By Adam Ledyard
MARSHALL — The success of winning their first Texas Collegiate Hockey Conference Tournament Championship is still reaping benefits for the East Texas Baptist University. They have earned an automatic bid to the ACHA West Division Regional Tournament and received several awards from the TCHC. In the TCHC, Jeremy Niven was the “Rookie of the Year” and Caleb Goudreau the “MVP” as five players were honored with awards. Goudreau was then selected to the ACHA West All-Region Third Team.
With the win over Texas A&M in the TCHC Tournament Championship, ETBU was given the automatic bid to the ACHA Division II West Region Tournament. They will be one of 14 teams in the regional tournament as the 14th seed and face No. 20 Washington, who is the seventh seed. It will be the first time that ETBU faces the Huskies and a team from the Northern West Coast. ETBU is 2-4 overall in ACHA post season play the past three years.
ETBU took two of the three major TCHC awards with the “Rookie of the Year” and the “MVP.” Niven, who also was a first-team selection as a defenseman, played in 27 games, recording 18 points on seven goals and 11 assists, was the “Rookie of the Year.” Goudreau was the “MVP” with 42 points on 25 goals and 17 assists in 24 games played. He was also a first-team selection as a forward.
Also making the first team were Carson Loos and Spencer Mills, both as forwards. Loos recorded 12 goals, 13 assists, for 25 points in 28 games played, while Mills had 20 goals, 13 assists, for 33 points in 28 games.
Gavyn McCutcheon made the TCHC second team as a goalie. He played in 17 games going 10-4 with two shutouts. He also recorded 323 saves and had a 1.94 GAA with a .920 save percentage.
