Men's Ice Hockey

MIAC announces 2024-25 Men’s Hockey awards

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its award honorees for the 2024-25 Men's Hockey season on Wednesday.

Bethel junior forward Tyler Braccini and St. Olaf senior defender Connor Kalthoff were selected by MIAC head coaches as the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. St. Scholastica first-year defender Wyatt Wurst was named Rookie of the Year, while Gustavus head coach Tyler Walsh was recognized by his peers with Coach of the Year honors.

Braccini (Jr. | Hanover, Minn. | Buffalo) was voted MIAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading all skaters with 21 points in conference play this season. Braccini ranked second in the conference with eleven goals scored and finished tied for the third-highest assist total with ten in league play. He is the second consecutive Royal to be named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year in men’s hockey, joining teammate and 2024 recipient Tyler Kostelecky.

Kalthoff (Sr. | Sartell, Minn.) was selected as the MIAC Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Oles secure a postseason berth for the fourth consecutive season. St. Olaf’s on-ice leader in both power-play and penalty-kill situations, Kalthoff guided the Oles to the top power-play percentage in the conference this season (.271) and a penalty-killing percentage of .813 in league games. Kalthoff is the Oles’ first MIAC Player of the Year honoree in men’s hockey since Jeff Harris was named the conference’s Co-Player of the Year in 2013.

Wurst (Fy. | Edina, Minn.) was named MIAC Rookie of the Year after leading the conference with 16 assists in MIAC play during his debut season. Wurst also ranked third in the MIAC with 24 blocked shots and a +/- of 12 in conference games. He is the first St. Scholastica men’s hockey player to receive the MIAC Rookie of the Year award.

Walsh (first season) was celebrated by his peers with MIAC Men's Hockey Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Gusties to their first regular season conference title since the 2009-10 campaign. He is the third coach in program history to be honored with the MIAC Coach of the Year award, joining five-time recipient Don Roberts and three-time winner Brett Petersen.

In addition to individual awards, MIAC coaches also selected 20 players All-Conference with six more receiving honorable mention distinction. All awards were nominated and voted on by the nine MIAC head men's hockey coaches, and only statistics from regular season MIAC contests were considered for conference honors; any nominated player not selected as All-Conference but still receiving votes from at least three coaches was named honorable mention.

Six of the 20 players named All-Conference in 2025 had also earned All-MIAC honors in a previous season, while St. Olaf’s Connor Kalthoff received the accolade for the third time in his career.

The MIAC also announced the annual All-Playoff Team for men's hockey, which recognized the top eight performers from the conference tournament, as selected by playoff-participant head coaches.

| 2024-25 MIAC Men's Hockey Awards |