Inside College Hockey | Sertich Wins Hobey Baker Award

April 8, 2005
NCAA Frozen Four
Top Tiger
Sertich wins Hobey Baker Award

By Jess Myers

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thursday, the Sertich family from suburban St. Paul hit a big low spot in the rollercoaster ride that has been their lives for 11 months, as the Colorado College Tigers’ season came to an abrupt halt. One day later, they were on top again, and the view inside Nationwide Arena was one to behold.

There were beaming smiles on every member of the Sertich family Friday afternoon when Marty, a Colorado College forward, was named the 2005 recipient of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. It took CC 15 years just to get a top 10 finalist for the award, and now a player from the little Colorado Springs private school has won the trophy in two of the past three years. In 2003 in Buffalo, Tigers forward Peter Senja won the Hobey.

Sertich, who led the nation in scoring with 27 goals and 37 assists, thanked his family for, “following me around the country for the last month,” and acknowledged his parents, Steve and Patty, who have been the models of strength in the face of impending tragedy for nearly a year.

Patty Sertich has inoperable brain cancer, and the family is living with the knowledge that her days are numbered. Marty’s father said that Friday was one of the high points in a year that has been filled with peaks and valleys.

“This past year has been an amazing rollercoaster, dealing with my wife’s illness,” said Steve Sertich, who coached Marty at Roseville (Minn.) High School when Marty won Minnesota’s coveted Mr. Hockey Award in 2001. “It’s been the hardest on the boys, being so far away, but we’re most glad that through it all they could stay in school and keep playing hockey.”

Marty Sertich’s closest competition for the trophy came from his own line, as fellow CC forward Brett Sterling was one of the runners-up for the Hobey. Sterling, also a junior, said after the ceremony that he and Sertich will be back together for the Tiger next season, and while it’s up to coach Scott Owens to make the line chart, he hopes to be reunited with Sertich.

“Hopefully I can play with Marty again next year,” Sterling said with a smile. “Who wouldn’t want to play on a line with the Hobey Baker winner.”

Sterling, who led the nation in goals with 34, said that while there was some joking in the team’s dressing room throughout the season, there was never real competition between him and Sertich for the award.

“It was never me versus Marty, it was us doing it together for the good of the team,” Sterling said. “I feel like I won it too, just watching him up there.”

Sertich’s selection as the Hobey winner continues a family tradition of college hockey success. His grandfather, Tony Frasca, was an all-American for the Tigers, and Steve Sertich skated for the Tigers and on the 1976 U.S. Olympic team. Steve’s brother, Mike, was the long-time coach at Minnesota Duluth and Michigan Tech, and coached the Bulldogs to three WCHA titles.