Bulldog Hockey Senior Chad McDonald Tabbed As 2017 WCHA Student-Athlete Of The Year

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University senior forward Chad McDonald (Battle Creek) has added to his list of impressive accomplishments as he was chosen today as the 2017 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Student-Athlete of the Year for his combined success on the ice and in the classroom.

McDonald becomes the first-ever Bulldog skater to be recognized as the WCHA's Student-Athlete of the Year. The honor is voted upon by the Faculty Athletics Representatives of the league's 10 member institutions.

McDonald was a four-year contributor to one of the WCHA's top programs, helping Ferris State to a MacNaughton Cup as league regular season champions, a Broadmoor Trophy as postseason champs and a pair of appearances in an NCAA tournament regional final. The Battle Creek, Mich., native scored 38 goals with 46 assists for 84 points in 145 collegiate games, reaching the 20-point mark in three of his four seasons. After suffering a season-ending elbow injury in the WCHA Final Five, McDonald went through surgery and rehabilitation in time to return to the ice for Ferris State's 2016-17 season opener. A leader in all facets, he was selected by his peers to serve as one of the Bulldogs' assistant captains for his senior campaign.

In May, McDonald will graduate with a B.S. in Business Administration, an A.S. in Legal Studies and a Certificate in data mining. Often found tutoring teammates, he has helped inspire a Ferris State team that ranked among the nation's top-10 teams in the annual NCAA Academic Progress Report (APR) in each of his four years. A three-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and All-Academic Team member, McDonald was named to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and is once again a candidate for national honors in 2017.

Away from campus, McDonald has volunteered for a variety of different organizations that help those with disabilities, both in Big Rapids (playing floor hockey with Big Rapids Special Olympians) and his native Battle Creek (serving as a mentor for Community Inclusive Recreation). In addition, he has spent time speaking to fifth-grade students from low-income households about the importance of education, and what it takes academically to pursue their dream of becoming a collegiate student-athlete.

A finalist for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award, McDonald has plans to attend law school. He aims to pursue a career in the National Hockey League (NHL), with aspirations of one day becoming a general manager. 

Last season, as a junior, McDonald helped the Bulldogs claim the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Final Five Championship as FSU advanced to the final eight of the NCAA Division I Tournament for the third time in five years.

The Dean's List Award honoree was a four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs and ranked among the league leaders in several statistical categories during his collegiate career. Presently, he's also among the national finalists for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award presented to the top hockey student-athlete in the country.