NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Picked to finish fourth in the preseason College Hockey America coaches’ poll, the Niagara University men’s hockey team (19-14-1, 13-6-1) surprised everybody this year with its first-place performance in the regular season. Due to the stellar year, the Purple Eagles earned honors ranging from the coaching staff, to the newcomers and all the up to the senior class at the 2005-06 CHA postseason awards banquet Thursday.

Representing the Purple Eagles, head coach Dave Burkholder was selected as the CHA Coach of the Year, senior goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten (Stratford, Ont.) was tabbed as CHA Co-Player of the Year and freshmen Ted Cook (Hogansburg, N.Y.) and Les Reaney (Ceylon, Sask.) share the CHA Rookie the Year accolade. Cook and Reaney become the only freshmen in Niagara history to be honored with the Rookie of the Year award.

Also picking up postseason awards, junior Sean Bentivoglio (Thorold, Ont.) made the All-CHA first team and was Niagara’s representative for the EASTON Three Star Award. Meanwhile, Van Nynatten was selected to the second team, as was Cook and Reaney. The freshmen duo added a couple more honors by being named to the CHA All-Rookie Team as well.

In his fifth season as the leader behind the Niagara bench, Burkholder put together a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare for the grueling last few weeks of the CHA campaign. Playing the likes of Clarkson, Vermont, Cornell, New Hampshire and Minnesota, he was able to groom his young team into a CHA contender and finished the regular season by winning six of the last seven games. By winning Niagara’s second-ever Peters Cup, Burkholder became the second coach in program history to claim the CHA’s Coach of the Year (Blaise MacDonald in 1999-00).

Overall, Burkholder has a career record of 87-82-12, and is 55-35-9 in conference action. Earlier this year, he became only the third coach to win at least 50 CHA games. Burkholder began his coaching career as an assistant when Niagara started up the hockey program for the 1996-97 season.

Van Nynatten shares the CHA Player of the Year award with Alabama-Huntsville’s goaltender Scott Munroe. Van Nynatten is completing his final year in a Purple Eagle sweater and has always been one of the most dominate CHA netminders year in and year out. With a career record of 53-39-8, he holds the CHA record for victories, while also ranking first in minutes played (6119:44). Van Nynatten set the single-game CHA record when he made 59 saves against Minnesota Jan. 7, 2006, and broke Niagara’s all-time and single-season mark this year in saves. He currently has turned aside 2,901 shots in four seasons, while making 1,021 saves in 2005-06. In CHA-only games, Van Nynatten is 37-15-5 with a 2.77 goals-against average.

Reaney and Cook have virtually been one-two in the conference point race all season long, with Reaney holding a slight one-point edge heading into the CHA Tournament. The centerman has set the CHA and Niagara rookie records for assists with 26, and continues to shatter the conference point record by a rookie with 39. Reaney has 13 goals on the year as well and was named CHA Rookie of the Week four times.

Cook concluded the regular season with 19-19--38 totals to become the new record-holder in goals by a rookie. He has smashed the rookie record for power-play goals in a season (10), which ranks third on Niagara’s overall list, and has three CHA Rookie of the Week accolades to his credit.

Bentivoglio follows in a close third to Reaney and Cook in scoring, but is tied for first with the duo in point production in CHA-only contests with 28 each. For the year, Bentivoglio has 15-21--36 totals and his five game-winners rank in a tie for second on the Purple Eagles’ single-season list. He was named CHA Offensive Player of the Week twice in 2005-06.

The Purple Eagles hold the No. 1 seed for the CHA Tournament. After receiving a first-round bye, they will take on the winner of No. 4 Robert Morris and No. 5 Air Force in the semifinals Saturday at 3:35 p.m.

F-Luke Erickson, Bemidji State

F-Bruce Mulherin, Alabama-Huntsville

D-Jeremy Schreiber, Alabama-Huntsville

D-Andrew Martens, Bemidji State

G-Scott Munroe, Alabama-Huntsville

F-Eric Ehn, Air Force

D-Steve Kovalchik, Wayne State

D-Michael Mayra, Air Force

F-Chris Margott, Robert Morris

F-Tyler Scofield, Bemidji State

D-Michael Mayra, Air Force

D-Cody Bostock, Bemidji State

Alabama-Huntsville-Bruce Mulherin

Bemidji State-Luke Erickson

Robert Morris-Christian Boucher

Air Force-Josh Schaffer

Wayne State-Derek Bachynski

Bruce Mulherin, Alabama-Huntsville

Brooks Turnquist, Air Force

Scott Munroe, Alabama-Huntsville