COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After backstopping the Fighting Hawks to the Penrose Cup, North Dakota freshman Jan Špunar has been selected the 2025-26 NCHC Goaltender of the Year, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced on Thursday.
 
Špunar becomes the first freshman to win the award in the conference’s 13-year history. The native of Olomouc, Czechia is the third North Dakota netminder to capture NCHC Goaltender of the Year honors, joining Zane McIntyre in 2014-15 and most recently Adam Scheel in 2020-21.
 
In 17 conference games this year, Špunar posted a 12-3-1 record with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.  He ranked second in goals-against in NCHC action and fourth in save percentage. The freshman was the only NCHC goalie with two shutouts in conference play this season.
 
Špunar finished the regular season with a record of 16-3-1 in 21 starts. He led the NCHC among qualifying goaltenders (33 percent of a team’s minutes) and ranked fourth nationally with a 1.93 GAA at the end of the regular season. The Czech also led all NCHC goalies with both a .917 save percentage and four shutouts during the regular season.
 
Špunar was tabbed First-Team All-NCHC on Tuesday and to the NCHC All-Rookie Team a day earlier, while he’s also a finalist for NCHC Rookie of the Year, which will be announced next Tuesday. He picked up one nod as NCHC Rookie of the Week during the year and was chosen NCHC Rookie of the Month for December. Špunar is also the lone netminder from the National named a 2026 Mike Richter Award Semifinalist.
 
Špunar is set to backstop No. 2 North Dakota against No. 8 Minnesota Duluth in a Frozen Faceoff Semifinal on Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena. The game can be seen on NCHC.tv, Midco Sports and My9 Sports.
 
Western Michigan sophomore Hampton Slukynsky was the runner-up for NCHC Goaltender of the Year in 2025-26. He garnered Second-Team All-NCHC honors on Tuesday. NCHC Goaltender of the Year and all playing awards are voted on by each of the NCHC’s nine head coaches and one media member covering each of the NCHC’s nine programs (18 voters total).
 
On Friday, the NCHC’s two defenseman awards will be doled out – Offensive Defenseman of the Year and Defensive Defenseman of the Year. Monday will see the Conference’s two forward awards announced with Forward of the Year and Defensive Forward of the Year winners. Individual NCHC award winners will continue to be revealed through Thursday, March 19.
 
2025-26 NCHC Individual Award Winners announced so far:

• Media Excellence Award - Matt Wellens, Duluth News Tribune
• Three Stars Award – Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
• Sportsmanship Award – Blake Mesenburg, Miami
• Goaltender of the Year - Jan Špunar, North Dakota