Senior CLASS Award | November 7, 2013 Senior CLASS Award candidates named Share OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Twenty NCAA men’s ice hockey student-athletes who excel both on and off the ice were selected as candidates Thursday for the 2013-14 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate hockey. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. Of the 20 candidates, 12 have grade point averages of 3.5 or higher. There are two American Hockey Coaches Association All-Americans from last season.The 20 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2014 NCAA Men’s Frozen Final Four® in April.2014 SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATESMac Bennett, MichiganCole Ikkala, Union (N.Y.)Jack Berger, PrincetonAndy Iles, CornellSam Brittain, DenverStephen Johns Notre DameGreg Carey, St. LawrenceNick Jones MercyhurstScott Czarnowczan, Ferris StateDennis Robertson, BrownNic Dowd, St. Cloud StateKevin Ryan, NiagaraKyle Gibbons, CanisiusSteven Shamanski, ProvidenceKevin Goumas, New HampshireDillon Simpson, North DakotaJordan Heywood, MerrimackRyan Walters, Nebraska-OmahaBrock Higgs, Rensselaer PolytechnicMatt Zarbo, Clarkson History of Conn Smythe Trophy winners for NHL playoff MVP, by college In all, eight former college hockey players have won Conn Smythe Trophies. READ MORE NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee proposes changes to video review challenges The NCAA Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules Committee proposed a significant overhaul to the video replay process at its meeting this week in Indianapolis. READ MORE Former college hockey players in the 2022 Stanley Cup Here is a look at 15 former NCAA hockey players who are a part of the 2022 Stanley Cup final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche. READ MORE