MANKATO, Minn. - Minnesota State senior captain Sam Morton (Lafayette, Colorado) was named CCHA Forward of the Year on Thursday (March 14).

Earlier in the week, Morton was honored as First Team All-CCHA. 

Morton has led the Mavericks as captain with a remarkable season on the ice. In the CCHA (as of March 14), Morton currently ranks first in goals (24), first in shots (149), first in faceoff wins (754), first in power play goals (nine), second in goals per game (.67), fourth in points (35), seventh in faceoff percentage (.550) and ninth in plus/minus (plus-9). He opened the Mavericks' CCHA schedule with a five-game point streak (six goals, four assists) and added a six-game streak in January (four goals, two assists).

In last weekend's CCHA quarterfinal home sweep over Northern Michigan, Morton posted an assist on Friday and two goals Saturday at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. He has five multi-goal games this winter and has played in all 36 games. Over his career, Morton has amassed 101 games played, 44 goals, 32 assists and 76 points, including 17 power play goals.

Last season he was a Krampade All-American Scholar. In 2021-22 he was named All-Tournament at the Frozen Four in Boston and scored Minnesota State's lone goal in the national championship game versus Denver. He also assisted on David Silye's goal in a 5-1 win over Minnesota in the national semifinal game.

Morton's MSU career includes 101 games played, 44 goals, 32 assists, 76 points, 290 shots, 17 power-play goals and six game-winning-goals. He logged 32 games for Union College before coming to Minnesota State in 2020-21.

Voting for the 2023-24 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the eight head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. The league's year-end award announcements continue tomorrow with the Player of the Year tomorrow (11am ET). The CCHA Coach of the Year will be revealed on March 27.

The 2024 Mason Cup Playoffs resume this Saturday, with fourth-seeded Minnesota State traveling to third-seeded Michigan Tech (5:07pm ET) and top-seeded Bemidji State hosting seventh-seeded Lake Superior State (7:07pm CT), in the conference Semifinals.