John-Michael Liles' hopes for the Hobey are over.

Liles, a senior defenseman from Zionsville, Ind., was not one of the three Hobey Baker Award finalists announced Wednesday. The trophy is given annually to college hockey's outstanding player.

The final three candidates - dubbed the Hobey Hat Trick - are Ferris State forward Chris Kunitz, Colorado College forward Peter Sejna and Cornell goaltender Dave LeNeveu. The winner will be announced April 11 in Buffalo, N.Y.

"Those three are probably the three most deserving guys, with the numbers they put up this year," Liles said. "And I think their teams' success has a lot to do with it, too.

"It would have been nice, but I'm not too disappointed. I have no regrets whatsoever."

Liles was one of 10 semifinalists for the award, marking the sixth straight year at least one Spartan cracked the top 10. Two MSU players have won the Hobey - forward Kip Miller in 1990 and goaltender Ryan Miller, Kip's cousin, in 2001.

This year, Sejna and Kunitz - the nation's two leading scorers - appear to be the favorites.

Sejna amassed 82 points (36 goals, 46 assists) in 42 games this year and scored a point in all but one contest. As a native of Slovakia, he would be the first European player to win the Hobey.

Kunitz had 79 points (35, 44) in 42 games and won the CCHA's Player of the Year award this season. He signed a contract with the NHL's Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Tuesday.

LeNeveu leads the nation in goals against average (1.14), saves percentage (.942) and shutouts (9).

His GAA could break the all-time NCAA record and is a full goal lower than the second-best GAA this year.

LeNeveu and his Cornell teammates play New Hampshire in the Frozen Four on April 10 in Buffalo.

No player from Ferris, Colorado College or Cornell has ever won the Hobey.