Dubuque Scoring Machine Connor Kurth Takes Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award

“It’s a tremendous honor for him,” Dubuque head coach Greg Brown said. “He had a great year and I’m very happy for him. He put a lot of effort into this season and it’s very nice to be recognized like this.”

Kurth scored 50 goals and 122 points in 114 career games with Dubuque. The biggest jump in improvement came this past season for Kurth. He nearly doubled his production during the 2021-2022 season after scoring 41 points in 52 games the previous year and led Dubuque to a 40-16-3-3 regular-season record, good for second in the conference.

“It was actually a big point of emphasis,” Kurth said. “My focus was on getting better and doing the little things over the summer, so it was really cool to see that jump. I was really proud of myself for the work I put in during the summer and the season prior.”

Kurth also received league-wide recognition when he played in the BioSteel All-American Game for the second straight season. In the most recent contest, Kurth played with teammates Stephen Halliday and Kenny Connors. Kurth finished with four shots on goal and had the primary assist on Halliday’s first goal of the game, which was also helped by Connors.

“It was such a fun experience, getting to play with some of the guys around the league, and it’s always cool when you get to play on TV,” Kurth said. “I felt a lot more comfortable. I knew how it worked and I was able to be more open and talk with the guys. It was just more confidence and being more comfortable.”

Kurth finished fourth in overall scoring in team history. He tied for fourth in goals and ended fourth in assists, while also posting the seventh-highest points-per-game average. His 81 points were second-most in single-season history.

“He has a great work ethic, a real understanding of the game and a great ability to produce points,” Brown said. “He has a great knack around the net. He’s great in the locker room with his teammates and he’s a great person off the ice. You love to see guys like him succeed and you root for those guys. It’s great to see him get rewarded.”

Prior to joining Dubuque, Kurth played for Gentry Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota. He won’t have to go far from home for his upcoming college career, as Kurth is committed to play at the University of Minnesota next season.

“We have a really good group there, I love the coaches and I’m really excited to get to work,” Kurth said. “Coming off a good season [at Dubuque] gives me a lot of confidence going in. It’s close to home, and I’m just really excited about the opportunity.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.