA's All-Academic Team.

Vancik was the night's only double award winner, as he also took home the JOSEPH E. BARRS AWARD, which is chosen by the coaching staff and presented to the player who best exemplifies the true team player.

The DEKERS CLUB AWARD, voted on by the members of the Dekers Blue Line Club and given annually to the team's most colorful rookie, was awarded to freshman defenseman Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.). Werner, who saw action in all of Michigan's 44 games, tallied five goals and 20 assists for 25 points to rank second in scoring among blueliners while registering a +20 rating to rank third on the team for plus-minus rating by a defenseman. Werner, who led all CCHA defensemen in assists, also earned a spot on the Bauer/CCHA All-Rookie team.

Michigan, which won the CCHA regular-season and tournament titles, finished the season with a 28-11-5 record and advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four for the 21st time in school history, an NCAA record. The Wolverines, who have appeared in the last 12 NCAA Tournaments, the nation's longest active streak, are graduating four seniors -- Blackburn, Murray, Kevin O'Malley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) and Vancik -- and expect to return 93 percent of their offense from the 2001-02 campaign, including 94 percent of their goal-scoring total.

Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423