Senior defenseman Mitch Carlson has been named an AHCA All-American.
The American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) named Gustavus Adolphus senior defenseman Mitch Carlson to the 2011 Division III Reebok All-American Team on Thursday night in Minneapolis. Carlson earned West Region Second Team All-America honors for the second straight year, joining fellow MIAC players Chris Berenguer and Brian Arrigoni of Hamline, Erick Galt of Concordia, and Joel Sauer of Augsburg.
The AHCA/Reebok Hockey All-American Teams are sponsored by Reebok Hockey, an international leader in hockey equipment, and are chosen by AHCA members. A total of 30 players were chosen – three teams from the East Region and two teams from the West Region.
Carlson recorded high 14 points on seven goals and seven assists, while playing in all 27 games this season. He finished the season in a three-way tie for seventh place in the MIAC in defenseman scoring with 10 points (5G, 5A) in conference play. The veteran blueliner capped the year with six points (3G, 3A) in the final six games. One goal was the overtime game-winner against Saint Mary’s in the season finale on Feb. 19 in Don Roberts Ice Rink. Carlson finished the year with a shooting percentage of .074 (94 shots), while recording 12 minutes on six penalties.
A native of St. Louis Park, Minn., Carlson was the top-scoring defenseman for the Gustavus men’s hockey team in every year of his tenure donning the black and gold. He played in 111 games, going +22 and registering 20 goals and 35 assists for a total of 55 career points. Carlson, a two-time All-MIAC performer, played a key role in Gustavus’ 2009 trip to the NCAA Championship and 2010 MIAC Regular Season Title run. The Gusties have gone a combined 67-40-7 in his four years on the hill.