Hermantown native and incoming Minnesota Duluth freshman Neal Pionk was named the USHL Defenseman of the Year Tuesday after captaining the Sioux City Musketeers in his final year of junior hockey.
Pionk, who turns 20 on July 29, led all USHL defenseman in scoring with seven goals and 41 assists in 53 games in 2014-15. His 48 points and 41 assists were the most by a Musketeers’ defenseman since 2002. The 41 assists are tied for the fifth-most by a USHL defenseman since 2002 when the league was designated Tier I by USA Hockey.
Pionk, who played for the Hermantown High School Hawks prior to moving up to the USHL, will join the Bulldogs for the 2015-16 season.
You can check out his 2014-15 USHL highlights below.