GRAND FORKS — Jake Livanavage joined an exclusive club Tuesday.
The junior defenseman became just the second UND player to earn first-team all-National Collegiate Hockey Conference honors multiple times Tuesday when the league revealed its all-conference teams.
Livanavage also was a first-team all-league pick last season.
The only other UND player to earn multiple first-team all-NCHC honors since the league began in 2013-14 was Jordan Kawaguchi, who did it in his junior and senior seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Livanavage also is a finalist for the NCHC’s Offensive Defenseman of the Year and Defensive Defenseman of the Year. The winner of those awards will be announced Friday.
“When we recruited Jake, we had him slated as an offensive guy,” UND coach Dane Jackson said. “He’s an elite skater, an elite puck-mover. I think his first year, we did have to protect him a little bit. We kind of watched our matchups with him. But he’s just grown. His skating is so good. He defends a little like Troy Stecher would.
“He beats guys to spots and even though he’s physically disadvantaged at times, he’s really smart and he knows how to keep body positioning on guys. He’s really grown in that part of his game to be a good defender. He penalty kills. He plays against other teams’ top lines. It’s pretty rare you see a guy who has so much offensive ability but really takes pride and is very good at defending as well.”
Only one player in league history has been a three-time first-team pick — Minnesota Duluth’s Scott Perunovich.
Other players who have been selected twice are Denver defenseman Zeev Buium, Western Michigan defenseman Ronnie Attard, Denver defenseman Will Butcher, Denver forward Jack Devine, Denver goaltender Tanner Jaillet, Denver defenseman Joey LaLeggia and Minnesota Duluth goaltender Hunter Shepard.
Livanavage was joined on the first team by UND teammate and goaltender Jan Špunar, forward Max Plante of Minnesota Duluth, forward Tyson Gross of St. Cloud State, Cruz Lucius of Arizona State and defenseman Eric Pohlkamp of Denver.
Špunar’s selection means he also will be the NCHC’s Goaltender of the Year.
The all-conference teams are selected by votes from media members and the league’s head coaches.
Livanavage has five goals and 25 points in 35 games this season, while leading the Fighting Hawks in ice time.
UND had two members of the all-NCHC second team in senior forward Ben Strinden and junior defenseman Abram Wiebe.
Strinden has 15 goals and 33 points in 34 overall games. In conference games, the Fargo product tallied 11 goals and 26 points in 24 games, finishing just three points shy of winning the NCHC scoring title.
Wiebe has five goals and 27 points in 35 games this season. In conference games, he has 19 points in 24 games.
Fighting Hawks senior center Ellis Rickwood made the third team.
Rickwood, a transfer from Clarkson, is UND’s leading overall scorer with 34 points in 31 games. In conference play, he tallied 21 points in 21 games.
2025-26 all-NCHC teams
First team
F — Max Plante, Minn. Duluth
F — Tyson Gross, SCSU
F — Cruz Lucius, ASU
D — Jake Livanavage, NoDak
D — Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
G — Jan Špunar, NoDak
Second team
F — Bennett Schimek, ASU
F — Ben Strinden, NoDak
F — Austin Burnevik, SCSU
D — Abram Wiebe, NoDak
D — Ty Hanson, Minn. Duluth
G — Hampton Slukynsky, WMU
Third team
F — Zam Plante, Minn. Duluth
F — Grant Slukynsky, WMU
F — Ellis Rickwood, NoDak
D — Boston Buckberger, Denver
D — Samuel Sjolund, WMU
G — Matteo Drobac, Miami
By
Brad Elliott Schlossman
Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at [email protected].
