Michigan State University Athletics
Ryan Miller Wins Hobey Baker Award
4/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
April 6, 2001
ALBANY, N.Y. - Michigan State sophomore goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) was honored today (April 6) as the winner of the 2001 Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey's top player.
"It's a tremendous honor," said Miller. "I just wish I could have shared it with the guys but that doesn't take anything away from this. It opens a few doors. It's good for the goalies union, as all the goalies try and stick together."
Miller, who backstopped the top-ranked Spartans to Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season and playoff championships and a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four, is the second goaltender to win the honor, joining Minnesota's Robb Stauber (1988) in that elite group. He's also the second MSU skater to receive the award, as cousin Kip Miller brought the Hobey back to East Lansing in 1990.
Kip and Ryan Miller join another exclusive list - the duo become the second set of relatives to earn Hobey Baker Award winner status. Brothers Mark and Scott Fusco, who both skated for Harvard, captured the honor in 1983 and 1986, respectively. Ryan Miller is also the first CCHA player to win the Hobey since Michigan's Brendan Morrison accomplished the feat in 1997. The Millers make MSU the second CCHA school to have multiple Hobey winners. Bowling Green also boast two Hobey winners in George McPhee (1982) and Brian Holzinger (1995).
The Spartans have had a record 15 players named as Hobey Baker Award finalists, including at least one in each of the last four seasons. Two MSU skaters - goaltender Chad Alban (1998) and forward Mike York (1999) - were runners-up for the honor.
"Ryan's statistics speak for themselves," said MSU head coach Ron Mason. "But the true Ryan Miller respects the game, shares all the success with his teammates and dedicates a great deal of time to the community and classroom. For these reasons, he's a true Hobey Baker winner."
Miller entered this week's NCAA Frozen Four with a 31-4-4 record, a 1.31 goals against average, a .950 saves percentage and 10 shutouts. He leads the nation in wins, goals against average, saves percentage and shutouts. In CCHA regular-season play, Miller was 20-4-3 and shattered the league marks for goals against average and saves percentage he set last year by posting a 1.24 GAA and a .950 saves percentage this season. He also broke the conference mark for shutouts in a season by blanking eight CCHA foes during the 2000-01 campaign an eclipsed a 70-year-old NCAA record with 17th career shutout in a 3-0 win vs. Alaska-Fairbanks at Munn Ice Arena Feb. 10.
The East Lansing native was the CCHA Player of the Year and the won the league's Best Goaltender award. He was also named to the all-CCHA First Team and was an all-CCHA Tournament selection. Miller was also recognized as the CCHA Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
