Four Michigan natives named to Senior CLASS teams

April 9, 2015 MiHockey Staff

By @SKubus –

The Senior CLASS Award First Team and Second Team were each announced Thursday afternoon, and four Michigan natives were among those named.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of NCAA Division I senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition.

Michigan Tech’s Tanner Kero (Hancock) and Ferris State netminder CJ Motte (St. Clair) were named Senior CLASS Award First Team All-Americans after spectacular seasons for their respective schools.

Kero was named the 2014-15 WCHA Player of the Year, WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year and was one of the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award. He also finished the season with 20 goals and 46 points to capture the WCHA scoring title while serving as team co-captain. Additionally, the Hancock native volunteered at elementary schools and helped coach local youth hockey. Kero recently signed with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.

Motte, meanwhile, set the Ferris State all-time record for wins this season when he recorded his 64th victory against Lake Superior State, a 24-save shutout March 7. He was also a nominee for the Mike Richter Award, given to college hockey’s best goaltender. Motte finished the season with an 18-20-2 record, 2.07 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 40 contests. As a free agent, Motte signed with the New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport recently.

Miami RedHawks forward Austin Czarnik (Washington Township) and Robert Morris University’s Cody Wydo (Southgate) were selected as Senior CLASS Award Second Team All-Americans.

Czarnik led the RedHawks in scoring with 45 points (nine goals, 36 assists) in 40 games this season. A Hobey Baker Award finalist in his sophomore season, he was a Second-Team All-NCHC selection and NCHC Forward of the Year finalist this season. Czarnik recently signed with the Boston Bruins at the conclusion of Miami’s season.

Like Kero, Wydo was also a Hobey Baker Award top-ten finalist. He notched 20 goals and 43 points in 37 contests this season and had at least one point in 24 of those games to complete a four-year career that saw him accumulate 150 points in 151 collegiate games. Wydo recently moved on to the professional ranks, as he signed with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.