On Wednesday, the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced that Justen Close, the goaltender for the Golden Gopher men’s hockey team, has been named one of the nine semifinalists for the 2023 Mike Richter Award. The award, which recognizes the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey, has been given out annually since 2014. Close was selected as a semifinalist by a panel of voters from across the hockey community, who narrowed down the Watch List of 41 student-athletes to just nine.
Close has been a standout performer in the Big Ten Conference, where he leads with a 2.09 goals against average, and has five shutouts. He ranks 11th in the NCAA. His .923 save percentage sits second in the league and 13th in the country. Close’s composed and confident play has helped Minnesota to the top of the conference standings and the No. 1 spot in the PairWise rankings. In just 45 career starts, he has recorded eight shutouts, five of which have come this year, and he sits with the 10th-most shutouts in program history.
In early March, three finalists will be announced for the Mike Richter Award, and the winner will be revealed in April during the NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa. Close will be hoping to make the final cut as he continues to showcase his remarkable skills.
Semifinalists for the 2023 Mike Richter Award
Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame (Big Ten)
SR – Medina, MN
Magnus Chrona, Denver (NCHC)
SR – Stockholm, Sweden
Justen Close, Minnesota (Big Ten)
SR – Kindersley, SK
Jakub Dobeš, Ohio State (Big Ten)
SO – Ostrava, Czech Republic
Mitchell Gibson, Harvard (ECAC Hockey)
SR – Phoenixville, PA
Devon Levi, Northeastern (Hockey East)
JR – Dollard des Ormeaux, PQ
Victor Ostman, Maine (Hockey East)
JR – Danderyd, Sweden
Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac (ECAC Hockey)
SO – Dollard des Ormeaux, PQ
Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech (CCHA)
SR – Howell, MI
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