FAIRBANKS, Alaska – On Friday evening, the Alaska Nanook hockey team celebrated the 2015-16 season with their annual awards banquet at the Westmark Hotel, hosted by the Face-Off Club. The evening was highlighted by senior forward Tyler Morley, who took home three pieces of hardware on Friday, including the Steve Moria Most Valuable Player award.
In addition to being named Nanook hockey's MVP, T. Morley was also named the Top Playoff Performer and the Keith Street Top Scorer. T. Morley, who also served as the 2015-16 team captain, concludes his four-year career with the Nanooks playing in 129 games, collecting 60 goals and 62 assists for 122 points. T. Morley becomes the 33rd Nanook to join the 100-point club and will tie Wade Klippenstein for 17th place on the Alaska Nanook All-Time Leading Scorers list.
In the 2015-16 season alone, T. Morley was named a Co- Western Collegiate Hockey Association's (WCHA) Preseason Player of the Year, All-WCHA First Team selection, member of the Kendall Classic and Brice Alaska Goal Rush All-Tournament Teams, two-time WCHA Offensive Player of the Week, a Hobey Baker Award Nominee and a WCHA All-Academic Team honoree. T. Morley played in 29 games, recording 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points, leading the WCHA in goals per games played (0.59), shots on goal per games played (3.85) and points per games played (1.04).
Despite missing seven games throughout the season due to injury, T. Morley still led the Nooks in 12 major scoring categories. Furthermore, T. Morley tallied eight multi-point games and posted four points over the weekend of Mar. 4-5 to help the Nooks win their fourth straight Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup and clinch the final WCHA Playoff spot over in-state rival Alaska-Anchorage.
T. Morley was unable to appear at the banquet after signing with the San Diego Gulls in the American Hockey League (AHL) on Mar. 23, where he will remain until the conclusion of the Gulls' season.
Three others from the class of 2016 were also honored on Friday, including forward Nolan Huysmans and defenders Josh Atkinson and JD Peterson.
Huysmans, who was named the 2015-16 Dirk Anderson Scholar Athlete, receives the award after being named a three-time WCHA Scholar Athlete, a three-time WCHA All-Academic team selection and a two-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) FAR Scholar Athlete Award winner. Huysmans appeared in all 36 games this season for the Nanooks, posting seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points, second amongst all Nanooks. As a four-year letter-winner, Huysmans played in 141 games in the Blue and Gold, collecting 67 career points from 25 goals and 42 assists.
Atkinson, who also missed the banquet after signing with the Atlanta Gladiators of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) on Mar. 28, was named the Shawn Chambers Top Defenseman for the 2015-16 season. In his four years with the Nooks, Atkinson never missed a single game, dressing in all 144. Throughout his career, the defenseman scored eight goals and dished 40 assists for 48 points. In the past season alone, Atkinson appeared in all 36 games, recording three goals and 13 assists for 16 points.
Rounding out the senior class was JD Peterson, who received the Pump House Team Player Award. After constantly fighting for a spot in the Nanooks' defensive line-up, Peterson was consistently in the line-up his senior season, playing in 27 games and collecting one assist. In his final year with the Nooks, the stay-at-home, physical defenseman was voted an alternate captain by his teammates and coaching staff.
Following the four senior honorees, the Alaska Nanooks had two representatives from their junior class each win an award. Junior goaltender Davis Jones and forward Brandon Morley were named the Rick Pitta Most Dedicated Player and the Don Jamieson Unsung Hero, respectively.
After battling rookie goaltender Jesse Jenks for the starter's position between the pipes, Jones solidified himself as the number one goalie in the final six games of the season. Jones played in 20 games for the Nanooks, posting a 5-14-1 record after playing 1161:14 minutes in net. Jones made 624 saves on the year and ended the season with a 3.36 GAA and .896 save percentage. On Feb. 27, Jones set a career-high saves record with 48 at Michigan Tech.
Left-winger B. Morley was one of eight Nooks to appear in all 36 games this season, posting five goals and three assists for eight points. In the 2015-16 season, B. Morley was the only Nanook to record a hat trick, which he did at Bemidji State on Nov. 13. Although he didn't wear a letter during the previous hockey season, B. Morley was a consistently hard worker for the Nooks night-in and night-out, most evidently on Alaska's penalty kill unit.
After a standout season on the blueline, sophomore defenseman Nick Hinz was named the Dean Fedorchuck Most Improved Player. In his freshman campaign (2014-15), Hinz only appeared in 14 games for the Nooks without posting a single point. As a veteran, Hinz concluded the 2015-16 season playing in 34 games and dishing 11 assists for 11 points.
Rookie goaltender Jesse Jenks was tabbed as the Fan's Choice Award winner, while fellow rookie forward John Mullally was named the Doug Desorcie Top Freshman for the 2015-16 season.
Jenks completed his freshman campaign with a 5-8-3 record between the pipes, playing in 18 games total for the Nanooks. Jenks made a career-high 39 saves on Nov. 21 at Ferris State and earned one WCHA Rookie of the Week honor after going 1-0-1 against Alaska-Anchorage Dec. 11-12. Jenks made 467 saves for the Nooks in the 2015-16 season, earning him a .909 save percentage with a 2.77 GAA.
Mullally led all Nanook rookies in points with eight (four goals, four assists) in 25 games played. Mullally was one of three Nanook freshmen to register a multi-point game after recording one goal and one assist Jan. 30 at Wisconsin. Additionally, Mullally led all Nooks in shot percentage with .182.
Closing out the Nanook hockey awards, longtime Alaska Hockey supporter Peggy "Grandma Nanook" Birkenbuel was awarded the Pat & Gerald Shields Award for being the Booster of the Year, while Keith Swarner was named the Tavis MacMillan Alumni of the Year.
The 2015-16 Alaska Nanook hockey season is highlighted by one All-WCHA First Team selection (T. Morley), two WCHA Scholar Athletes (Huysmans and sophomore Zach Frye), 15 selections for the WCHA All-Academic Team, one Brice Alaska Goal Rush title (fourth straight), one Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup title (fourth straight), an appearance in the WCHA Playoffs and all six Alaska Hockey seniors are expected to graduate in 2016.
2015-16 Alaska Hockey Awards Banquet Winners:
Pat & Gerald Shield Award (Booster of the Year) – Peggy "Grandma Nanook" Birkenbuel
Fan's Choice Award – Jesse Jenks
Tavis MacMillan Alumni of the Year – Keith Swarner
Pump House Team Player of the Year – JD Peterson
Dirk Anderson Scholar Athlete – Nolan Huysmans
Dean Fedorchuk Most Improved Player – Nick Hinz
Rick Pitta Most Dedicated Player – Davis Jones
Doug Desorcie Top Freshman – John Mullally
Shawn Chambers Top Defenseman – Josh Atkinson
Don Jamieson Unsung Hero – Brandon Morley
Top Playoff Performer – Tyler Morley
Keith Street Top Scorer – Tyler Morley
Steve Moria Most Valuable Player – Tyler Morley
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey page on Facebook.
