Colorado College goaltender Kaidan Mbereko has been named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goaltender in men's NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced the 10 semifinalists on Wednesday.
 
Mbereko, a sophomore from Aspen, Colo., is the lone NCHC goaltender to make the list of semifinalists. He is a Hobey Baker candidate for the second season in a row and was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Month for December and January. Mbereko also has earned the NCHC Goaltender of the Week award four times this season.
 
Mbereko has started all 26 games for the Tigers this season and is 16-9-1 overall with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. He leads the NCHC in save percentage (.914) and saves (690), is second in minutes played (1553) and third with 16 wins (tied for 9^th nationally).
 
The only sophomore among the semifinalists, Mbereko is one of seven goalies from the United States, while three are from Canada. Two are graduate students, two are seniors, three are juniors, and two are freshmen. Two were semifinalists last year.
 
Three 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 St. Paul, Minn.
 
The six NCAA Division I conferences are represented among the semifinalists with the Big Ten boasting four goalies, followed by ECAC Hockey with two and the NCHC, Hockey East, the CCHA and Atlantic Hockey with one each.
 
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 Mike Richter Award Semifinalists
Trey Augustine, Fr., Michigan State (Big Ten)
Ryan Bischel, Gr., Notre Dame (Big Ten)*
Justen Close, Gr., Minnesota (Big Ten)*
Vinny Duplessis, Sr., Quinnipiac (ECAC Hockey)
Jacob Fowler, Fr., Boston College (Hockey East)
Kaidan Mbereko, So., Colorado College (NCHC)
Kyle McClellan, Sr., Wisconsin (Big Ten)
Tommy Scarfone, Jr., RIT (Atlantic Hockey)
Ian Shane, Jr., Cornell (ECAC Hockey)
Jake Sibell, Jr., St. Thomas (CCHA)
*2023 Semifinalist