COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced two Arizona State hockey players to the All-Conference teams for the 2025-26 season on Tuesday. Senior forward Cruz Lucius garnered First-Team All-NCHC honors and senior forward Bennett Schimek received a Second-Team All-NCHC nod.
The Sun Devils are one of four schools to have multiple forwards represented on the All-NCHC Team. North Dakota, St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth join Arizona State with two forwards apiece. Western Michigan has one forward recognized on the All-NCHC Team.
Lucius, a native of Grant, Minnesota, is a finalist for NCHC forward of the year and finished third in conference play with 27 points (1.13 points per game) and led the league with 20 assists. His seven goals in NCHC play ranked second on the team. Overall, the Pittsburgh Penguins draftee has 46 points in 36 games, averaging 1.28 points per game, which ranked second in the conference. Additionally, his 46 points were the second most in a season in program history as he tied the league lead with 31 assists.
Lucius earned NCHC Forward of the Week honors following a seven-point weekend in a split against Omaha, including becoming the fourth Sun Devil to tally five points in a game with a goal and four assists on Feb. 21. Lucius was named as a finalist for NCHC Forward of the Year on March 4.
Schimek, a native of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, led the NCHC with 29 points in conference play (1.26 points per game) while scoring 10 goals, which led the team, ranked seventh in the NCHC. Schimek was tied for second in the conference with 19 assists in 23 league games. Overall, the co-captain tallied 43 points in 35 games, which ranked fourth among forwards in the conference and totalled 30 assists on the year, which was tied for third in the conference.
Schimek earned two NCHC Forward of the Week honors during the season for a five-point game in a 6-3 win at then-No. 5 Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 16, 2025 and a five-point weekend at Colorado College on Jan. 30-31. The senior was tabbed as NCHC December Forward of the Month.
The All-Conference Teams were voted on by the NCHC’s nine head coaches and one media member covering each team (18 voters total). Coaches and media voted for nine forwards, six defensemen and three goaltenders, awarding first-team, second-team and third-team votes for six players (three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender) for each team. A first-team vote was worth 5 points, while a second-team vote was worth 3 points, and a third-team vote was worth 1 point. Coaches could not vote for their own players, making 17 first-team votes and 85 points a unanimous selection. The highest point totals earned all-conference honors.
2025-26 All-NCHC First Team
F: Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth, So. – 85 points (17 first-team votes) – unanimous
F: Tyson Gross, St. Cloud State, Jr. – 81 (15)
F: Cruz Lucius, Arizona State, Sr. – 57 (8)
D: #Eric Pohlkamp, Denver, Jr. – 83 (16)
D: *Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, Jr. – 60 (8)
G: Jan Špunar, North Dakota, Fr. – 60 (8)
2025-26 All-NCHC Second Team
F: Bennett Schimek, Arizona State, Sr. – 56 points (6 first-team votes)
F: Ben Strinden, North Dakota, Sr. – 34 (2)
F: Austin Burnevik, St. Cloud State, So. – 34 (1)
D: Abram Wiebe, North Dakota, Jr. – 55 (6)
D: Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth, So. – 49 (3)
G: ^Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, So. – 59 (8)
2025-26 All-NCHC Third Team
F: Zam Plante, Minnesota Duluth, So. – 29 points (1 first-team vote)
F: Grant Slukynsky, Western Michigan, Jr. – 28 (2)
F: Ellis Rickwood, North Dakota, Sr. – 21 (1)
D: Boston Buckberger, Denver, Jr. – 39 (2)
D: Samuel Sjolund, Western Michigan, Sr. – 19 (1)
G: Matteo Drobac, Miami, So. – 12
* 2024-25 First-Team All-NCHC
^ 2024-25 Second-Team All-NCHC
# 2024-25 Third-Team All-NCHC
Sun Devil Hockey NCHC All-Conference Team selections
2025-26 (2)
Forward Cruz Lucius - First-Team All-NCHC
Forward Bennett Schimek - Second-Team All-NCHC
2024-25 (4)
Forward Artem Shlane - First-Team All-NCHC
Forward Lukas Sillinger - Second-Team All-NCHC
Defenseman Noah Beck - Second-Team All-NCHC
Forward Ryan Kirwan - Third-Team All-NCHC
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