March 2, 2005

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MADISON, Wisc. - The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) announced its 2004-05 award winners tonight at the annual WCHA Women's Awards Banquet at the Radisson Metrodome.

Minnesota's Natalie Darwitz captured the 2004-05 WCHA Scoring title as she led the league with 72 points. Darwitz ranked third in the league with 27 goals and led the league with 45 assists in 28 league games. She also ranked first in the WCHA with 35 power play points and 27 power play assists and tied for the league lead with seven game-winning goals. Darwitz is also a top 10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award which is presented to the top women's collegiate hockey player in the nation.

Minnesota's Jody Horak earned the 2004-05 WCHA Goaltending Award as she led the league with a 0.89 goals against average. Horak also led the league with a 16-1-2 record on the season and owned a league-best .952 save percentage

For the second straight year, Wisconsin's Molly Engstrom was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year. The senior defenseman from Siren, Wis., tied for third among league defensemen in scoring with 21 points. She also ranked second among blueliners with nine goals. Engstrom was ranked among the top 20 in scoring and assists. The Badgers defense ranked third in the league with 1.57 goals allowed per game.

Minnesota's Bobbi Ross was selected as the 2004-05 WCHA Rookie of the Year. A freshman forward from Verwood, Saskatchewan, Ross led all freshmen in scoring with 24 points. She also ranked first among rookies with 14 assists and second in goals with 10. Ross finished ranked in the top 10 in the league in goals scored.

2004-05 All-WCHA First Team

Minnesota Duluth senior forward Caroline Ouellette was named the 2004-05 WCHA Scholar-Athlete. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Ouellette led the league with 28 goals and ranked third in scoring, totalling 66 points. Third in assists with 38, Ouellette tied Darwitz with seven game-winning goals. She also ranks fourth nationally in scoring with 69 points coming on 29 goals and 40 assists. Ouellette also excells in the classroom where she is on pace to graduate cum laude with a double major in Criminology and Women's Studies. She is active in the community as a youth coach while also completing an internship in law enforcement. Ouellette is also a top 10 finalist for the Kazmaier Award.

Minnesota's Krissy Wendell repeated as the 2004-05 WCHA Player of the Year. Wendell, a junior from Brooklyn Park, Minn., was second behind Darwitz in scoring with 67 points and tied for second in goals with 27. Wendell as second in the league in assists with 40, fourth in power play points with 25, tied for fifth with nine power play goals and ranked first with eight short handed points. She had five short-handed goals to tie with Darwitz for the league lead and added five game-winning goals. Wendell is also a top 10 finalist for the Kazmaier Award

Minnesota's Laura Halldorson was named the 2004-05 WCHA Coach of the Year. Halldorson led her squad to a 25-1-2 league mark and a record 52 points. Overall, Minnesota was 30-2-2, marking its second-straight 30-plus win season. Under Halldorson, the Golden Gophers were unbeaten in 24 consecutive league games. Minnesota has also sat atop both national polls all season.

The conference head coaches and sports information directors vote for the WCHA award winners. The WCHA Defensive Player of the Year Award was chosen solely by the head coaches, while the WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year was selected by the institutional faculty representatives.

2004-05 All-WCHA First Team
Position Name School Year Hometown Forward Krissy Wendell Minnesota Jr. Brooklyn Park, Minn. Forward Caroline Ouellette Minnesota Duluth Sr. Edina, Minn. Forward Natalie Darwitz Minnesota Jr. Eagan, Minn. Defense Molly Engstrom Wisconsin Sr. Siren, Wis. Defense Lyndsay Wall Minnesota Fr. Churchville, N.Y. Goaltender Riitta Schaublin Minnesota Duluth So. Basel, Switzerland

2004-05 All-WCHA Second Team
Position Name School Year Hometown Forward Kelly Stephens Minnesota Sr. Shoreline, Wash. Forward Sara Bauer Wisconsin So. St. Catherines, Ontario Forward Noemie Marin Minnesota Duluth So. St. Myacinthe, Quebec Defense Carla MacLeod Wisconsin Sr. Calgary, Alberta Defense Julianne Vashichek Minnesota Duluth Sr. Great Falls, Mont. Goaltender Jody Horak Minnesota Sr. Blaine, Minn.

2004-05 All-WCHA Rookie Team
Position Name School Hometown Forward Bobbi Ross Minnesota Verwood, Saskatchewan Forward Jinelle Zaugg Wisconsin Eagle River, Wis. Forward Cami Wooster North Dakota Salvador, Saskatchewan Defense Rachael Drazan Minnesota Duluth Orono, Minn. Defense Kerri Wallace Minnesota State Rocky Mountain House, Alberta Goaltender Emily Brookshaw Bemidji State Webster, Wis.

