March 7, 2007
Three Wayne State men's hockey student-athletes have been named to the College Hockey America All-Rookie Team - forward Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers), defenseman Jeff Caister (Mississauga, Ont./Milton Icehawks), and goaltender Brett Bothwell (Red Deer, Alb./Yorkton Terriers).
Katz, a unanimous selection to the squad by the league's head and assistant coaches, leads all CHA rookies with 11 goals and is second with 22 points. He has averaged a point per game over the last 17 games, as he tallied 16 of his 22 points in conference play. Katz ranks in the top 10 all-time among rookies at WSU in points, goals, and assists.
Caister is second overall on the WSU squad with 14 assists and second among Warrior blueliners with 16 points. He also ranks fifth among CHA rookies in points and has totaled seven assists and eight points in conference play with a +4 plus/minus rating. Caister is fifth all-time at WSU in assists by a rookie and 10th in assists by a defenseman in a single season.
Bothwell, another unanimous selection to the team, has an overall record of 8-9-1 on the season, including a 5-5-1 mark in CHA games, and ranks third in the league in overall winning percentage (.472). He made 30 or more saves in five starts, including the first four of his collegiate career, and went unbeaten in his last three starts, all against league opponents. Bothwell set a school record for most saves in a period, totaling 25 in the first 20 minutes at Alabama-Huntsville on Oct. 21, and ranks in the top 10 in most single-season goaltending categories at Wayne State.
The Warriors will face the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers in the quarterfinals of the CHA Tournament on Friday, March 9, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
