LOWELL, Mass. – Senior goaltender
Henry Welsch (Lakeville, Minn.) of the UMass Lowell ice hockey team has been named to the 2024 Mike Richter Award Watch List, as announced by the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) Friday afternoon. The list is compiled of 32 men's NCAA Division I goalies that will compete for the award, which is given to the top goalie in NCAA Division I hockey.
Welsch has had a successful start to the 2023-24 season thus far, appearing in 16 games and starting 12. He ranks 10th in the nation with a .920 save percentage, while boasting the 12th-best GAA of 2.19. Currently, Welsch sits atop the Hockey East rankings, owning the conference's best GAA (1.57) and save percentage (.944) in seven Hockey East games played. He also picked up a 46-save shutout victory against UConn on October 28. Former UMass Lowell goalie, Connor Hellebuyck was the first-ever winner of the Mike Richter Award in 2014.
A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, scouts and media — will pare this list down to approximately 15 names within the next three weeks and then ultimately choose the winner who will be announced in April during the NCAA Frozen Four.
