March 11, 2008

DETROIT - Bemidji State University freshman forward Matt Read (Ilderton, Ontario) has been named to the 2008 College Hockey America All-Rookie team today in a vote by the league’s coaches. The Ilderton, Ontario native’s placement on the squad marks the 14th time a BSU skater has been picked for the honor since the league’s inception in 1999-2000.

Read was one of six newcomers to earn a spot on the team and one of three student-athletes to garner a unanimous vote. Joining him on the team were Nathan Longpre (F, Robert Morris), Andrew Coburn (F, Ala.-Huntsville), Denny Urban (D, Robert Morris), Ryan Adams (D, Wayne State) and goaltender Adam Avramenko (Niagara).

In addition to Read, Longpre and Urban also were unanimous selections.

Read capped the 2007-08 regular-season as BSU’s leading scorer with 8-17=25 points tying him with teammate Tyler Scofield for fifth place on BSU’s Division I-era freshman scoring list. One of five BSU skaters to log time in each of BSU’s 34 contests this season, he also paced the team with 17 assists. His 7-14=21 points in CHA play was not only tops among newcomers league-wide, it established him as the league’s fifth-leading scorer.

Read was a three-time CHA Rookie of the week honoree during the 2007-08 regular-season, while earning the league’s offensive player of the week laurel Jan. 14.

As a selection to the CHA All-Rookie team, Read becomes eligible for CHA 2008 Rookie of the Year honors. That award will be announced from Niagara, N.Y., the site of the 2008 CHA Tournament, Thursday, Mar. 13 in conjunction with the unveiling of the league MVP, Student-Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year recipients.

As the 14th All-Rookie team selection at Bemidji State, and the fifth in the last four seasons, Read joins teammates Matt Climie (2005), Cody Bostock, Scofield (2006) and last year’s honoree Joey Moggach as current Beavers be picked to the team.

Bemidji State finished its 2007-08 regular season with a record of 16-15-3 and captured its third College Hockey America regular-season title with a mark of 13-4-3 in the league. The Beavers open play as the No. 1 seed at the 2008 CHA Tournament on Saturday, March 15 when they face off with the winner of the tournament's quarterfinal game between Wayne State and Ala.-Huntsville. BSU's semifinal match up is set for 1 p.m. Central time at Dwyer Arena in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

-bsu-