Minnesota forward Krissy Wendell, Connecticut forward Jaclyn Hawkins and Harvard coach Katey Stone top the list of USCHO.com’s 2004-05 D-I Women’s Year-End Honorees.
Wendell, the co-captain and leading goal-scorer of defending champion Minnesota, was named the USCHO.com Player of the Year. A native of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Wendell netted the game-winners in both Gopher wins over top rival Minnesota-Duluth and the WCHA championship game against Wisconsin as well as a hat trick against ECACHL champion Harvard. Wendell is ranked second only to teammate Natalie Darwitz in overall points with 98, and her seven short-handed goals made her the most threatening penalty killer in the nation. Wendell, a 2002 U.S. Olympian renowned for her skating ability, also was honored in the Patty Kazmaier final three and the All-USCHO First Team.
Hawkins, who finished second among rookies in goals scored and third in points, was named the USCHO.com Rookie of the Year. A Manotick, Ont. native, Hawkins scored more than a quarter of the Huskies goals this year and came on strong down the stretch of the season to help lead UConn to its first-ever national ranking and appearance in the Hockey East championship game. Hawkins was also selected to the All-USCHO Rookie Team.
Stone, the USCHO.com Coach of the Year, in her 11th season at Harvard, helped guide a team that started just 7-6-1 in 2004 to an 18-0-2 mark in 2005, a second straight ECACHL title, and a third straight Frozen Four appearance despite graduating Patty Kazmaier winners in each of the previous two seasons.
Other awards are as follows:
The USCHO.com Most Improved Player Award goes to Minnesota-Duluth goaltender Riitta Schaublin. A native of Basel, Switz. Schaublin went 20-4-1 with a .942 save percentage (1st nationally) and 1.51 goals against average (3rd nationally) as a sophomore. Her goals against average was more than a goal better than her freshman year. She was also an USCHO.com Defensive Player of the Week winner a record three times and an All-USCHO First Team honoree.
The Sportsmanship Award goes to Minnesota-Duluth’s Caroline Ouellette. Despite figuring on more than 60 percent of her team’s goals and receiving constant attention from the opposition, Ouellete had just nine penalties all season, the fewest among the top nine scorers on UMD’s roster. In fact, Ouellette never cracked double-digits in penalties during a single season her college career. Ouellette, a Montreal native, was also an All-USCHO Second Team selection, the WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year and a selection for the Patty Kazmaier final three.
The Unsung Hero Award goes to Dartmouth forward Meagan Walton. The co-captain from Calgary, Alberta played through a broken finger throughout the last two months of the season to help lead the Big Green to the ECACHL final and a third straight Frozen Four appearance. Walton, Dartmouth’s fifth-leading scorer, was a defensive force and a challenge to move in front of the net despite taking just three penalties all season.
The Defensive Player of the Year is Wisconsin senior defenseman Carla MacLeod. The Calgary, Alb. captained a Badger team that was the most feared defensive unit in the WCHA and tied for the team lead with a +28 among blueliners. The Badgers ranked third nationally in scoring defense and surrendered just 25 total goals in 10 games against the NCAA’s top two seeds Minnesota and UMD during the regular season.
The Defensive Forward of the Year is Harvard junior Julie Chu. The Fairfield, Conn. native was the most enthusiastic backchecker on a Crimson team that gave up just 30 goals in 24 ECACHL games this year, including the conference tournament.
The three All-USCHO Teams and the All-USCHO Rookie Team are listed below. The No. 1 Gophers led all teams with two First Team Selections and four selection overall. All four conferences were represented on the Rookie Team.
All-USCHO First Team
F Nicole Corriero, Harvard, Sr. (Thornhill, Ont.)
F Natalie Darwitz, Minnesota, Jr. (Eagan, Minn.)
F Krissy Wendell, Minnesota, Jr. (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)
D Erin Duggan, Yale, Sr. (Beaumont, Alb.)
D Carla MacLeod, Wisconsin, Sr. (Calgary, Alb.)
G Riitta Schaublin, UMD, So. (Basel, Switz.)
All-USCHO Second Team
F Julie Chu, Harvard, Jr. (Fairfield, Conn.)
F Caroline Ouellette, UMD, Sr. (Montreal, Que.)
F Cherie Piper, Dartmouth, Jr. (Scarborough, Ont.)
D Ashley Banfield, Harvard, Sr. (Toronto, Ont.)
D Molly Engstrom, Wisconsin, Sr. (Siren, Wisc.)
G Desirae Clark, Mercyhurst, Sr. (Salmo, B.C.)
All-USCHO Third Team
F Tiffany Hagge, Dartmouth, Jr. (Coon Rapids, Mich.)
F Rebecca Russell, St. Lawrence, Sr. (Clarenville, Newfoundland)
F Katie Weatherston, Dartmouth, Jr. (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
D Julianne Vasichek, UMD, Sr., (Great Falls, Mont.)
D Lyndsay Wall, Minnesota, So. (Churchville, N.Y.)
G Jody Horak, Minnesota, Sr. (Blaine, Minn.)
All-USCHO Rookie Team
F Jaclyn Hawkins, Connecticut (Manotick, Ont.)
F Ashley Riggs, Niagara (Pickering, Ont.)
F Sarah Vaillancourt, Harvard (Sherbrooke, Que.)
D Rachael Drazan, UMD (Orona, Minn.)
D Helen Resor, Yale (Greenwich, Conn.)
G Laura Hosier, Mercyhurst (Sharon, Ont.)
