COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the calendar now turned to February, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its January Players of the Month on Tuesday, with three different teams represented:

• Player – Ryan Kirwan, Arizona State, Sr., forward
• Goaltender – Simon Latkoczy, Omaha, Jr.
• Rookie – Klayton Knapp, Minnesota Duluth, goaltender

These are the first career NCHC monthly awards for both Kirwan and Knapp, with Kirwan snagging Arizona State’s first-ever NCHC monthly honor. Latkoczy gloved his first Goaltender of the Month honor this season and the second of his career, also earning it in January of 2023.
 
All three NCHC monthly honorees – Kirwan, Latkoczy and Knapp – are now eligible for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) January National Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively. HCA national monthly honors for January will be announced on Thursday.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Ryan Kirwan, Arizona State
Senior Forward
DeWitt, N.Y.
 
Kirwan was dominant in January, tying for the NCAA lead with 11 goals during the month. He tallied 17 points in nine games to start 2025, ranking second in the NCHC and third in the NCAA in January scoring. Kirwan recorded at least a point in eight of his nine January games, with five multi-point games, including a trio of three-point games. The Penn State transfer also scored a goal in six of his nine games, including four multi-goal games. He averaged 1.89 points per game in January, which was third in the NCHC, while his four power play goals led the league last month.
 
Kirwan opened January by being named MVP of the Desert Hockey Classic after leading ASU to the title with a four-goal, five-point weekend. That included a hat trick against Robert Morris on Jan. 3, which helped him earn the first of two NCHC Forward of the Week nods during the month. Kirwan helped the Sun Devils to a sweep at St. Cloud State on Jan. 17-18 with a three-goal, four-point weekend, including three points in the series opener and the game-winning goal in the finale. The Hobey Baker Award nominee picked up his second Forward of the Week award after five points against Colorado College, including a career-high-tying four points on Jan. 25 in a 5-4 loss. Kirwan stretched his point streak to five games with two power play goals on Jan. 31 in a win at Miami to close out the month.
 
Kirwan finished the month with a +9 plus/minus, which tied for third in the NCHC, and fired 35 shots on goal, which was second in the conference in January. His 31.4 shooting percentage was also second in the NCHC. Kirwan now leads the NCHC with 18 goals this season, while his 28 points tie for fourth in the conference.

GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha
Junior Goaltender
Trencin, Slovakia
 
Latkoczy was a rock in net for the Mavericks in January, posting a 5-1-1 record in his seven starts, while helping Omaha earn seven wins in January for the first time in program history. The five goalie wins tied for first in the NCHC and fourth nationally. Latkoczy led the NCHC with a .943 save percentage during the month, while also leading the conference with 233 total saves and 33.29 saves per game. The 233 stops were also fourth nationally last month. The Slovak’s 1.99 goals-against average was third in the NCHC in January.
 
Latkoczy did not allow more than three goals in any game during the month, while surrendering just one goal three times. He topped the 30-save mark five times in January, including 42 saves in a 5-2 win over Colorado College on Jan. 10. He made 33 more saves the next night in a 3-1 win to earn NCHC Goalie of the Week honors. Latkoczy picked up his second Goaltender of the Week nod in January after backstopping Omaha to a sweep of St. Cloud State on Jan. 24-25. He totaled 69 saves in the series, including 38 in the finale – a 3-1 victory. Latkoczy then closed out January with a historic performance, turning aside 39 shots in a 3-3 overtime tie at then-No. 5 Denver, before winning the longest shootout in NCHC history as he denied the Pioneers 13 times on 16 shootout attempts.
 
On the season, Latkoczy improved to 11-10-1 in 22 starts this year. His .927 save percentage this season ranks fourth in the NCHC, while his 2.51 GAA sits ninth. He now has 41 career wins in net, becoming only the fourth goaltender in Omaha history to earn at least 40 career wins. Latkoczy was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List in January and named a nominee for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award.

ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Klayton Knapp, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Goaltender
Waterville, Ohio
 
Knapp started all eight games in net for the Bulldogs in January, posting a 4-3-1 record. He compiled a .925 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average last month, both of which ranked fourth among all NCHC netminders in January. His 196 total saves in the month were second in the conference, while his 447:06 minutes in net were an NCHC high in January.
 
Knapp started the month with 34 saves in a 2-2 tie against Alaska on Jan. 3. He recorded his first collegiate shutout the following Friday against St. Cloud State, stopping all 28 shots he faced in a 2-0 win. It was one of only three whitewashes all month in the NCHC. Knapp then made 20 more saves the next night on Jan. 11 in a 5-2 win to earn his first NCHC Rookie of the Week honor. After notching a 27-save win at Colorado College on Jan. 18, Knapp made a career-high 42 saves in a 4-3 win over then-No. 5 Denver on Jan. 24. He finished the month with 28 saves in a tough, 2-1 loss to DU in the series finale, as he picked up his second NCHC Rookie of the Week nod.
 
Knapp has now appeared in 12 games this season, going 5-4-1 in 10 starts. He carries a 2.36 GAA on the year, which ranks fifth in the NCHC, while his .915 save percentage is eighth in the conference. Like Latkoczy, Knapp was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List in January.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Player of the Month
Alex Bump, Western Michigan, So., F
Sam Stange, Omaha, Gr., F
 
Goaltender of the Month
Matt Davis, Denver, Sr.
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr.
 
Rookie of the Month
Owen Beckner, Colorado College, forward
Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan, defenseman