Pittsburgh, Pa. - As the college hockey season progresses toward the homestretch,
Robert Morris University senior captain
Cody Wydo has been nominated for a pair of national awards.
Wydo, a native of Southgate, Mich., was recently declared a nominee for the
Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top men's hockey player in NCAA Division I. Hobey Baker nominees are evaluated based on the following criteria: outstanding skills in all phases of the game, scholastic achievement, and strength of character on and off the ice.
Wydo was also a Hobey Baker nominee last year, when he established program records for goals (31) and points (54) in a season as the Colonials surged to their first Atlantic Hockey Conference postseason championship and an inaugural berth in the NCAA Tournament. The dynamic winger has followed that up with 14 goals and 32 total points through 24 games this season, as AHC-leading RMU (15-5-4, 12-3-3 AHC) seeks its first regular-season conference title in 11 years of Division I hockey.
Not only is Wydo the second-leading scorer in the nation, he is also in possession of the program's career scoring record after a
five-point night last Saturday against American International. He now has 139 points - including a Division I-best 79 goals - in 138 collegiate games, topping the 138 points posted by former RMU forward Nathan Longpre from 2007-11. Last season, Wydo made the All-Atlantic Hockey First Team and was the first Colonial to make the all-USCHO Second Team.
The Hobey Baker Award selection process consists of three parts. Starting with this year's field of nominees, Division I men's hockey coaches select the top three players in their conference and the top three in the nation. In addition, fans can take part in the voting process
here; fans are permitted to vote once per day per player.
After the original 61-man field is narrowed to 10 finalists, the Hobey Baker Award Selection Committee votes to whittle the list down to the top three, a.k.a. the "Hobey Hat Trick." Fans may also vote in this stage. The winner will be announced at the Frozen Four, which will take place in Boston from April 9-11. Former Boston College star and current Calgary Flames rookie Johnny Gaudreau won the prize last spring.
In addition to being in the running for college hockey's top honor, Wydo was
named as a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award earlier this week. Wydo is one of just 20 Division I players to make it to this stage of the process; fellow RMU senior forward
Scott Jacklin was also nominated for the award. The current list will be reduced to 10 finalists later in the season.
The Senior CLASS Award is designed to honor the total student-athlete and encourages athletes to use their platform to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. On top of his accomplishments on the ice, Wydo compiled a 3.67 cumulative grade-point average over his first three years at Robert Morris while pursuing a degree in accounting and finance.
Along with many of his teammates, Wydo has served as a volunteer for the Arctic Foxes youth hockey program and the Sewickley Harvest Festival, in addition to his previous role as coordinator of the Colonials' roadside cleanup initiative.
Stay connected with Pittsburgh's College Hockey Team on Twitter and Facebook.
