Now the conference will be sending its first-ever team to participate in the ACHA All-Star Challenge tournament in West Chester, PA this weekend.  Two years ago, the ICHC had to co-op with another league to be represented in the event.  This time, however, they have enough clubs to send a true conference team of their own.

While folks are buzzing about the growth and overall success of hockey in the Hoosier State, no one is more proud than ICHC Commissioner Tim Driscoll.  "Since the inception of our conference four years ago, our mission was to compete on the national stage.  Sending a team to the All-Star Challenge is a validation that our student-athletes and coaches have dedicated themselves to realize their fullest potential," states Driscoll.  "The sky is the limit for the ICHC!"

Jack Manard, Head Coach for the three-time conference champion Indiana Hoosiers, will lead the squad.  Ball State Head Coach Terry Hebert will join Manard behind the bench.  Having torn through the league season without a loss, tabbing Manard to head up to team was an easy decision.  Choosing which players will wear the conference colors on the ice proved to be far more difficult.

Each coach was asked to submit a list of three forwards, two defenseman, and goaltender to choose from.  Candidates not only had to have the skill to compete against the league's best, but they had to be able to fit the tournament into their academic schedule.  Once the nominees were assembled, the head coaches gathered to select the best group.

League champion Indiana leads the team with six selections, followed by newcomers Trine with four and Miami (OH) three.  Butler and Eastern Kentucky will each have two representatives, while the conference's leading scorer - Derek Moss - is the lone Mastodon.  The squad will also have the top goaltender between the pipes in Indiana's Matthew Turner.  Turner not only led the conference with a goals against average of 1.14, but all of Division 3.

Moss's teammates Brendan Lewis and Grant Isanberger are among the notable absences.  Lewis led the ICHC with 25 goals scored while Isanberger was fourth in points (16-21-37).  Indiana could have easily locked up both goaltender spots if the rules had been a bit different.  Turner's batterymate, Ben Seinfeld, was the league's number two netminder and fourth best in the nation.  Instead, Turner will share the crease with Jack Spaulding, who posted an 8-4 record in the Redhawks' inaugural season.

The bi-annual tournament will pit ten teams featuring some of the best underclassmen in the country, each with a chance to showcase their skills and prove which conference is tops in Division 3.  The showcase also serves as an opportunity for the ACHA D3 Selects staff to evaluate prospects for the Student Hockey Challenge International Championships being held in October in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Pool play for the All-Star Challenge begins Friday, April 13th and the tournament will conclude with crossover playoff games on Sunday, April 15th.