CJ Motte

Classroom

Motte earned WCHA All-Academic Team honors in 2013-14 and was an FSU Dean’s List Award recipient as a construction management major. He is one of first WCHA Academic All-League honorees in school history and helped the team rank among the nation’s top 10 in NCAA Academic Progress Report listing. Motte and his team led the WCHA in the NCAA APR report for academic success, and he earned all-conference honors both on the ice and in the classroom. His academic performance helped the Bulldogs lead the CCHA and finish eighth in the nation in the NCAA Academic Progress Report during the 2012-13 season. He’s been a valuable team leader among others in the classroom, which has led to a variety of academic-related awards and honors for the Bulldog hockey program. Motte has also played a key role in team development and leadership initiatives.

Character

This season, Motte was selected to serve as team captain—one of the first goaltenders in school history ever to achieve captain status. He won the 2013-14 FSU Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year award for combined success on and off the ice and was a 2014 Hobey Baker Award finalist for all-around hockey achievements. Motte is regarded as one of finest players in college hockey on and off the ice and was a Preseason All-American.

Community

Motte is active in a wide range of school and team community service award initiatives and played an active role in the team’s annual Playscape Community Service project to clean up a youth playground. He participated in March is Reading Month by reading to school children and helped his team honor military veterans during this year’s Veterans Appreciation Game. Last year, Motte helped the team support breast cancer research with the Pink in the Rink game. He also helps support department-wide initiatives as an active participant and takes a leadership role in community endeavors as team captain. He has played an active role along with the entire Bulldog hockey program in a variety of community service endeavors such as middle school activity nights, school and local playground improvement projects, visiting and reading to elementary students and more. This season, he helped the Bulldogs honor breast cancer survivors and raise money locally for the Susan P. Wheatlake Women’s Cancer and Wellness Fund during FSU’s first-ever “Pink in the Rink” game in which the Bulldogs donned special pink jerseys. As a team member, he has helped stress the importance of the community initiatives in the Big Rapids community and surrounding areas. As a sophomore, he and his teammates recognized and honored military members during “Military Appreciation Night” among many other events. Motte is very deserving of this prestigious award and is a great reflection on the true meaning of “student-athlete.”

Competition

Motte was named a 2014 Hobey Baker Award top 10 finalist and chosen as the 2014 Premier Player of the Year in college hockey as determined by fan vote. As a junior, he was named to the All-WCHA First Team. He is a two-time All-Conference honoree and led his team to 2014 NCAA Final Eight. Motte was a member of the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four squad and guided the team to two conference titles in the last three years. He is regarded as one of nation’s top goaltenders and ranks second in school history in total wins. He sits among the school’s all-time performers in every statistical category for a goaltender, recorded a nation-leading 28 wins in 2013-14, and ranks among top three active NCAA goaltenders in career wins and saves. Motte has a nation active-leading 13 career shutouts. He is a three-year starter, four-year letterwinner, Academic All-League honoree, school Bulldog of the Year Award recipient for top male student-athlete, two-time Mike Richter Goaltender of the Year Award nominee and the team captain. He earned National Goaltender of the Month accolades last year and has claimed league player of week honors multiple times in his collegiate career. Motte was the preseason WCHA Player of the Year and a Preseason All-American after leading Ferris State to a school-record and nation-best 16-game unbeaten streak last year. His team has been ranked among the top 10 nationally for numerous weeks over last three years and is one of the top hockey programs in the country in the last three years. As a junior, Motte was also featured on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays.