Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Richard Bachman of Colorado College Named National College Hockey Rookie of the Year
April 11, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Colorado Springs, Colo. -- The Hockey Commissioners' Association (HCA) announced today (April 11, 2008) that Colorado College goaltender Richard Bachman is the winner of the second annual HCA National Division I Rookie of the Year award.
Three weeks ago, Bachman became just the second player in the 56-year history of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association to earn the league's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year accolades in the same season. Eighteen-year NHL veteran Curtis Joseph of the Calgary Flames also captured both awards as a netminder with the Wisconsin Badgers in the 1988-89 season.
Bachman, a 20-year old from Highlands Ranch, Colo., backstopped Colorado College to its sixth WCHA regular-season title in the last 15 years and its 11th NCAA playoff berth in the last 14, shattering school records with a 1.85 goals-against average and .931 saves percentage. He earned First Team West All-American Team honors, First-Team All-WCHA honors, and a spot on the league's All-Rookie Team. He also was named the Inside College Hockey Rookie of the Year along with being honored on the INCH Freshman All-American Team and the College Hockey News' All-CHN Rookie Team.
The 5-foot-10, 172-pound Bachman finished with an overall record of 25-9-1 between the pipes in 2007-08 and posted four shutouts while allowing two or fewer goals in 25 of his 35 starts. He was honored as HCA Rookie of the Month twice, in October and February, as well as WCHA Rookie of the Week three times and Defensive Player of the Week twice during the course of the season. The fourth-round NHL draft pick of the Dallas Stars in 2006, who spent the 2006-07 campaign in the USHL with Chicago and Cedar Rapids, finished with a 19-5-1 (.750) record in league play, with a 1.75 GAA and .937 saves percentage. He also collected three assists, including two on game-winning goals.
Nationally, Bachman sported college hockey's third-best goals-against average (1.85) and saves percentage (.931) while recording the nation's fourth-best winning percentage (.729). Overall, the Tigers boasted the sixth-best defensive numbers from among 59 teams, allowing an average of 2.15 goals-per game.
The HCA Rookie of the Year is selected in a vote by the assistant coaching staffs of all 59 NCAA Division I hockey teams. Players on the ballot receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote. Each conference's top rookie serves as their respective league's nominee.
Bachman is the second straight recipient of national rookie of the year honors to hail from the WCHA. Andrea Nodl of St. Cloud State, who recently signed a professional contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, was the inaugural winner last season.
2007-08 HCA National Rookie of the Year
Richard Bachman, G, Colorado College, WCHA
Honorable Mention Rookie of the Year
Max Pacioretty, F, Michigan, CCHA
Erik Peterson, F, Bentley College, AHA
Riley Nash, F, Cornell, ECAC
Matt Read, F, Bemidji State, CHA
Colin Wilson, F, Boston University, HEA
Brandon Wong, F, Quinnipiac, ECACHL
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