Semifinalists for 2026 Richter Award are Announced
Friday, February 13, 2026
The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) has announced the semifinalists for this year’s Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men’s NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. Ten goaltenders have been chosen by a panel of 25 voters from across the hockey community. The group includes coaches from each conference, and independent school coaches, as well as members of the national media, professional scouts and representatives of USA Hockey.
Four of the goalies come from the United States, four from Canada and two from Czechia. Two are seniors, five are juniors and three are freshmen. Four were semifinalists last year, and one, Trey Augustine of Michigan State, is a semifinalist for the third straight year.
Finalists will be announced in early March and the winner of this year’s Mike Richter Award will be announced in April during the NCAA Frozen Four in Las Vegas.
Five of the six NCAA Division I conferences are represented among the semifinalists with Hockey East boasting three goalies, the Big Ten, the CCHA and ECAC Hockey each with two, and the NCHC with one. Hockey East has produced seven of the previous 12 Richter Award recipients, including three of the last four.
Past Richter Award Recipients: 2014 - Connor Hellebuyck, UMass Lowell; 2015 - Zane McIntyre, North Dakota; 2016 - Thatcher Demko, Boston College; 2017 - Tanner Jaillet, Denver; 2018 - Cale Morris, Notre Dame; 2019 - Cayden Primeau, Northeastern; 2020 - Jeremy Swayman, Maine; 2021 - Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota; 2022 - Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2023 - Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2024 - Kyle McClellan, Wisconsin; 2025 - Jacob Fowler, Boston College.
Semifinalists for the 2026 Mike Richter Award
Trey Augustine, Michigan State (Big Ten) *#
(JR – South Lyon, MI)
Alexis Cournoyer, Cornell (ECAC Hockey)
(FR - Trois-Rivières, PQ)
Emmett Croteau, Dartmouth (ECAC Hockey)
(JR – Bonnyville, AB)
Michael Hrabal, Massachusetts (Hockey East)
(JR – Prague, Czechia)
Jack Ivankovic, Michigan (Big Ten)
(FR - Mississauga, ON)
Josh Kotai, Augustana (CCHA) #
(JR - Abbotsford, BC)
Tyler Muszelik, Connecticut (Hockey East)
(SR - Long Valley, NJ)
Jan Spunar, North Dakota (NCHC)
(FR - Olomouc, Czechia)
Alex Tracy, Minnesota State (CCHA) #
(SR - Chicago, IL)
Lawton Zacher, Northeastern (Hockey East) #
(JR - Buffalo, NY)
*2024 Semifinalist
#2025 Semiinalist
