The Canada West Conference handed out a “handful” of major awards to U of S hockey players on Wednesday.

Four of the five baubles went to members of the Huskie men’s hockey team…two of those to Taran Kozun. The third year Arts and Sciences student from Nipawin captured both the Player-of-the-Year and Goaltender-of-the-Year honours. He joins Jordon Cooke from the 2015-16 season as the only Saskatchewan goalies to win both awards in the same season. In addition, forwards Jared Dmytriw and Levi Cable were feted with the Rookie-of-the-Year and the Sportsmanlike and Ability awards, respectively, by Canada West.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Haubrich was more than just a member of the Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team during her five years at the U of S. For that, the Canada West Conference recognized the Hodgeville product as its Student-Athlete Community Service Award winner. Following are the news releases from the Canada West Conference and Huskie Athletics…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 26, 2020

Kozun takes home top honour, trio of Huskies earn conference recognition

Canada West Communications

[ONLINE STORY]

EDMONTON – Saskatchewan’s Taran Kozun was the big winner Wednesday, as Canada West announced the 2019-20 men’s hockey award winners, while fellow Huskies Jared Dmytriw and Levi Cable also took home conference awards. The former Seattle Thunderbirds netminder earned a pair of honours, being named the conference’s Player of the Year, as well as Goalie of the Year. Kozun backstopped the Huskies to 17 wins this season, while leading the conference in goals against average (1.87), save percentage (.931), and shutouts (5). The Nipawin, Sask. native became the second goaltender in program history last season to win the award, which was introduced in 2014-15, joining his former teammate Jordon Cooke as the only Huskies to do so. Kozun, who has now won the award in back-to-back seasons, tied his own single-season conference record with five shutouts this season, pushing his career total to 11 which is first in Huskies history. Kozun also becomes only the second netminder in program history to win Player of the Year honours, which Cooke also accomplished in 2015-16. Two other Huskies – Jared Dmytriw (Rookie of the Year) and Levi Cable (Sportsmanship and Ability) – also claimed awards. Dmytriw joins Huskies teammate Kohl Bauml in the lengthy list of Huskies to win the Rookie of the Year, as the Craven, Sask. native becomes the 11th player in program history to earn the honour. For Cable, who will play the final games of conference career this weekend, his consistency in the Saskatchewan lineup was nothing short of outstanding. The Hudson Bay, Sask. native appeared in all 140 regular-season contests during his time as a Huskie, a feat only three other Saskatchewan skaters have accomplished in their tenures in the green and white. Cable finished his Canada West career with 115 points, while becoming only the third player of the 21st century to reach the 50-goal mark in the green and white, after finishing his tenure with 51 regular-season goals. Other award winners include Ex-Portland Winterhawk Adam Henry, who enjoyed a big day, claiming both the Top Defenceman and Student-Athlete Community Service awards. The Manitoba Bisons defender led the all defencemen in goals with 11. Regina’s Todd Johnson earned Coach of the Year honours. The 2020 CW Men’s Hockey Final is set for this weekend, as the UBC Thunderbirds travel to Saskatoon to take on the Huskies. The best-of-three series opens Friday, February 28 at 7 p.m. CST and marks UBC’s first trip to the conference final since 1978 as well as the first meeting between the T-Birds and Huskies in the CW Final. You can watch the action by tuning into Canada West TV Presented by Co-op.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR & GOALIE OF THE YEAR: Taran Kozun

• Saskatchewan Huskies
• Goaltender
• 3rd-year
• Nipawin, SK
• Arts & Sciences
• Former WHL clubs: Kamloops Blazers, Seattle Thunderbirds

It was another dominant season for Saskatchewan Huskie Taran Kozun, who is a dual award winner, claiming the conference’s Player and Goalie of the Year awards. Kozun follows in the footsteps of former Huskie standout goalie Jordon Cooke, who was the last CW player to claim both awards in the same season (2015-16). The former Seattle Thunderbird led the conference in every major goaltending category, posting a 1.87 goals against average, .931 save percentage, five shutouts, and 17 wins. Thanks in large part to Kozun’s stellar season the Huskies finished second in the conference standings, as the program’s all-time leader in shutouts (11) posted a third consecutive season with a save percentage north of .920. Coach’s comments: “For as long as I’ve been here – including as an athlete – we’ve always had good goaltending and Taran provides the level of play that our program expects. He’s earned the respect of the league over the last two years with the way he’s played. He’s consistently been a high achiever and obviously people respect him for his consistency at the top level.” – Saskatchewan Head Coach Dave Adolph. TOP DEFENCEMAN & STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE: Adam Henry

• Manitoba Bisons
• Defencemen
• 5th-year
• Winnipeg, MB
• Arts & Sciences
• Former WHL clubs: Lethbridge Hurricanes, Seattle Thunderbirds, Saskatoon Blades, Portland Winterhawks

