March 10, 2009
Farmington Hills, Mich. – Notre Dame hockey goaltender Jordan Pearce (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska) is one of 12 CCHA hockey players to be named their team’s 2008-09 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. From this group of players, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) will name its 2009 Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Thursday, March 19 at the 2009 CCHA Awards, presented by RBC Financial Group at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Mich.
Joining Pearce on the list of nominees are:
Name Class Position Team MajorTrevor Hyatt Sr. Forward Alaska Fairbanks Civil EngineeringKyle Page Jr. Defense Bowling Green Sports ManagementAaron Lewicki Jr. Forward Ferris State FinanceRick Schofield So. Forward Lake Superior Bus. Admin./MarketingBrandon Smith Jr. Forward Miami FinanceCarl Hagelin So. Forward Michigan KinesiologyJeff Lerg Sr. Goaltender Michigan State FinanceJeremie Dupont Jr. Goaltender Nebraska-Omaha PsychologyDerek May Sr. Defense Northern Michigan EntrepreneurshipJordan Pearce Sr. Goaltender Notre Dame Anthropology/Pre-MedCorey Elkins Sr. Forward Ohio State HistoryDave Krisky Sr. Forward Western Michigan Finance
A three-time monogram winner for the Irish, Pearce is among the top goaltenders in the nation and is a candidate for All-American and Hobey Baker honors. In the classroom, Pearce has been selected to the Dean’s List four times during his academic career. He currently has a 3.816 grade-point average with a double major in Anthropology and Pre-Med at Notre Dame. The senior goaltender also is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for his work in the classroom, the community, his character and competition.
Pearce has put together two of the best seasons for a goaltender in Notre Dame hockey history in `07-’08 and `08-’09. He goes into the second round of the CCHA playoffs having played in 34 games, making 33 starts. His 26 wins are tops in the nation as he is 26-5-3 overall with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. He is tied for the lead in shutouts with six. From Oct. 31 to Jan. 30, Pearce and the Irish had a 20-game unbeaten string, going 17-0-3 in that span. The Anchorage, Alaska native has been named the CCHA goaltender of the week four times this season.
For his career, Pearce is tied for second all-time in wins with a 55-25-7 record with the record being 56 and held by Lance Madson `90. His career goals-against mark of 2.02 and .916 save percentage are the best in the program’s history and his 10 shutouts are second on the all-time list. He is the only goaltender in Notre Dame history to win 20-or-more games, twice in his career, doing it in back-to-back seasons.
The faculty representative at each school, in consultation with the head coach, selected the institution’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Each school’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year serves as the school’s nominee for CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Nominees must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 through the fall term of the selection year to receive the school’s Scholar-Athlete award. The CCHA award will be selected by the 12 faculty representatives, voting based on a system awarding five points for a first-place vote, three points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote.