COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) leads all men’s hockey conferences with eight (8) goaltenders who were named to the 2025 Mike Richter Award Watch List, which was announced by the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) on Wednesday. The Mike Richter Award has been presented annually to the top goaltender in men’s NCAA Division I hockey since 2014.
 
A total of 35 netminders were named to the 2025 Watch List from six conferences, plus one independent program. Seven NCHC teams placed a goaltender on the Watch List, including two from Western Michigan. No other conference placed more than six goalies on the list. The eight NCHC netminders on this year’s Mike Richter Award Watch List are:

• Matt Davis, Denver, Sr. (Calgary, Alberta)
• Gibson Homer, Arizona State, Jr. (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
• Klayton Knapp, Minnesota Duluth, Fr. (Waterville, Ohio)
• Simon Latkoczy, Omaha, Jr. (Trencin, Slovakia)
• Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College, Jr. (Aspen, Colo.)
• Isak Posch, St. Cloud State, So. (Umea, Sweden)
• Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr. (Wilmette, Ill.)
• Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, Fr. (Warroad, Minn.)

Western Michigan is one of only three teams with two goaltenders on the Watch List, along with Minnesota and Quinnipiac. Among NCHC goalies on the Watch List, three are juniors, two are freshmen and one each is a graduate student, senior and sophomore. The octet of NCHC tendies on the Richter Award Watch List hail from four different countries (Canada, Slovakia, Sweden and United States) and five different U.S. states (Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio).
 
The 35 overall goalies on the Watch List come from the United States (16), Canada (12), Sweden (3), Slovakia (2) and one each from Czechia and Hungary. Of the U.S. goalies, Michigan leads the way with four, followed by three from Florida and two each from Illinois and New York. There are five freshmen, 12 sophomores, 11 juniors, five seniors and two graduate students among those recognized.
 
To qualify for the Mike Richter Award Watch List, goalies had to either compile a 2.30 goals-against average or lower, or a .920 save percentage or higher. Other names may be added for consideration before the first formal vote.
 
Davis has posted a 16-5-0 record in net for the Pioneers in 21 starts, while logging a .923 save percentage and 1.95 GAA, both of which rank in the top six in the NCHC. The senior has twice been named NCHC Goaltender of the Week this season and has one shutout.
 
Homer has split time in goal for the Sun Devils, starting eight games with a 4-3-1 record. The junior carries a 1.88 GAA and .932 save percentage, both of which rank fourth in the NCHC, while he is tied for the NCHC lead with two shutouts. Homer’s .932 save percentage ties for eighth nationally, as well.
 
Knapp has come on hot of late, starting the last five games for UMD and earning NCHC Rookie of the Week this past Monday. The freshman has played in eight games overall with six starts, posting a 3-2-1 record in net. Knapp has recorded a 2.08 GAA and .915 save percentage so far with the Bulldogs, while logging one clean sheet.
 
Latkoczy has started 17 games in goal for Omaha this year with an 8-9-0 record. The junior leads the NCHC with 523 saves this season, compiling a .932 save percentage, which is third in the NCHC and tied for eighth nationally. Latkoczy also has a 2.32 GAA with one whitewash. The Slovak has twice been named Goalie of the Week this season in the conference and was selected Most Outstanding Player of the Ice Breaker Tournament in October.
 
Mbereko, who was a finalist for the Richter Award last year, has started 19 of 20 games for the Tigers, going 10-8-1 in net. The junior has compiled a 2.26 GAA and .915 save percentage with a pair of shutouts, which ties for the NCHC lead. Mbereko was the NCHC and HCA National Goalie of the Month for November and has twice been tabbed NCHC Goaltender of the Week this season.
 
Posch started the season on fire, earning NCHC Goaltender of the Month for October and is the lone three-time NCHC Goalie of the Week in 2024-25. The Swede started 13 games, posting a 9-4-0 record, before an injury sidelined him in early December. Posch leads the NCHC with a 1.68 GAA, which ranks fourth nationally, and is second in the NCHC with a .938 save percentage, which ties for fifth in the country. The sophomore is tied for the NCHC lead with two whitewashes, as well.
 
Perhaps the best goalie tandem in the country, Rowe and Slukynsky have shared the Western Michigan net this season with Rowe going 10-1-0 in 11 starts and Slukynsky compiling a 3-3-1 mark in seven starts. Rowe ranks second in the NCHC and eighth in the NCAA with a 1.82 GAA, while his .931 save percentage is fifth in the conference. Slukynsky, who recently won a gold medal with the U.S. National Junior Team, tops the NCHC with a .941 save percentage, which is fourth in the NCAA. The L.A. Kings draft pick is also third in the NCHC and 10th nationally with a 1.84 GAA. Rowe has twice been tabbed NCHC Goalie of the Week this season, while Slukynsky is a two-time NCHC Rookie of the Week.
 
A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, scouts and media — will pare the list down to approximately a dozen semifinalists within the next three weeks and then ultimately vote for a winner from three finalists, who will be announced in April during the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four.
 
The NCHC is home to two previous Mike Richter Award winners. Former North Dakota goalie Zane McIntyre was the first from the NCHC to win it in 2015, while Denver’s Tanner Jaillet gloved the Richter Award in 2017. The Mike Richter Award has been presented to men’s college hockey’s top goaltender since 2014.