Adam Henry combined excellence on the ice and in the classroom during his final season with the Manitoba Bisons to claim the Merv “Red” Dutton Trophy as the conference’s top defencemen, along with the Student-Athlete Community Service award. Henry topped the conference in defencemen goal scoring this season with 11 markers, while his 11 assists gave him 22 points on the season to finish third overall in the defencemen scoring race. Off the ice, the Manitoba captain finished with a 3.0 GPA in the Asper School of Business and was active in the University of Manitoba Athlete’s Council (UMAC), volunteering for the group’s anti-bullying and youth literacy campaigns, along with work at Siloam Mission, and the UMAC Christmas hamper program. He is also involved in coaching minor hockey, assisting at the Laker Hockey Academy. Coach’s comments: “The University of Manitoba is thrilled to see Adam honoured with a Canada West First All-Star Team selection and two major awards. We are extremely proud of the excellence Adam has achieved in athletics, academics, and community service throughout his five seasons at the U of M. Adam is an exceptional leader and a highly talented student-athlete who is an outstanding role model for the University of Manitoba and Canada West.” – Manitoba Head Coach Mike Sirant. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jared Dmytriw

• Saskatchewan Huskies
• Forward
• 1st-year
• Craven, SK
• Business
• Former WHL clubs: Victoria Royals, Red Deer Rebels, Vancouver Giants

Former Vancouver Giants captain Jared Dmytriw stepped into a major role for the Saskatchewan Huskies and made the most of the opportunity. The Craven, Sask. native is the CW Rookie of the Year (U of A Hockey Alumni Trophy) after suiting up for all 28 regular season contests, registering a conference-best 28 points amongst rookies. Dmytriw finished with 10 goals and 18 assists to lead the team in scoring and post the highest rookie point total by a Huskie since 2015-16 when Saskatchewan featured the conference’s top three rookie scorers: Kohl Bauml – 33, Levi Cable – 28, Andrew Johnson – 26. Coach’s comments: “He had a fantastic 20-year old season in the WHL and we had the good fortune to convince him to come back to Saskatchewan and play. I didn’t expect him to come in and be our leading scorer, but I knew with his motor that he was going to be really good. He’s committed, has brought it ever since he first came on the ice for us and I think he’s a surprisingly gifted player.” – Saskatchewan Head Coach Dave Adolph. SPORTSMANSHIP & ABILITY: Levi Cable

• Saskatchewan Huskies
• Forward
• 5th-year
• Hudson Bay, SK
• Business
• Former WHL clubs: Kootenay Ice

Veteran two-way forward Levi Cable has claimed the UBC Hockey Alumni Trophy for sportsmanship and ability. Cable posted the third 20-point season of his career in 2019-20, registering 10 goals and 14 assists. He also registered a second consecutive penalty free season, as his five-year CW career penalty total stands at just 18 minutes. Coach’s comments: “I think Levi has been the best two-way forward in the league since about mid-way through December in his first year. He brings it, is a reliable player at both ends of the rink and scores game-winning goals week-after-week. He’s first on the puck, aggressive and physical.” – Saskatchewan Head Coach Dave Adolph. COACH OF THE YEAR: Todd Johnson

• Regina Cougars
• 8 seasons

Regina Cougars head coach Todd Johnson is the CW Coach of the Year after doubling Regina’s win total from a year ago, as the Cougars won eight games in 2019-20. Bolstered by the midseason addition of forward Tanner Nagel and backstopped by the stellar play of goaltender Brandon Holtby, the Cougars reeled off 13 of a possible 16 points in their first eight games of the second half of the season. The Cougars narrowly missed out on their first trip to the Canada West postseason since the 2012-13 season, finishing three points back of Manitoba for the sixth and final playoff spot. Johnson becomes the U of R’s second Canada West Coach of the Year, joining Bill Liskowich (1992).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 26, 2020

Haubrich earns Student-Athlete Community Service Award

Canada West Communications

[ONLINE STORY]

EDMONTON – With the Canada West unveiling their major award winners ahead of this weekend’s CW Final in Edmonton, Brooklyn Haubrich was able to put a bow on her Canada West career by earning the Student-Athlete Community Service Award. The fifth-year forward from Hodgeville, Sask. became the fourth Huskie in program history to be recognized with the honour, and first since Kelsey Tulloch in 2011-12. Haubrich, who recorded eight assists during the 2019-20 regular-season campaign, has been a key figure in the Huskies community since arriving on campus in Saskatoon. Dinos goaltender Kelsey Roberts earned Canada West Player of the Year honours after helping Calgary make a 39-point improvement in the conference standings. The veteran netminder played over 1,500 minutes for the Dinos with a goals-against average of just 1.33 and save percentage of .948. Also taking home an award for Calgary was head coach Danielle Goyette, who is the CW Coach of the Year. The former national team player guided her team to a 17-7-1-3 record, as the Dinos posted their best finish since the 2012-13 season. Earning the conference’s Rookie of the Year award was Madison Willan. The Alberta forward ran away with the CW rookie scoring crown, finishing with 25 points – 15 more than the next closest player. Rounding out the award winners is Saskatchewan’s Haubrich, who is the Student-Athlete Community Service award recipient. The Huskies captain gives back through a variety of community initiatives, including coaching youth hockey and providing opportunities to female hockey players across rural Saskatchewan. The 2020 CW Women’s Hockey Final is set for this weekend, as the MRU Cougars travel to Edmonton to take on the Pandas. The best-of-three series opens Friday, February 28 at 7 p.m. MST. You can watch the action by tuning into Canada West TV Presented by Co-op. PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Kelsey Roberts
• Calgary Dinos
• Goaltender
• 4th-year
• Kitimat, B.C.
• Arts

