Mankato, Minn. --- The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced its 2014-15 award recipients and seven Minnesota State individuals have been selected for recognition.

Mavericks earning league honors were junior netminder Stephon Williams (Fairbanks, Alaska), senior forward Matt Leitner (Los Alamitos, Calif), senior defenseman Zach Palmquist (So. St. Paul, Minn.), junior forward Bryce Gervais (Battleford, Sask.), sophomore defenseman Casey Nelson (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.), freshman forward C.J. Franklin (Forest Lake, Minn.) and head coach Mike Hastings.

Williams garnered two honors from the league: All-WCHA Second Team and, by virtue of his league-low goals against average (1.55), was named WCHA Goaltending Champion. He stands 21-5-3 with a 1.59 goals against average and .928 save percentage on the season and his 21 wins rank third the nation and is tied for third on Minnesota State's single-season list. Williams has nine shut-outs for his career in his three years at Minnesota State, which ranks first all-time with the Mavericks and his 47 career victories are fourth on the school's all-time wins list. Named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week twice during the course of the 2014-15 season, Williams also was the WCHA Goaltending champion and All-WCHA First Team as a freshman in 2012-13.

Leitner, who was named All-WCHA First Team for the second time in his career (he was All-WCHA First Team in 2013-14 and Second Team in 2012-13), leads the Mavericks in scoring with 7-30--37 on the season and also leads the team in assists. He has 47-111--158 for his four-year career to rank second on Minnesota State's career scoring list (DI-era).

Palmquist, who was named All-WCHA First Team for the second year in a row, stands fourth on the Mavericks with 8-18--26 for the season. He has 25-68--93 in 155 career games to rank second on the school's scoring by defensemen list for the DI era. Palmquist has not missed a game in his college career and his 155 consecutive games played is a school record.

Gervais, who was named All-WCHA Second Team, has scored 11 times in the last 12 games and leads the Mavericks with 24 goals. He stands second on Minnesota State's scoring charts this season with 24-8--32 and his 24 goals stand tied for third in the nation and lead all WCHA players.  His 24 goals rank fourth on Minnesota State's single-season list for the school's DI-era.

Named All-WCHA Second Team, Nelson boasts 6-23--29 in 35 games played in 2014-15 and his 29 points stand seventh in the nation amongst all blueliners. Nelson has 54 blocked shots on the season, which ranks third on the team.

Picked for the 2014-15 WCHA All-Rookie Team, Franklin has charted 7-17--24 which stands tied for 17th in the country in freshman scoring. Franklin owns the team lead in plus/minus at +17 which ranks sixth in the nation amongst all freshmen.

Mike Hastings, who in his third season behind the Minnesota State men's hockey bench, was named 2014-15 WCHA Coach of the Year.  This is the second time his has been named coach of the year (he also won the award in 2012-13).  The Crookston, Minn., native, who owns a 75-37-7 career mark with the Mavericks, has guided Minnesota State to a 25-7-3 overall record with a 21-4-3 mark in league play this year. He led the Mavericks to the program's first-ever MacNaughton Cup title as WCHA regular-season champions this season. Currently rated second in the nation, Minnesota State has been rated #1 four times during the course of the 2014-15 campaign.

The WCHA also named its 2014-15 All-Academic Team and Maverick selections included Teddy Blueger (Jr., Riga, Latvia), Nick Buchanan (Jr., Victoria, B.C.), Sean Flanagan (So, Kindersley, Sask.), Max Gaede (Sr., Woodbury, Minn.), Chase Grant (Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.), Cole Huggins (So., Centennial, Colo.), Michael Huntebrinker (So., Chesterfield, Mo.), Jon Jutzi (Jr., Tavistock, Ont.), Dylan Margonari (So., Greensburg, Pa.), Casey Nelson (So., Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.), Jordan Nelson (So., Williston, N.D.), Zach Palmquist (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.), Zach Stepon (So., Hastings, Minn.), Brett Stern (Sr., Lino Lakes, Minn.), and Stephon Williams (Jr., Fairbanks, Alaska).

Currently rated second in the country, Minnesota State hosts Lake Superior State this weekend in the first round of the WCHA play-offs.