UMD’s Jack Connolly Voted the 2012 Premier Player of College Hockey

Hobey Baker Finalist and team captain Jack Connolly has been named by fan vote the 2012 Premier Player of College Hockey. Connolly was one of six college hockey candidates for the award, which included Colorado College sophomore forward Jaden Schwartz, Yale junior forward Andrew Miller, Boston College junior forward Chris Kreider, and Boston University junior forward Alex Chiasson.

The Premier Player Trophy is awarded based on a season-long fan vote among players in a given sport, and is awarded in many different collegiate sports. According to their website, the top five athletes with the most votes are then invited to a charitable awards dinner where an overall winner in college athletics is announced. Funds raised by the dinner benefit the Premier Players Sports Foundation and other nonprofits with a focus on orphans, widows, and children with diseases or disabilities. The official ceremony will occur in Massachusetts later in April.

Connolly is also awaiting the announcement of the Hobey Baker award, which will take place Friday, April 6 in Tampa, Florida. See the full story about Connolly's inclusion in the Hobey Baker Hat Trick here.