2004-05 WCHA Scoring Champion
Natalie Darwitz, Minnesota

2004-05 WCHA Goaltending Champion
Jody Horak, Minnesota

2004-05 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
Molly Engstrom, Wisconsin

2004-05 WCHA Rookie of the Year
Bobbi Ross, Minnesota

2004-05 WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year
Caroline Ouellette, Minnesota Duluth

2004-05 WCHA Player of the Year
Krissy Wendell, Minnesota

2004-05 WCHA Coach of the Year
Laura Halldorson, Minnesota

2004-05 WCHA All-Academic Team
To earn a position on the WCHA ll-Academic Team, each player must meet the following criteria: 1) Must have completed at least one year of eligibility at present institution, prior to current academic year; 2) Have a grade-point average of at least 3.0 for the two previous semesters or three quarters; 3) Have competed in at least one-half of her institution's varsity intercollegiate ice hockey games during the current season (goaltenders must have played in 33 percent of all games).

Bemidji State University (6)
Laura Lankton, Jr., D, Houghton, Mich.; Jill Luebke, Jr., G, Neenah, Wis.; Asley Medori, Sr., D, Onoway, Alberta; Kate Robinson, So., F, Shanty Bay, Ontario; Jenny Schnickel, Sr., D, Coon Rapids, Minn.; Nina Ziegenhals, So., D, Sankt Augustin, Germany

University of Minnesota Duluth (9)
Jessica Koizumi, So., F, Simi Valley, Calif.; Noemie Marin, So., F, St. Myacinthe, Quebec ; Caroline Ouellette, Sr., F, Montreal, Quebec; Jill Sales, So., D, Edmonton, Alberta; Riita Schaublin, So, G, Basel, Switzerland; Megan Stotts, Sr., F, Duluth, Minn.; Nora Tallus, Sr., F, Kerava, Finland; Suvi Vacker, So., D, Jyvaskyla, Finland; Julianne Vasichek, Sr., D, Great Falls, Mont.

University of Minnesota Twin Cities (11)
Chelsey Brodt, Jr., D, Roseville, Minn.; Natalie Darwitz, Jr., F, Eagan, Minn.; Krista Johnson, Jr., D, Blaine, Minn.; Andrea Nichols, So., F, Mt. Iron, Minn.; Brenda Reinen, Sr., G, Sun Prairie, Wis.; Allsion Sanchez, Jr., D, St. Paul, Minn.; Margaret Souba, So., F/D, Moorhead, Minn.; Kelly Stephens, Sr., F, Shoreline, Wash., Noelle Sutton, Sr., F, Maple Grove, Minn.; Stacy Troumbly. Sr., F, Bovey, Minn.; Krissy Wendell, Jr., F, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Minnesota State University Mankato (6)
Laura Brennan, So., G, White Bear Lake, Minn.; Megan Jedinak, So., D, Fridley, Minn.; Jennifer Jonsson, Jr., D, Oakview, Minn.; Lindsay McCulloch, Sr., D, Toronto, Ontario; Amber Sharratt, Jr., D, Ramsey, Minn.; Richelle St. Croix, So., D, Winnipeg, Manitoba

University of North Dakota (8)
Devon Fingland, Jr., D, Lundar, Manitoba; Marissa Hangsleben, Sr., F, Grand Forks, N.D.; Meghan Hopps, So., F, Bemidji, Minn.; Meghan Mutrie, Jr., F, Calgary, Alberta; Anne Girtz, Jr., F, Shoreview, Minn.; Amber Hasbargen, Jr., G, Warroad, Minn.; Jessica Kovacevich, Jr., D, Anchorage, Alaska; Meaghan Nelson, Sr., D/F, Grand Forks, N.D.

The Ohio State University (6)
Amber Bowman, So., D, Innisfil, Ontario; Jeni Creary, Sr., F, Shell Lake, Saskatchewan; Katie Maroney, So., W/D, LaPorte, Ind.; Lacey Schultz, So., D, Kelvington, Saskatchewan; Erika Vanderveer, So., G, Bradford, Ontario; Melissa Glaser, Sr., G, Rockford, Ill.

St. Cloud State (5)
Bobbie Anderson, Sr., F, Whitecourt, Alberta; Tricia Fast, So., D, Calgary, Alberta; Randie Jelinski, Jr., D, Regina, Saskatchewan; Lauri St. Jacques, So., G, Sturgeon Falls, Ontario; Kari Turkowski, Sr., F, Cold Spring, Minn.

University of Wisconsin (9)
Sara Bauer, So., F, St. Catherines, Ontario; Nikki Burish, Jr., F, Madison, Wis., Sharon Cole, Jr., F, Bloomington, Minn.; Heidi Kletzien, So., F, Manitowoc, Wis.; Carla MacLeod, Sr., D, Calgary, Alberta; Lindsay Macy, So., F, Ellendale, Minn.; Meaghan Mikkelson, So., F, St. Albert, Alberta; Phoebe Monteleone, So., F, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Amy Vermeulen, Sr., F, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

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