COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Ending 2022 on a strong note, three players from three different teams have been recognized as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Month for December. Denver junior defenseman Mike Benning is the NCHC Player of the Month for December, while Colorado College freshman netminder Kaidan Mbereko repeats as the Goaltender of the Month and Miami freshman forward John Waldron earns Rookie of the Month for the final month of 2022.

This is Benning’s second career NCHC Player of the Month honor, also earning it for March/April of last season. Benning is the second Pioneer to claim Player of the Month this season, along with sophomore forward Carter Mazur for October. Mbereko gloves his honor for the second straight month, also earning it for November, while this is Waldron’s first NCHC monthly award.

All three NCHC monthly honorees – Benning, Mbereko and Waldron – are now eligible for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) December National Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively. HCA national monthly honors are expected to be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
 
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Mike Benning, Denver
Junior Defenseman
St. Albert, Alta.
 
Benning had the most productive month of his college career in December, racking up a monthly career-best 10 points in only six games, while leading the Pioneers to a perfect 6-0-0 record. His 10 points and seven assists both led all NCHC skaters during the last month of 2022, while he had never previously totaled more than seven points in a single month while at DU. Along with his seven helpers, Benning also buried three goals, including two on the power play. The Florida Panthers draft pick registered at least a point in all six games (1.67 points per game), including four multi-point outings in December. In doing so, he stretched his point streak to a career-long seven games.
 
Benning opened December with three points in a sweep of Arizona State. In the opener on Dec. 2, he scored a goal and added an assist, while dishing out another helper in the series finale. The following weekend, Benning doled out three more assists in a pair of wins at Minnesota Duluth, including on the overtime game-winner in the series opener. He then wrapped up the month with a four-point weekend in a sweep of Lindenwood to earn NCHC Defenseman of the Week. In the series opener with the Lions on Dec. 16, Benning had two assists and was +3, tying the best plus/minus by a DU player this season. A night later, he potted two goals in a 5-4 win for his second multi-goal game of the season.
 
Benning finished December with a +5 plus/minus, fired 17 shots on goal and also blocked five shots. On the season, Benning now has 19 points (7g, 12a), which are fifth nationally among blue liners, while his seven goals tie for fourth among defensemen.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko continued his strong play in CC’s net, posting a 3-1-0 record in four December starts, before missing the Tigers’ final series while playing for the U.S. National Junior Team. He recorded shutouts in half of his starts last month, while ranking second in the NCHC in December with a .940 save percentage. His 31.25 saves per game were tops in the NCHC during the month, while his 125 total saves were second. Mbereko’s 2.00 goals-against average ranked third in the NCHC in December.
 
Mbereko began December with a 39-save shutout in a 3-0 victory at Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 2. He then made 22 saves in the series finale at UMD in a loss. A weekend later, the draft-eligible netminder compiled 64 saves to backstop CC to a home sweep of Omaha. After making 24 stops in a 6-4 win in the series opener, Mbereko tightened things up to make a career-high 40 saves in a 1-0, shutout win over the Mavericks.
 
On the season, Mbereko improved to 6-6-1, while his .927 save percentage on the year is second in the NCHC and ties for fourth nationally. His three whitewashes this season lead all NCHC netminders, while his 2.26 GAA is fourth in the conference.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
John Waldron, Miami
Freshman Forward
Batavia, Ill.
 
Entering December with only three goals and six points all season, Waldron erupted in the final month of 2022, more than doubling his season total with seven points and five goals in only four games. He led all NCHC rookies and tied for the NCHC lead, averaging 1.75 points per game in December. Waldron tallied at least a point in all four December games, with two multi-point contests. His five goals in the month ranked third in the NCHC and tops among rookies.
 
Waldron started his December by tallying his first collegiate hat trick on Dec. 9 against No. 4 St. Cloud State. It was the RedHawks’ first hat trick in nearly seven years, while all three goals came in the second period, tying the program record for goals in a period. A night later, Waldron added another goal and an assist in a 5-0 shutout, Miami’s first win over a top-five team since 2018. He earned NCHC Rookie of the Week for his efforts against SCSU. Waldron then pushed his goal-scoring streak to three games with a tally in a win over Niagara on Dec. 30. He also chipped in an assist to close the month against the Purple Eagles, stretching his point streak to a career-long four games.
 
Waldron finished +1 in December, while helping Miami post a 2-2-0 record. On the season, he now ranks second on the RedHawks with both eight goals and 13 points in 16 games.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Player of the Month
Chris Jandric, Gr., D, North Dakota
Jami Krannila, Sr., F, St. Cloud State
Hunter McKown, Jr., F, Colorado College
John Waldron, Fr., F, Miami
 
Goaltender of the Month
Drew DeRidder, 5^th, North Dakota
Simon Latkoczy, Fr., Omaha
 
Rookie of the Month
Jackson Blake, F, North Dakota
Adam Ingram, F, St. Cloud State
Ryan McAllister, F, Western Michigan
Aidan Thompson, F, Denver