Fourth-year netminder Kelsey Roberts put the University of Calgary Dinos on her back again this year, backstopping them to a remarkable turnaround season. Roberts put up spectacular numbers, playing more minutes than any other playoff-bound goaltender at nearly 1,530 while recording a 1.33 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. She led Canada West with 16 wins on the regular season and added four shutouts, helping the Dinos to an 17-7-1-3 record and the second seed in the conference playoffs. The fourth-year Kitimat, B.C. native was named to Hockey Canada’s national women’s development team last summer, travelling to Lake Placid, N.Y. to face the United States in a three-game series in August. She becomes the fifth Dino to earn the conference’s top honour, following a pair of two-time winners: Hayley Wickenheiser (2011, 2013) and Iya Gavrilova (2015, 2016). Coach’s comments: “Kelsey has been by far our most consistent player for the last two years, giving us a chance to win every night. She has learned what it takes to be successful on a regular basis by putting in the work on and off the ice, but the biggest improvement she has made is on her mental game. She controls her emotions and welcomes the challenges now. We’re excited to have her for one more year.” – Calgary Head Coach Danielle Goyette. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• Madison Willan
• Alberta Pandas
• Forward
• 1st-year
• Edmonton, AB
• Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences

From ESSO Cup national champion to Canada West Rookie of the Year, it’s been quite the calendar year for Madison Willan. The multi-sport talent, who is also a member of the Canadian women’s national baseball team, made the jump to Canada West and didn’t miss a beat this season. Willan posted a 51-point season a year ago with the St. Albert Slash of the Alberta midget AAA league and followed that up with 25 points this season to top the CW rookie scoring race, and finish third overall in CW behind a pair of Pandas teammates (Autumn MacDougall (31) and Kennedy Ganser (27)). Coach’s comments: “Madison isn’t the kind of player that stands out immediately. The more you watch her play, however, you begin to see she has an extremely high hockey intelligence that makes it possible for her to have a dramatic impact on the game. Pair her IQ with strong puck skills and a drive to succeed, and you are left with a player that is going to be a significant offensive threat for her team.” – Alberta Head Coach Howie Draper. STUDENT ATHLETE-COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Brooklyn Haubrich
• Saskatchewan Huskies
• Forward
• 5th-year
• Hodgeville, SK
• Agriculture and Bioresources

Huskies captain Brooklyn Haubrich is the Student-Athlete Community Service award winner thanks to her U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status, and strong community work. The gritty forward, who earned significant playing time on specialty teams for Saskatchewan, has left her mark in communities across the province while studying agriculture and bioresources. The product of Hodgeville, Sask. coaches a team of youth funded by the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon, allowing families enjoy the game who otherwise wouldn’t be able to. She is also a mentor in the Big Sister / Little Sister program, makes monthly visits to various elementary schools as a Huskie Homeroom Mentor, and has worked to provide on-ice opportunities to female hockey players in rural communities throughout Saskatchewan. Coach’s comments: “She’s our leader on the team and she’s a leader among all of the athletes here with Huskie Athletics. This is a very fitting honour for her, it’s just who she is as a person and not necessarily what she does as an athlete. Brooklyn is from a rural background and believes very strongly in giving back to the game and that’s why she does all the volunteering she does with the youth both here in Saskatoon and in rural areas throughout Saskatchewan.” – Saskatchewan Head Coach Steve Kook. COACH OF THE YEAR

• Danielle Goyette
• Calgary Dinos
• 12 seasons

The University of Calgary Dinos were the surprise of Canada West women’s hockey in 2019-20, earning head coach Danielle Goyette her first CW Coach of the Year honour in her 12th season at the helm of the program. Written off in the preseason poll and chosen to finish last, the Dinos instead won 18 games – an improvement of 13 victories over their 2018-19 mark – to post their best finish since appearing in back-to-back national finals in 2012 and 2013. The Dinos nearly doubled their offensive output from 32 goals in 2018-19 to 61 this year, all while allowing 28 fewer markers – a testament to improved play at both ends of the ice. Goyette, a Hockey Hall of Famer and three-time Olympic medallist, was previously named coach of the year in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference in 2009, one year before the Dinos made the jump back to Canada West. She is the first Dinos bench boss to earn this Canada West recognition. Athletic director’s comments: “There is no more deserving coach than Danielle this year. From the first game in October it was evident that the culture of the team had changed and expectations had been elevated. The team believed in themselves, their teammates, and their coaches, and this is a reflection of the confidence and leadership instilled by Danielle. We are very proud of everything she and the team accomplished and their tremendous growth this year.” – Calgary Athletic Director Jason Kerswill.