With the 2014-15 season in the books and the program ready to face the next step in its history, the Nittany Lions announced player awards to officially close out the second campaign at the Pegula Ice Arena.
The team-voted awards honored the most valuable player, freshman of the year, top defenseman and the players’ player. In addition, the Nittany Lions also recognized the team’s leading scorer, top student-athletes and preseason top athlete.
Casey Bailey, who made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on last Thursday, March 26 against the Florida Panthers, was named the team’s MVP as the leading scorer. Bailey set program marks for goals (22) and points (40) this season and left Penn State as the program’s leader in goals (45) and points (80) in three years’ time.
Captain Patrick Koudys was earned the Top Defenseman and Players’ Player honors. Koudys led the team in blocked shots (62), pitching in with a goal and seven assists this year. Koudys took home the Players’ Player award for the second straight season.
Rookie Erik Autio was voted Freshman of the Year. Autio appeared in 34 of 37 games on the blue line and was second in defenseman scoring with 11 points on two goals and nine assists. Autio registered a power play goal and blocked 41 shots.
Max Gardiner and David Thompson shared Top Student-Athlete honors this season for their work in the classroom. Gardiner will graduate Penn State as a two-time Academic All-Big Ten Team honoree with a degree in economics. Thompson shares the honor as a sophomore, featuring on the Academic All-Big Ten team for the first time this year.
For a third straight season, Connor Varley entered training camp as the most fit Nittany Lion, earning the Preseason Top Athlete laurel. The award is determined by strength & conditioning coach Cam Davidson.
The Nittany Lions completed the 2014-15 season with an 18-15-4 overall record and a fourth-place finish (10-9-1-0) in the Big Ten. Head coach Guy Gadowsky was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, while Bailey gathered the team’s first All-Big Ten First Team honor ahead of his NHL debut.
2014-15 PENN STATE TEAM AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Casey Bailey
Top Defenseman: Patrick Koudys
Freshman of the Year: Erik Autio
Players’ Player: Patrick Koudys
Leading Scorer : Casey Bailey
Top Student-Athletes: Max Gardiner, David Thompson
Preseason Top Athlete: Connor Varley
