ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following a four-goal, five-point opening weekend Penn State junior defenseman Cole Hults (Stoughton, Wis.) has been named the Big Ten's Third Star of the Week as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning.
This marks the first time in his career Hults has earned weekly recognition. Earlier this preseason, the junior was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team after earning honorable mention status at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season.
On Friday night, Hults became the eighth Nittany Lion and first defenseman in program history to register a hat-trick. That feat was also the first time a Big Ten defenseman netted a hat-trick since Minnesota's Michael Brodzinski tipped the hat against Wisconsin on January 23, 2016.
Hults is currently tied for the Big Ten lead and ranks second in the nation with his four goals. He is also just one of two conference blue-liners to have multiple goals early in the season, Wisconsin's K'Andre Miller has a pair.
The junior's five points are tied for the top spot in the nation among defenseman joining Arizona State's Brinson Pasichnuk and rank tied for 11th out of all players in the country through the first two weekends of play.
Following his strong weekend, Hults has moved into fifth on the Penn State all-time points list for defenseman with 53 for his career while his 13 goals are now the fourth most all-time for a Nittany Lion blue-liner.
Penn State continues its 2019-20 season on Thursday and Friday when they welcome the University of Alaska-Fairbanks to Pegula Ice Arena for a pair of 7 p.m. contests.
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