Duluth Bulldog Jack Connolly Wins 2012 Hobey Baker Award

Jack Connolly, senior captain for the UMD Bulldogs, has won his third national honor this week in collecting the 2012 Hobey Baker Award. Earlier this week, Connolly was named the Premier Player of College Hockey and was awarded the Lowes Senior Class Award. Connolly completed this week's award hat trick by emerging as the winner of the Hobey Baker Award amid the 2012 Frozen Four activities in Tampa, Florida.

Connolly had an impressive season, looking to defend the team's 2011 National Championship and take his 2011 Hobey Baker nomination to the next level. He and the Bulldogs remained near the top of national rankings through the entire season, and started their journey toward a second Frozen Four with a 5-2 win over Maine in the first round of the NCAA Division I playoffs. Boston College, who since has earned a bid in this year's National Championship game, brought the Bulldogs season to an end in the second round of the tournament.

Although the Bulldogs' season came to an untimely end, Connolly's impressive senior season has been capped off with a number of national honors, including today's (April 6) Hobey Baker announcement. Connolly was in the running for the award with senior forward Spencer Abbott of the University of Maine and Austin Smith, a senior forward with Colgate University.

Connolly's winning of the 2012 Hobey Baker Award makes the University of Minnesota Duluth the school to have produced the most Hobey Baker winners in the country, with five. The University of Minnesota is behind UMD with four award winners. Connolly joins past UMD winners Tom Kurvers, Bill Watson, Chris Marinucci, and Junior Lessard.

Beside having produced the most Hobey Baker winners in the country, UMD has had an impressive amount of award finalists. See the entire list below:

• 2011-12 Jack Connolly (Top 3 Finalist/Recipient)
• 2010-11 Jack Connolly (Top 10 Finalist)
• 2003-04 Junior Lessard (Recipient)
• 1993-94 Chris Marinucci (Recipient)
• 1992-93 Derek Plante (Finalist)
• 1985-86 Brett Hull (Finalist)
• 1985-86 Norm Maciver (Finalist)
• 1984-85 Bill Watson (Recipient)
• 1983-84 Tom Kurvers (Recipient)

The Hobey Baker Award is given based on the following criteria:

1. Candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice.
2. Candidates must contribute to the integrity of the team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game.
3. Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.
4. Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules: be full time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; and complete 50% or more of the season.