College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

On the NCAA’s academic progress rate report (APR), the Tigers’ men’s hockey team had a score of 983, which ranks in the 70th to 80th percentile among men’s ice hockey teams and all NCAA sports. The women’s soccer team recently was honored for its perfect score in the report for a fifth straight year. The APR is calculated based on eligibility, retention and graduation of a school’s scholarship student-athletes.

Jake Gannon, a senior defenseman and captain for CC last season, was awarded the WCHA’s annual $10,000 postgraduate scholarship. Gannon wants to get a master’s degree in business. Gannon is an economics major with a 3.62 grade-point average and is scheduled to graduate from CC later this month.

Forward Bill Sweatt will return to Colorado College for his senior season. Sweatt will be CC’s leading returning scorer. He had 12 goals and 11 assists last year. His 23 points ranked fourth on the Tigers.
“I’m really excited to come back,” Sweatt said.
CC coach Scott Owens said having Sweatt’s experience will help next season. Owens said during a meeting Sweatt told him he wanted to come back so he could finish school.
“I think he understands the value of a degree in this day and age,” Owens said.
CC also recently got two commitments for the 2009-10 freshman class: goaltender Hudson Stremmel, who played with highly-touted incoming CC freshman defenseman John Moore with the USHL’s Chicago Steel last year, and forward William Rapuzzi, who played in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers.
Stremmel was 11th in the USHL with a 3.19 goals-against average this past season. Rapuzzi had 21 goals and 30 assists with Green Bay.

For what will be a young team in transition, Colorado College’s early schedule in 2009-10 is loaded with home games.

From the start of the regular season on Oct. 9 against Northeastern through the first annual meeting against the Denver on Dec. 4, 11 of CC’s first 15 games are at World Arena. The only road games are Oct. 16-17 at Wisconsin, which is the start of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association schedule, and a Nov. 13-14 trip to Minnesota State.

CC coach Scott Owens said the schedule is difficult, featuring some tough non-conference teams and the typical challenging WCHA slate, but having many home games early will help.

“We’re basically starting with young players and players that haven’t played much,” Owens said. “It’s a good schedule for us. It could give us some confidence and let the team come together.”

CC also plays DU in Denver on Dec. 5, and finishes the regular season with another home-and-home weekend at Denver on March 5 and at CC on March 6. The Tigers host Air Force on Feb. 5.

CC will also play in the Florida College Classic in Estero, Fla. Dec. 29 and 30.

2009-10 Colorado College hockey schedule

Sat., Oct. 3 Calgary (exhibition)
Fri.-Sat., Oct. 9-10 Northeastern
Fri. -Sat., Oct. 16-17 at Wisconsin
Fri.-Sat, Oct. 23-24 Michigan Tech
Fri.-Sat, Nov. 6-7 Minnesota-Duluth
Fri.-Sat., Nov. 13-14 at Minnesota State-Mankato
Fri.-Sat., Nov. 20-21 Robert Morris University
Fri. -Sat., Nov. 27-28 Alaska-Anchorage
Fri., Dec. 4 Denver
Sat., Dec. 5 at Denver
Fri.-Sat., Dec. 11-12 at St. Cloud State
Tues., Dec. 29 vs. Cornell (Florida College Classic in Estero, Fla.)
Wed., Dec. 30 vs. Maine or Princeton (Florida College Classic in Estero, Fla.)
Fri. -Sat., Jan. 8-9 at Minnesota-Duluth
Fri.-Sat., Jan.15-16 Wisconsin
Fri.-Sat., Jan. 22-23 at Alaska-Anchorage
Fri.-Sat., Jan.29-30 St. Cloud State
Fri., Feb. 5 Air Force
Sat., Feb. 6 Mercyhurst
Fri.-Sat., Feb. 19-20 at Minnesota
Fri.-Sat., Feb. 26-27 North Dakota
Fri., March 5 at Denver
Sat., March 6 Denver

Colorado College passed out its annual hockey awards at the year-end banquet, and senior center Chad Rau won three.
Rau won the Thayer Tutt Award as the team’s most valuable player, the M.B. Hopper Award as leading scorer and the Steve Ebert Award, given to the player that displays a combination of dedication, desire, ability and sportsmanship.
Senior Eric Walsky and junior forward Brian McMillin split the Dave Peterson Award for most improved player. Senior defenseman Jake Gannon won the Rodman Award, given to the player who demonstrates the highest degree of sportsmanship and leadership. Defenseman Gabe Guentzel won the Bob Johnson Award given to the team’s top freshman. The Joni Brandner Memorial Award, given to an individual “who has given his or her heart and soul through dedication to Tiger hockey,” was presented to Karen Crews, a fan and longtime employee of the college who retired this spring.
Also, junior right wing Mike Testwuide was named the team’s captain for next season.