GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Central Hockey League has announced that Riley Weselowski of the Rapid City Rush has been named the recipient of the 2011-12 Central Hockey League’s Most Outstanding Defenseman award. 
The honor is ‘presented annually to the Central Hockey League defenseman who has demonstrated the greatest all-round ability in the position’ and is determined through balloting of CHL head coaches, communications departments and selected media members in each market. Earlier this week, the Pilot Mound, Manitoba native was given the CHL’s Man of the Year award for his strong leadership qualities both on and off the ice and now he earns the honor as the league’s top defenseman. Weselowski appeared on 22 of the 50 ballots beating out Fort Wayne’s Frankie DeAngelis who finished second with 13 votes. Weselowski and DeAngelis were the defensemen voted to the All-CHL team announced this past Monday. Other finalists for the top defenseman award included Evansville’s Matt Gens, Missouri’s David Pszenyczny and Quad City’s Darren McMillan. Weselowski currently is tied for fifth among defensemen in scoring with 40 points (9 G, 31 A) and his +24 plus/minus rating is second among all active blue liners and tied for second among all players in the league. In his third season with the Rush and fourth professional season overall, the 27-year-old defenseman was selected to the CHL All-Star team in January. In 150 career games in the CHL, the 6-0, 190-pound defenseman has scored 14 goals with 57 assists and is a combined +65 during the three seasons. This year, Weselowski has scored four more goals and has nine more points than his first two seasons with Rapid City combined.
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