Women's Ice Hockey

All-WIAC Women’s Ice Hockey Honorees Selected

Printable version of the 2020 All-WIAC Women's Ice Hockey Team

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Erin Connolly was tabbed the Player of the Year to lead the individuals chosen to the 2020 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Ice Hockey Team by the league coaches. In addition, UW-River Falls’ Brooke Walters received Newcomer of the Year recognition and UW-Eau Claire’s Erik Strand Coach of the Year honors.
 
Connolly secured first team honors for the fourth consecutive season and is the second Blugold to receive Player of the Year designation, joining Courtney Wittig (2019). She is the first four-time All-WIAC first team selection in program history. Connolly leads the conference with a 0.91 goals-against-average, 20 victories, nine shutouts and .950 save percentage, while ranking fourth with 414 saves. Her 20 wins are a program single-season record.
 
Walters recorded eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. A Newcomer of the Year is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s ice hockey this season.
 
Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago included: UW-Eau Claire’s Elizabeth Bauer; UW-River Falls’ Abigail Stow; UW-Stevens Point’s Alex Grubbs; and UW-Superior’s Kaleigh Martinson. Bauer and Martinson were also first team choices in 2018, while UW-River Falls’ Hailey Herdine was a first team pick in 2017.
 
Strand was selected the Coach of the Year for the second time in his career (2016) after leading the Blugolds to their first-ever WIAC regular-season championship. The 22 victories this season are a program record – surpassing the previous mark of 21 set a year ago. UW-Eau Claire also compiled a program-best 13-game unbeaten streak from Dec. 13, 2019 – Feb. 21, 2020.
 
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.
 
2020 All-WIAC Women’s Ice Hockey Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (Previous Team)
Elizabeth Bauer, Eau Claire, Senior, Forward, Wausau, Wis. (Central Wisconsin)
Jenna Byfuglien, Superior, Sophomore, Defenseman, Roseau, Minn. (Roseau HS)
Erin Connolly, Eau Claire, Senior, Goalie, Mequon, Wis. (Lakeshore HS)
Alex Grubbs, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, Minong, Wis. (Spooner HS)
Hailey Herdine, River Falls, Senior, Defenseman, Maple Grove, Minn. (Maple Grove HS)
Ella Ierino, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Defenseman, Duluth, Minn. (Duluth HS)
Kaleigh Martinson, Superior, Senior, Forward, Dayton, Minn. (Champlin Park HS)
Emma Peterson, Eau Claire, Junior, Forward, Superior, Wis. (Superior HS)
Erica Schramel, River Falls, Senior, Defenseman, Princeton, Minn. (Princeton HS)
Abigail Stow, River Falls, Sophomore, Forward, Eau Claire, Wis. (Memorial HS)
Gabby Suhr, Northland, Junior, Goalie, Kasson, Minn. (Dodge County HS)
Bella Wagner, River Falls, Senior, Forward, Zumbrota, Minn. (Zumbrota HS)
 
Honorable Mention
Amanda Abounader, Northland, Senior, Defenseman, Montreal, Quebec (Gilmour Academy)
Emma Berthiaume, Stevens Point, Junior, Defenseman, South Haven, Minn. (Hutchinson HS)
Callie Hoff, River Falls, Junior, Forward, Hermantown, Minn. (Proctor-Hermantown HS)
Karadyn Kiviaho, Northland, Sophomore, Forward, Thunder Bay, Ontario (HTI)
Sami Meister, Eau Claire, Senior, Defenseman, Plymouth, Minn. (Wayzata HS)
Sami Miller, River Falls, Sophomore, Goalie, Blaine, Minn. (Spring Lake Park HS)
Bree Osborne, Eau Claire, Junior, Defenseman, West St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin Derham Hall HS)
Olivia Schultz, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Goalie, Maplewood, Minn. (Tartan HS)
Amanda Sergent, Superior, Junior, Forward, Eagle River, Minn. (Northland Pines HS)
Molly Shelton, Superior, Senior, Forward, Pine Island, Minn. (Pine Island HS)
McKenzie Whalen, Superior, Sophomore, Goalie, East Grand Forks, Minn. (East Grand Forks HS)
Hanna Zavoral, Eau Claire, Junior, Forward, St. Paul, Minn. (St. Paul HS)
 
All-Sportsmanship Team
Bridget Allex, Northland, Junior, Defenseman, Watford City, N.D. (Watford City HS)
Emily Bauer, Eau Claire, Senior, Forward, Wausau, Wis. (Madison U16)
C.C. Hayes, Superior, Sophomore, Forward, Fort Frances, Ontario (Fort Frances HS)
Marit Larson, Stevens Point, Senior, Goalie, Oakdale, Minn. (North St. Paul HS)
Julia Stelljes, River Falls, Senior, Defenseman, Maple Grove, Minn. (Benilde-St. Margaret’s HS)
 
Player of the Year:  Erin Connolly of Eau Claire
Newcomer of the Year:  Brooke Walters of River Falls
Coach of the Year:  Erik Strand of Eau Claire
 
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