2022-23 NA3HL SEASON AWARDS
2022-23: NA3HL: Year End Season Awards
The NA3HL gives out “Season Awards” at the end of each season. The awards are given to the top performing players in each division and in the entire North American 3 Hockey League.
Two Great Falls Americans players earn year-end league honors
Americans standouts Alex Leaf and Wes Weisenburger earns NA3HL Frontier honors for 2022-23 season
By Kevin Scott
DALLAS, TX., May 9, 2023 — The Great Falls Americans, a member of the Frontier Division in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL), had two players that stood out and were honored by the league during the 2022-23 season.
The NA3HL announced on Tuesday their awards for the 2022-23 All-Divisional Teams and individual accomplishments in each of the five divisions (Central, East, Frontier, South and West).
The 2022-23 divisional awards included Organization of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Community Service Award, Leadership Award and Academic Achievement Award with the league’s coaches voting on them based upon performance during the 2022-23 season.
Alex Leaf, who completed his first season with the Americans as a defenseman, is from Colorado Springs, Colorado and was also named to the six-member All-Frontier Division squad for the 2022-23 season. Leaf, who played in all 47 regular season contests as a defenseman, scored four goals and was the team leader in assists (35).
Alex also appeared in both games (but did not register any points) for Team Frontier during February’s NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Team Frontier defeated Team Central 6-4 (game story) in the opening day but fell by that exact score to Team South on the final day of competition (game story).
Wes Weisenburger, who also completed his first season in Great Falls, is from Grand Forks, North Dakota and in 38 games, he racked up four goals and 15 assists as a forward. Wes was the recipient of this year’s Frontier Division Academic Achievement Award for his performance in the classroom. The 18-year-old award winner had a 4.00 GPA (Grade Point Average) during his senior season. Wes will attend and play for the Montana State University (ACHA) men’s hockey team in Bozeman, Montana majoring in Engineering. He is the brother of Garrett Weisenburger, who also finished up his junior hockey eligibility this season and has signed to play hockey at the college level with the University of Montana (ACHA) in Missoula, Montana.
The list of award winners are posted below.
| 2022-23 FRONTIER DIVISION: AWARD WINNERS | ||
| Award | Player | 2022-23 NA3HL Team |
| Organization of the Year | — | Helena Bighorns |
| Rookie of the Year | Alec Waller (Defenseman) | Gillette (WY) Wild |
| Academic Achievement Award | Wes Weisenburger | Great Falls Americans |
| Community Service Award | Jesse Schindel | Helena Bighorns |
| Leadership Award | Patric Loeffler | Sheridan (WY) Hawks |
| 2022-23 ALL-FRONTIER DIVISION TEAM | ||
| Player | Position | 2022-23 NA3HL Team |
| Tyler Bloom | Forward | Helena Bighorns |
| Nick Bradshaw | Forward | Butte Cobras |
| Ryan McKenna | Forward | Sheridan (WY) Hawks |
| Alec Waller | Defenseman | Gillette (WY) Wild |
| Alex Leaf | Defenseman | Great Falls Americans |
| Keaton French | Goaltender | Helena Bighorns |
Click here for the 2022-23 Divisional Award NA3HL press release with awards from all divisions.
2022-23 NA3HL SEASON AWARDS AND TEAMS
Alex Leaf and Wes Weisenburger earns NA3HL league honors for 2022-23 season
By Kevin Scott
DALLAS, TX., May 10, 2023 — The NA3HL announced on Wednesday their awards for the 2022-23 Season Awards. The awards were also performance-based and contained many of the same award categories as the divisional awards as voted on by the head coaches and general managers from all the NA3HL clubs.
The awards included the Most Valuable Player of the NA3HL, Forward, Defenseman, and Goaltender of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach and General Manager of the Year and Organization of the Year. The league office also announced their All-NA3HL (1st, 2nd, 3rd Teams) and All-Rookie Teams (1st and 2nd Teams) along with an Academic Achievement Award, Community Service, Leadership and Broadcaster of the Year Awards.
The Great Falls Americans, a member of the Frontier Division in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL), had two players that stood out and were honored by the league during the 2022-23 season.
In addition to being named to the 2022-23 All-Frontier Division team, Great Falls Americans defensemen Alex Leaf was one of five players selected to the 2022-23 NA3HL All-NA3HL Second Team. He was joined on the second team by Tyler Bloom (Helena Bighorns) and Ryan McKenna (Sheridan Hawks).
Great Falls forward Wes Weisenburger took home the 2022-23 Apex Learning School Academic Achievement Award for his success in the classroom. He maintained a 4.00 during his final season of high school while scoring 19 points in 38 contests for coach Greg Sears’ squad.
“We are excited for both Wes and Alex to receive postseason league awards,” said Great Falls Americans Head Coach and General Manager, Greg Sears. “Both guys are hard workers and have bright futures ahead of them.”
Other notable players from the Frontier Division honored included goaltender Keaton French of the Helena Bighorns was named the True Hockey Goaltender of the Year and the lone member from the division on the All-NA3HL First Team. French’s teammate on the Bighorns, Tyler Bloom was named to the All-NA3HL Second Team along with Great Falls Americans standout Alex Leaf. Butte Cobras netminder Caleb Cross received the All-NA3HL Third Team honors. Wes Weisenburger (Great Falls Americans) won the Academic Achievement Award in the league and Gillette (WY) Wild teammates, Jace Johnson and Alec Waller were named to the All-NA3HL Rookie First Team.
Click here for the 2022-23 NA3HL Season Awards press release including the list of all winners.
Courtesy: North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) Website
May 9, 2023: 2022-23 NA3HL Divisional Awards
May 10, 2023: 2022-23 NA3HL League Awards