Men's Hockey Trio Nominated For Hobey Baker AwardMen's Hockey Trio Nominated For Hobey Baker Award

Men's Hockey Trio Nominated For Hobey Baker Award

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Freshmen classmates Josh Fleming (Montreal, Quebec) and Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, Yukon) along with junior Matt DiMarsico (Wexford, Pa.) have each been named as initial nominees for the 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as announced on Wednesday afternoon. The award is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey.

Last year, then-sophomore Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alberta) became the first-ever Nittany Lion to be named a Top-10 Finalist for the Award. Junior defenseman Mac Gadowsky (State College, Pa.) was also a 2025 Top-10 Finalist while a member of Army West Point last season.

The Vote for Hobey Phase I fan balloting process begins today and runs through March 8 and is transitioning from the traditional web-only voting format to a streamlined text-based voting system this year.

Fans can cast their vote by going to the voting website hobeybaker.com/vote. Fans can find their favorite player, then text to vote by following the instructions. Fans can select from this year’s outstanding crop of 87 college hockey players representing 48 NCAA Division I schools.

The Top-10 Finalists will be announced on March 18 with the Hobey Hat-Trick announcement coming April 2 and the winner being announced at the Frozen Four in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 10.

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Fleming, who was named to the Richter Award “Watch List” last week, currently leads the nation with a .943 save percentage while his 1.82 goals-against average is good for second in the Big Ten and fifth nationally. Fleming is 7-3-0 on the year, including a 6-0-0 mark at home, while splitting time with sophomore Kevin Reidler (Gavle, Sweden) as the pair has combined for a .921 combined save percentage, a mark tied for second in the Big Ten and fifth in the nation.

Fleming has a pair of shutouts on the season which includes Penn State’s first-ever shutout against Minnesota two weeks ago. He is now just the sixth Nittany Lion netminder to record multiple shutouts in a single-season all-time.

The Montreal, Quebec native has allowed just two goals in three games since the start of the semester posting a 0.67 goals-against average and a .978 save percentage over that span.  

McKenna, this week’s B1G Third Star of the Week, has 24 points in 20 games this season to rank second in the Big Ten and tied for fifth in the nation in freshmen scoring while his 18 assists lead all Big Ten rookies and are good for third nationally.

McKenna is coming off his first multi-goal game of the season and a career-high three points last Saturday against Notre Dame and has registered at least one point in six of his last seven games including a current three-game point streak.

The rookie has 14 points in 12 Big Ten games this season to lead the team and rank sixth in conference only scoring.

DiMarsico, the reigning B1G First Star of the Week is coming off his third hat-trick of the season and a four-goal weekend against Notre Dame to move into the team lead in both goals (14) and points (26) with his goal total ranking tied for second in the Big Ten and eighth nationally.

The junior is the first Nittany Lion to register multiple hat-tricks in a season as Penn State now has five on the year and 20 overall.

Penn State hits the road this weekend with a trip to Madison to battle the fifth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers in a Big Ten series on Friday and Saturday evening.

For more information on the 2025-26 season, visit the men's hockey ticket page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.