MINNEAPOLIS (3/21/03) -- Augsburg College men's hockey forward Jaro Cesky (Sr., Prague, Czech Republic) and women's hockey forward Lauren Chezick (So., Hastings, Minn.) were named to the JOFA Division III All-American first teams in their respective sports by the American Hockey Coaches Association on Friday.

Cesky is Augsburg's 27th men's hockey All-American and first since 1998. Chezick is the second Augsburg women's hockey player selected to the AHCA's All-American squad since the organization began awards for women's hockey in 2000, and the school's seventh women's hockey All-American since the sport began at Augsburg in 1995.

All-Americans are selected by men's and women's hockey coaches who are members of the AHCA. Awards were announced at the Division III national championship banquets at Elmira, N.Y. (women's hockey) and Norwich, Vt. (men's hockey).

Both Cesky and Chezick were named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Players of the Year this season and earned All-MIAC first-team honors. Cesky was the lone MIAC selection to the men's hockey first-team All-America team, while Chezick was one of two MIAC selections to the women's hockey squad.

Cesky, who was named to the All-MIAC first team all four years of his college career, finished second in the conference in scoring in conference games (eight goals, 15 assists, 23 points), leading the league in assists. Including all games, Cesky was the top scorer among MIAC players (18 goals, 24 assists, 42 points) this season, standing 20th nationally among Division III players in points (1.62 per game).

This season, Cesky had at least one point in 21 of Augsburg's 26 games, with 12 multiple-point games; Augsburg was 16-5 when he scored at least one point. He has scored at least one goal in 12 games this year, and Augsburg was 8-4 in those games.

Cesky played in 102 of a possible 104 games in his Augsburg career (his Auggie career record was 53-42-9), ending his career with 63 goals and 77 assists for 140 points. He led the team in scoring each year of his career.

Cesky was recently drafted by the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League (UHL), a minor league two steps below the National Hockey League.

Chezick, named first-team All-MIAC in her freshman and sophomore years, was named to the conference's All-Rookie Team last year. This season, she more than doubled her scoring output, leading the team and setting single-season school records with 57 points and 32 assists, while scoring 25 goals -- just three away from the single-season school mark. She has led the team in scoring each season of her career and is on pace to become Augsburg's career scoring leader.

Chezick is second in the Division III women's hockey statistics in total scoring (2.19 points per game) and is second in assists (1.23 per game) and sixth in goals (0.96 per game). She is just one of five players nationally -- including teammate Annie Annunziato (Jr., Commack, N.Y., 23G-31A--54P) -- to accumulate 50 or more points this season.

Both Augsburg hockey teams earned spots in the MIAC postseason playoffs this season. Augsburg's men's team finished 17-9-0 on the season, 10-6-0 in MIAC play (third place). Augsburg women's team finished 12-11-3 overall, 10-6-2 in the MIAC (fifth place).

The AHCA All-American hockey teams are sponsored by JOFA, an international leader in hockey equipment, and chosen by members of the AHCA. In men's hockey, first- and second-team selections are made for both the West and East regions, while due to the number of regional teams in women's hockey, two East teams and one West team are selected.

Among other MIAC schools, St. Olaf freshman defender Lindsay Weier was also selected to the women's hockey West All-America team. St. John's senior goalie Rick Gregory and freshman forward Ryan Langenbrunner were selected to the men's West All-America second team, along with Concordia-Moorhead senior defender Treavor Peterson.

2002-03 AHCA/JOFA Division III Men's Hockey All-American Teams
West Region First Team: G-Nathan Ziemski (Sr., Wis.-Superior); D-Adam Kragthorpe (Sr., Wis.-River Falls); D-Steve Rodberg (Sr., Wis.-Superior); F-Jaro Cesky (Sr., Augsburg); F-Jason Deitsch (So., St. Norbert); F-Maris Ziedins (Sr., St. Norbert).
East Region First Team: G-Will Hamele (Sr., SUNY-Fredonia); D-Joe Carrabs (Jr., SUNY-Oswego); D-Lou DiMasi (Jr., Norwich); F-Travis Banga (Jr., New England College); F-Kevin Cooper (Jr., Middlebury); F-Kurtis McLean (So., Norwich).
West Region Second Team: G-Rick Gregory (Sr., St. John's); D-Treavor Peterson (Sr., Concordia-Moorhead); D-Ryan Tew (So., St. Norbert); F-Colin Kendall (Sr., Wis.-Superior); F-Ryan Langenbrunner (Fr., St. John's); F-Evan Stensrud (Sr., Wis.-River Falls).
East Region Second Team: G-Doug Kisielius (So., Trinity); D-Peter Oilari (Sr., SUNY-Plattsburgh); D-Nick Stauder (Sr., Salem State); F-Brendon Hodge (Sr., SUNY-Plattsburgh); F-Don Patrick (Jr., SUNY-Oswego); F-Brian Yingling (Sr., Lebanon Valley).


2002-03 AHCA/JOFA Division III Women's Hockey All-American Teams
West Region Team (only one team selected): G-Marlene Yaeger (So., Wis.-River Falls); D-Lindsy Carlson (Jr., Wis.-River Falls); D-Lindsay Weier (Fr., St. Olaf); F-Lauren Chezick (So., Augsburg); F-Jackie Schmitt (So., Wis.-Stevens Point); F-Ali Slinden (Fr., Wis.-River Falls).
East Region First Team: G-Emily McKissock (Sr., Bowdoin); D-Beth Muir (Sr., Bowdoin); D-Amber Neil (Sr., Middlebury); F-Shelly Chessie (Sr., Bowdoin); F-Laura Hurd (So., Elmira); F-Angela Kapus (Sr., Middlebury).
East Region Second Team: G-Edith Racine (So., Elmira); D-LeAnne Denman (So., Elmira); D-Jen Gorczynski (Jr., RIT); F-Holly Manning (Sr., Southern Maine); F-Amy Quirion (Fr., Manhattanville); F-Molly Wasserman (Jr., Williams).