COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – St. Cloud State senior forward Nic Dowd and North Dakota junior defenseman Nick Mattson were both named to the Capital One Academic All-America Men’s At-Large Team Thursday, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Dowd was tabbed Second-Team Academic All-America, while Mattson collected Third-Team honors.

Dowd (Huntsville, Ala.) graduated with a 3.61 grade-point average while majoring in bio-medical science. The Huskies’ team captain was named NCHC Scholar-Athlete Year, while also garnering NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team and Academic All-Conference honors. On the ice, Dowd was a Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick finalist after scoring 22 goals to tie for seventh nationally, including five game-winners, while adding 18 assists for 40 points in 38 games. He was named First-Team West All-America, First-Team All-NCHC and NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year. The Los Angeles Kings prospect signed with the NHL club April 1 after helping SCSU win the inaugural NCHC regular-season title.

Mattson (Chanhassen, Minn.) boasts a 3.97 grade-point average while majoring in entrepreneurship. In April, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect received the NCAA Elite 89 Award for men’s ice hockey for having the highest grade-point average among NCAA Frozen Four participants, after helping UND win the NCAA Midwest Regional to advance to the Frozen Four. He was also named NCHC Academic All-Conference. On the ice, Mattson played in 40 games while tallying a career-best 23 points, which was fifth among NCHC defensemen. He scored four goals and added 19 assists, which led UND blue liners.

The Academic All-America At-Large Teams honor student-athletes in the sports of women’s bowling, women’s crew, men’s and women’s fencing, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s rifle, men’s and women’s skiing, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s water polo, and men’s wrestling.

Dowd and Mattson were two of just 45 student-athletes nationally to be recognized on the Capital One Academic All-America Men’s At-Large Teams, with 15 student-athletes on each of the three teams. Only six men’s ice hockey players were among the 45 student-athletes named to the Academic All-America At-Large Teams, with two hailing from the NCHC. The Academic All-America Teams were selected from student-athletes who were voted on the Academic All-District Teams in May.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Michael Weisman Director of Communications National Collegiate Hockey Conference