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Oliver Auyeung-Ashton Earns Media Preseason All-CCHA Team Honors

MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The 2026-27 CCHA Preseason Media Poll & Awards have been announced, with sophomore goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton earning Preseason All-CCHA Team honors.

Preseason All-CCHA Team
Oliver Peer, F, BSU
Max Koskipirtti, F, MTU
Luigi Benincasa, F, MSU
Breck McKinley, D, BGSU
Hayden Hennen, D, AU
Will Skahan, D, MSU
Owen Baumgartner, D, AU
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, G, NMU

In his rookie campaign a season ago, Auyeung-Ashton was a CCHA Rookie of the Year Finalist and earned All-CCHA Rookie Team honors to cap off a campaign that saw him earn a pair of other prestigious accolades: a spot on the Mike Richter 'Watch List', the award given annually to the best goaltender across the NCAA, and a Hobey Baker nominee, given annually to the best player in college hockey. Auyeung-Ashton was named a finalist for this major award alongside Bowling Green defenseman Brayden Crampton and St. Thomas forward Lucas Van Vliet.

Oliver had himself an exceptional freshman campaign, as he took over between the pipes and posted a 2.67 GAA and .930 SV% in his 18 games played. Among the conference, his SV% was second only to Augustana's Josh Kotai, and his GAA was fourth among CCHA netminders who played in 18 or more games. Nationally, among freshman goalies that played in 18+ games, his SV% is first (ahead of Michigan's Jack Ivankovic, .922), and his GAA is 10th.
 
Auyeung-Ashton earned his first collegiate appearance in relief of William Gramme at Ohio State on October 10, where he made all eight saves in just shy of 20 minutes played. He then started the next night, making 45 saves and posting a .957 SV% in his first career start, earning himself CCHA Rookie of the Week honors for his 1.53 GAA and .964 SV% over 78 minutes played.

His 45 saves became the most by an NMU freshman goalie in their first collegiate start in the modern NCAA era (2004-present), and the most saves by an NMU freshman goalie in a game since Atte Tolvanen made 46 on October 30, 2015. Auyeung-Ashton became the ninth freshman goaltender in the NCAA to make 45+ saves in their first start in the past 20 years, and only the second in the past seven seasons.

The Coquitlam, British Columbia native posted four of the top 12 single-game save performances in the CCHA, with his 45 against OSU the most. He also held the first seven and nine of the top 12 single-game save performances among all CCHA freshmen. Oliver made 40+ saves on four separate occasions, most among CCHA goalies.

One of his best performances of the season came at home, where he posted a 38-save shutout in a 2-0 win over Bemidji State on January 30, 2026. Nationally, his 38 saves are the third-most among freshmen and sixth-most among all collegiate goaltenders in a shutout effort this season. 

The freshman was hampered by an injury during the middle of the season, not allowing him to see action all season and missing time from November to the beginning of January. He recovered and returned to action at the beginning of the second semester, and in his first series back from injury, he made back-to-back 28-save performances in 2-1 losses on the road at Lake Superior State. 

The full results of the CCHA Media poll can be found below

Media Poll & Awards Results:
Michigan Tech - 116 (4 first place votes)
Minnesota State - 113 (6)
Augustana - 107 (2)
Bowling Green - 101 (1)
Bemidji State - 76
Lake Superior State - 64
Ferris State - 56
Northern Michigan - 43

Preseason All-CCHA Team
Oliver Peer, F, BSU
Max Koskipirtti, F, MTU
Luigi Benincasa, F, MSU
Breck McKinley, D, BGSU
Hayden Hennen, D, AU
Will Skahan, D, MSU
Owen Baumgartner, D, AU
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, G, NMU

Preseason Rookie of the Year
Mazden Leslie, D, BGSU

Preseason Player of the Year
Oliver Peer, F, BSU



 
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Players Mentioned

William Gramme

#1 William Gramme

G
6' 3"
Junior
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

#30 Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

G
5' 10"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

William Gramme

#1 William Gramme

6' 3"
Junior
G
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

#30 Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

5' 10"
Freshman
G