LOWELL, Mass. -- Senior goaltender Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) of the UMass Lowell Hockey team was selected as one of 10 semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award, which was announced on Tuesday evening by Let's Play Hockey. The Mike Richter Award honors the nation's top collegiate goaltender. The seventh annual award will be presented April 10. The five finalists will be announced Monday, March 30.

The 10 semifinalists represent five hockey conferences, led by Hockey East with three goaltenders on the list. The WCHA, Big Ten and ECAC each have two semifinalists and the NCHC has one. The 10 semifinalists have combined for 211 wins, a 1.91 goals against average, a .934 save percentage, 46 shutouts and have stopped a total of 8,779 pucks.

Wall, who was named a Hockey East Third-Team All-Star, finished his senior campaign with a 18-8-6 record, starting 32 of 34 games for the River Hawks during the 2019-20 season. He posted a 2.10 GAA with a .931 save percentage and two shutouts. Wall ranked second in Hockey East and tied for ninth in the nation with a .931 save percentage. His 924 saves also ranked eighth nationally among Div. I goaltenders. His 336 saves in the third period and overtime ranked third nationally among goalies. Wall allowed two goals or fewer in 22 of 32 starts and amassed 30+ saves in 16 contents for the River Hawks.

""We are excited that the Mike Richter Award Committee has acknowledged the outstanding work Tyler was able to accomplish this year," said UMass Lowell Head Coach Norm Bazin. "Playing in front of a young defensive core that only included one upperclassmen, Tyler was able to give our team second and third chances to win games. He is truly a deserving nomination and no goaltender was more valuable to his team."

The other semifinalists include: Zach Driscoll (Bemidji State), Matt Galajda (Cornell), Spencer Knight (Boston College), John Lethemon (Michigan State). Strauss Mann (Michigan), Frank Marotte (Clarkson), Dryden McKay (Minnesota State), Hunter Shepard (Minnesota Duluth) and Jeremy Swayman (Maine). 

The 2020 Richter Award winner will be announced April 10. Due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 outbreak, a site and time have not been determined.

Candidates for the Mike Richter Award were determined by nominations from all 60 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey coaches.

The finalists and winner are selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Past winners include: 2019 Cayden Primeau (Northeastern), 2018 Cale Morris (Notre Dame), 2017 Tanner Jaillet (Denver), 2016 Thatcher Demko (Boston College), 2015 Zane McIntyre (North Dakota), 2014 Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell).

Former River Hawk netminder Kevin Boyle was also a finalist for the award in 2016.

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