West Mifflin native Logan Cooley named finalist for Hobey Baker Memorial Award

University of Minnesota forward Logan Cooley, a native of West Mifflin, has been named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, an honor that recognizes the top men’s player in college hockey.

A total of 10 finalists were announced by the award’s committee on Wednesday. All 61 NCAA Division I men’s head coaches plus online fan balloting are tabulated in determining finalists.

Another round of voting between a 30-member selection committee composed of coaches, supervisors of officials, media, NHL scouts and more fan balloting between Friday and March 26 will determine the final three finalists.

The winner will be announced April 7.

Cooley, a freshman, has appeared in 34 games this season and is fourth in the country with 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists).

This past July, Cooley was selected third overall in the NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. That was the highest a player from Western Pennsylvania has ever been selected in the NHL Draft. He is an alumnus of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth program.

Other finalists for the award include:

• Adam Fantilli, freshman forward - Michigan

• Sean Farrell, junior forward - Harvard

• Collin Graf, sophomore forward - Quinnipiac

• Lane Hutson, freshman defenseman - Boston University

• Matthew Knies, sophomore forward - Minnesota

• Devon Levi, junior goaltender - Northeastern

• Yaniv Perets, sophomore goaltender - Quinnipiac

• Blake Pietila, senior goaltender - Michigan Tech

• Jason Polin, senior forward - Western Michigan

Bowling Green sophomore forward Austen Swankler, a native of North Huntingdon, was not named a finalist despite finishing third in the fan voting with 5.78% of the ballot.

In 35 games this season, Swankler is 11th in the country with 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists).