The University of Wisconsin-Superior Foundation has announced that Evan Friedlieb is the first recipient of the Ted Garver Memorial Scholarship.  As the award recipient, Friedlieb will receive a scholarship of $1,000 for the 2009 spring semester at UW-Superior.

The late Mr. Garver is the father of former Yellowjacket player, assistant coach and current radio broadcaster Jon Garver.  He passed away after a short battle with cancer in March 2004, two days shy of his 55th birthday.

"My family and I are very excited that the scholarship is finally being awarded," Jon Garver said.  "We started putting money into the fund right after he passed away in the hopes that we would be able to help young men affiliated with the hockey program at UWS finish their educations.  A college education was very important to my dad, so I know that he's smiling down at all of this.

"He spent his entire life living on the Iron Range, and anyone who knows us knows that we have a certain pride about being 'Rangers.'  I think he'd be thrilled with the fact that the first recipient of the scholarship that bears his name is also a Ranger."

Friedlieb is a junior at UW-Superior, majoring in physical education with a minor in coaching.  He played his high school hockey at Virginia-Mt. Iron-Buhl High School.  High School teammates of Friedlieb's include current University of Minnesota freshman Nico Sacchetti and current Dallas Stars defenseman Matt Niskanen. 

Following high school, Friedlieb studied two years at Mesabi Range Community College in Virginia, Minn.  But if not for a recent change in the scholarship's criteria, Friedlieb wouldn't have been eligible for the award.

"Originally, we created the award to benefit a former Yellowjacket player who needed a fifth year to complete his undergraduate degree, or a player that wished to continue their education in graduate school," Garver said.  "Since its inception, the players have been graduating on time and nobody has needed our help.  So we tweaked the criteria making a student assistant, not necessarily a former player, but anyone that is helping the program, eligible to receive the award.  I'm glad we did.  It means a lot to my mother, my sister and myself that we're doing something to help someone finish college."

In addition to his studies, Friedlieb is assisting the men's hockey team as a student manager and student assistant coach. 

"Evan has been very valuable to us.  He's done everything from filming games to packing travel boxes for road trips to helping us on the ice in practice," said Yellowjacket Head Coach Dan Stauber.  "In this economy, money for everyone is tight and getting through college can be difficult.  The scholarship will help him financially and allow him to continue to work with our team while he goes to school.  That makes me happy and it makes the team happy because everyone really likes having Evan around."

If you wish to make a contribution to the Ted Garver Scholarship fund, you can do so through the UW-Superior Foundation.  You can click here to visit them on the web, or contact them through the information below.

University of Wisconsin-Superior

University Advancement

Belknap and Catlin

PO Box 2000

Superior, WI  54880

(888) 893-8593