The NCHC Media Excellence Award is presented annually to a media member who meets the following criteria: The award recipient must display outstanding media coverage that conveys the stories of the NCHC and its members, furthers the conference's brand and mission, and promotes the NCHC and its members in a positive manner. The award should be presented to a media member who is well-regarded within the conference and college hockey as a whole, and who dedicates at least some of their time to covering the sport. Special consideration may also be given to media members who have covered the conference and/or a member team for many years, or to a media member who has been bestowed with industry awards from other entities in that given year. The Media Excellence Award is voted on by the conference’s sports information directors (SIDs). The award was first established for the 2017-18 season.
2025 WINNER: TIM HENNESSY, NORTH DAKOTA RADIO
Tim Hennessy, the long-time radio play-by-play broadcaster for North Dakota Hockey, earned the eighth annual NCHC Media Excellence Award. Hennessy has served as the voice of North Dakota hockey for 45 years and is one of the two longest-tenured broadcasters in Division I college hockey. He has been on the call for six of UND’s eight national championships, 16 Frozen Fours, 29 NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 conference tournament titles.
Hennessy has worked with five different North Dakota head coaches and covered the current UND coaching staff as both coaches and players. Hennessy is a two-time North Dakota Sportscaster of the Year, including this year, and has won multiple regional Emmys for his voiceover work.
Tim Hennessy (left) receives his 2025 NCHC Media Excellence Award from NCHC Associate Commissioner Michael Weisman (right).
2024 WINNER: TERRY LEAHY, OMAHA MAVERICKS RADIO
Terry Leahy, the long-time color analyst for the Omaha Mavericks Radio Network, earned the seventh annual NCHC Media Excellence Award in 2024. Leahy has been a constant presence with Omaha hockey since the program’s inception in 1997. He is the only radio color commentator in the history of the program and in November of 2023, he called his 1,000th game for the Mavericks.
During his 27-year tenure, Leahy has been an enthusiastic and well-informed voice on the Omaha airwaves, and remarkably, has missed only four games during his time covering the Mavericks. His voice can also be heard on all home Omaha NCHC.tv broadcasts. Leahy was recognized by the Omaha Hockey Hall of Fame with the Motto McLean Service to Hockey Award in 2017.
Terry Leahy (left) receives his 2024 NCHC Media Excellence Award from NCHC Associate Commissioner Michael Weisman (right).
2023 WINNER: SHIREEN SASKI, CBS SPORTS NETWORK
Shireen Saski of CBS Sports Network earned the sixth annual NCHC Media Excellence Award in 2023. Saski has covered the NCHC for all 10 of its seasons to-date, serving as a rink-side reporter for CBS Sports Network. Her interviews with players and coaches have helped introduce television audiences to the exceptional people who make the NCHC the best conference in college hockey. She even continued to contribute to the broadcasts during the pandemic, working from a makeshift studio in her home.
A regular at NCHC Media Day interviewing players and coaches in preperation for the season, Saski also has scripted and hosted the annual NCHC Awards Celebration prior to the Frozen Faceoff each year. She has earned three Emmy Awards in her 25-year career, all for her coverage of college hockey.
Shireen Saski (left) receives her 2023 NCHC Media Excellence Award from NCHC Associate Commissioner Michael Weisman (right).
2022 WINNER: ALEX HEINERT, MIDCO SPORTS/CBS SPORTS NETWORK
Alex Heinert of Midco Sports and CBS Sports Network earned the fifth annual NCHC Media Excellence Award. Heinert has been the long-time television voice of North Dakota hockey, bringing great knowledge of the game and boundless enthusiasm to each broadcast. He played a prominent role in coverage of the NCHC Pod in Omaha during the 2020-21 season for Midco Sports and NCHC.tv, calling nearly 20 games over three weeks in December of 2020.
