Tony Granato
Wisconsin Badger men’s hockey coach Tony Granato was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Badgers to a second place finish in the league this season.
Granato’s Badgers are 19-14-1 entering the Big Ten Tournament in Detroit this week. That’s an 11-win improvement over last season, when the Badgers finished last in the conference.
Granato joins the late Bob Johnson, who was the WCHA’s Coach of the Year in 1977.
The Badgers also had three players named to the all-Big Ten second team, forwards Luke Kunin and Trent Frederic and defenseman Jake Linhart. Frederic was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Kunin leads the Badger in scoring with 21 goals and 36 points. Frederic is second with 15 goals and 33 points. Both are first-round NHL draft picks and Kunin served as the Badgers captain in this, his sophomore season.
Minnesota’s Tyler Sheehy, who shared Big Ten scoring honors this season, was named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year.