COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Western Michigan hockey senior defenseman Kale Bennett has been named the 2021 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Postgraduate Scholarship, the league has announced on Tuesday.
 
Bennett becomes the second Bronco to win the scholarship, joining Aaron Hadley, who earned the honors for the 2016-17 season.
 
Bennett has been the model student-athlete in his time at Western Michigan. The St. Louis, Mo., native holds a 3.99 GPA. He will be graduating in April with a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences and minors in chemistry, psychology and sociology. He plans to take the MCAT this spring with hopes of attending medical school, where he will use the $7,500 scholarship award, and becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
 
"My world is constantly surrounded by broken bones and torn ligaments, which have always intrigued me and influenced my life goals," Bennett wrote in his scholarship nomination. "Attending medical school is not only an important step in becoming a doctor, but a necessary and required one. I am excited to further my education, as understanding the human body, how it works, and how to aid in the healing process has always fascinated me."
 
Bennett is a four-time NCHC Academic All-Conference Team selection, a four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, a three-time Krampade/American Hockey Coaches Association All-American and was recently named the NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award winner for the 2020-21 season. Bennett joins Omaha's Joel Messner (2017-18) and Denver's Gabe Levin (2015-16) in winning both the NCHC Postgraduate Scholarship and the NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete awards.
 
"We are honored to present the NCHC Postgraduate Scholarship to Kale Bennett of Western Michigan," said NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton. "Kale's success in the classroom is impressive, as he was awarded our 2021 Senior Scholar-Athlete recognition as well. Kale's pursuit of being a medical doctor is inspiring and we are proud to have him a part of the NCHC family."
 
Bennett finished his career with 113 career games played in the Brown & Gold, netting three goals and 14 assists for 17 points. Bennett also had a penchant for blocking shots, leading the team with 33 this season and tallying 147 in his career. He also served as an assistant captain for this season.
 
The NCHC's Postgraduate Scholarship is funded by a grant from the El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs, which has also supported the NCHC by providing its office headquarters on the grounds of the Penrose House and helping cover the cost of the Penrose Cup.
 
To be eligible for the NCHC's Postgraduate Scholarship, the student-athlete must be a senior on the official NCAA hockey roster with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average, who plans to continue his academic studies beyond his undergraduate degree. The recipient must enroll in a postgraduate degree program within three years of receiving the scholarship to collect the financial aid. The winner is chosen by a vote of the NCHC's Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) from among the nominees submitted by each school's FAR.