During the 2021-22 campaign, Heinert transitioned into the role of lead play-by-play voice for NCHC hockey on CBS Sports Network, bringing valuable experience and awareness of the NCHC to the national broadcasts. In addition, Heinert served as a co-host for the 2022 NCHC Awards Celebration in Saint Paul, Minn., where he was presented his award.
Alex Heinert (left) receives his 2022 NCHC Media Excellence Award from NCHC Associate Commissioner Michael Weisman (right).
2021 WINNER: BEN HOLDEN, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER/CBS SPORTS NETWORK
Ben Holden (middle) was presented his 2021 NCHC Media Excellence Award
by NCHC Director of Communications Michael Weisman (left)
and NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton (right).
Ben Holden was behind the microphone for the NCHC’s first conference game on Oct. 18, 2013 and served as the lead play-by-play announcer for NCHC games on CBS Sports Network in the Conference’s first seven seasons. The Holt, Mich. native was on the call for the first six Frozen Faceoffs, and was the most recognizable voice associated with the NCHC since its inaugural season.
In 2020-21, Holden worked more than 20 conference games at the NCHC Pod in Omaha, Neb. in December as a play-by-play announcer for Midco Sports Network and NCHC.tv. His passion for and promotion of the NCHC pinnacled with him sacrificing three weeks during a pandemic to help entertain and inform NCHC fans.
In addition to his announcing duties, Holden has emceed all six of the NCHC’s annual Awards Celebrations in Minneapolis and St. Paul (2014-19). He has also attended numerous pre-season NCHC Media Days in the Twin Cities to conduct interviews with coaches and student-athletes for CBS Sports Network. Lastly, Holden has lent his voice for various NCHC promotions and commercials used on both radio and television over the conference’s first eight seasons.
2020 WINNER: DAVE STARMAN, CBS SPORTS NETWORK
Dave Starman (left) has become synonymous with the NCHC, as the CBS Sports Network color analyst has been a stalwart on NCHC broadcasts since the conference began play. Starman was on the call for the NCHC’s first ever conference game, which aired on CBS Sports Network from Oxford, Ohio on Oct. 18, 2013. A fan favorite and passionate advocate for the NCHC, Starman puts in hours of work during the week watching and analyzing games and preparing for broadcasts. Once on site, he interviews several players and coaches to complement his already vast knowledge. In addition, he has attended several NCHC Media Days, conducting interviews and gathering background information for the season.
Starman has been broadcasting college hockey games for a total of 16 seasons, dating back to CSTV (precursor to CBS Sports Network) in 2003-04, while also serving as a scout in the NHL for multiple teams over the years. Starman, along with play-by-play announcer Ben Holden (on right in photo) and rinkside reporter Shireen Saski, make up one of, if not the best, hockey-announcing teams on television.
2019 WINNER: MICK HATTEN, FORUM COMMUNICATIONS
2019 Media Excellence Award winner Mick Hatten of Forum Communications.
Mick Hatten worked for the St. Cloud Times for 19 seasons, mostly covering the St. Cloud State Huskies hockey team as their beat reporter, while also serving as sports editor and coordinating all St. Cloud State athletics coverage. Prior to the start of the season, Hatten took a new job as sports editor for Forum Communications, leading its emphasis on high school and college hockey and expanding offerings to audiences across Minnesota and North Dakota. As part of that, Hatten has been heavily involved in developing TheRinkLive.com, which combines written and multimedia features covering college hockey across the upper Midwest. Hatten has won numerous sports journalism awards and written two e-books on SCSU hockey, as well.
2018 WINNER: BRAD SCHLOSSMAN, GRAND FORKS HERALD
2018 Media Excellence Award is accepted by
UND Head Coach Brad Berry in Schlossman's absence.
Brad Schlossman is the beat writer for North Dakota, having covered college hockey for the Herald for the last 13 years. In 2016, he was named the top beat writer in the country by the Associated Press Sports Editors. Schlossman has voted in the national college hockey poll since 2007 and has served as a member of the Hobey Baker and Patty Kazmaier Award committees, as well.