WCHA Release

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – On Wednesday, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, through Northern Michigan University President Dr. Fritz Erickson (Chair, Men's League) and Commissioner Bill Robertson announced that four members of the Alaska Nanooks men's ice hockey team were selected as WCHA Scholar-Athletes for the 2017-18 season.

Per the WCHA Release, "to earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, conference-member student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his overall GPA is at least a 3.50 for all terms at his present institution."

Some 141 conference-member student-athletes (both men's and women's division) make up the 13th annual group of WCHA Scholar-Athletes, as the award was developed through member teams' Faculty Athletic Representatives and was approved by the league in the 2005-06 season. Seventy-eight (78) of this season's 141 recipients are repeat honorees, including senior defenseman Nick Hinz and junior defenseman Nikolas Koberstein, who are both two-time recipients. Alaska's four honorees account for 82 selections who hail from the men's division of the WCHA.

Alaska Hockey's 2017-18 WCHA Scholar Athletes
**Indicates two-time honorees

**Nick Hinz – Senior | Defenseman | Oakdale, Minn. | Accounting Major
**Nikolas Koberstein – Junior | Defenseman | Barrhead, Alta. | Business Administration
Kyle Marino – Sophomore | Forward | Niagara Falls, Ont. | Business Administration
Anton Martinsson – Sophomore | Goaltender | Klippan, Sweden | Business Administration

The Alaska Nanooks hockey team close out the 2017-18 regular season at home this week, as they host in-state rival Alaska Anchorage in a two-game WCHA series this Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Carlson Center. Puck-drop for both games is scheduled for 7:07pm AKST, with kids 12 and under receiving free admission with the purchase of one adult ticket (limit two kids per one adult).

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks