ANN ARBOR, Mich.--The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference on Wednesday announced the 2023-24 men's hockey postseason awards which see three Lawrence Tech all-conference honorees led by 2024 WHAC Newcomer of the Year Drake Barnish. The forward is joined on the WHAC All-Second Team by sophomore goalie Brett Tome and freshman defenseman Charlie Ward.

A sophomore transfer who played last season at NCAA Division III Utica, Barnish (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) posted career-high scoring totals of 25 goals, 13 assists and 38 points. He tied for the WHAC lead with 11 power-play goals and tied for second in the conference in total goals.

Ward (Livonia Stevenson High School) burst onto the collegiate scene with 6+11=17 scoring totals to pace all LTU blueliners in those categories. He posted a career-high four assists in a win at Aquinas on Jan. 26.

Tome (Hartland High School/Twin City Thunder, USPHL) was a four-time winner of the WHAC Defensive Player of the Week award this season. He enters the WHAC Tournament with a 17-9-1 record, 2.43 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. He led the WHAC in wins and tied for first with three shutouts. He had the second-best GAA and ranked in save percentage. He also recorded over 750 saves--including a career-best 53 in an overtime win at Michigan-Dearborn in the regular-season finale to clinch LTU's first-ever four-game season sweep of UMD--to top the WHAC.

In addition, graduate student Sean Pilet represented LTU on the Champion of Character Team.

Blue Devils who were named to the academic all-conference team include graduate student forwards Sean Pilet (Computer Science) and Brenden Preiss (Robotics Engineering and Computer Engineering), senior defenseman Garrett Sample (Mechanical Engineering), junior forwards Keagan Rundle (Nursing) and Bradley Scott (Mechanical Engineering), sophomore forwards Justin Hubenschmidt (Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Technology major) and Maximus Nguyen (Audio Engineering), and defensemen Kaden Hemme (Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering) and Dylan Magdich (Computer and Electrical Engineering).

Lawrence Tech (19-11 overall, 17-7 WHAC) will play Rochester in a No. 2 versus No. 7 seed matchup during the opening round of the WHAC Championship Tournament, which starts at 4 p.m. Friday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse Ice Arena.
 

First Team All-Conference
Name	Institution	Year	Position
Bailey Byrd	UM-Dearborn	So.	F
Wes Smith	Cleary	Sr.	F
Avery Smith	Indiana Tech	Jr.	F
Ryan Stanley	UM-Dearborn	Fr.	D
Aidan Dufort	Indiana Tech	So.	D
Ty Barnhill	Indiana Tech	Sr.	G
Second Team All-Conference
Name	Institution	Year	Position
Malik Ali, Indiana Tech	Indiana Tech	Jr.	F
Brandon Rozema	Aquinas	Gr.	F
Drake Barnish	Lawrence Tech	So.	F
Charlie Ward	Lawrence Tech	Fr.	D
Wil Campbell	Indiana Tech	Jr.	D
Brett Tome	Lawrence Tech	So.	G
Player of the Year
Name	Institution	Year	Position
Bailey Byrd	UM-Dearborn	So.	F
Newcomer of the Year
Name	Institution	Year	Position
Drake Barnish	Lawrence Tech	So.	F
Coach of the Year
Scott Gardiner, Cleary