November 25, 2009

MADISON, Wis. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association today announced the women’s players of the week for Nov. 25-30, 2009. They are Minnesota State University, Mankato forward Ashley Young on offense, St. Cloud State University goaltender Ashley Nixon on defense, and University of Minnesota defenseman Megan Bozek as rookie.

WCHA Offensive Player of the Week

Ashley Young, Sr., F, Minnesota State

Minnesota State University forward Ashley Young, a sophomore from South Saint Paul, Minn., finished the Nov. 21-22 weekend with two key points, both in last Saturday night’s 3-2 conference road win over Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival and No. 5-ranked Minnesota Duluth.

Young earned her first point of the game on Kala Buganski’s game-tying goal at 15:34 of the second period. Young later buried the game-winner for the visiting Mavericks at 19:26 of the third period – with only :34 seconds left in the game.

Through 12 games played this season, Young currently owns a team-high 12 points on four goals and eight assists. Over her four-year Minnesota State career, she has 64 points in 100 games played.

Also nominated for the award this week were: Erin Cody, F, BSU; Kelli Blankenship, F, UM; Melissa Feste, F, OSU; and Brooke Ammerman, F, UW.

WCHA Defensive Player of the Week

Ashley Nixon, Jr., G, St. Cloud State

St. Cloud State University goaltender Ashley Nixon, a junior from Blaine, Minn., was sensational in net against the No. 6-ranked Wisconsin Badgers, stopping 93-of-97 shots on goal to gain the Huskies a series split last weekend in the National Hockey Center.

Nixon, who earned First Star of the Game honors on both Nov. 20 and 21, had a series saves percentage of .959, posted three shutout periods and blanked Wisconsin on all seven of it’s power-play chances.

She made 54 saves last Saturday afternoon, including 21 in the second period and 23 in the third, to lead the host Huskies to a 4-2 win over the Badgers.

Last Friday afternoon, she stopped 39 of 41 shots on goal as SCSU suffered a one-goal, 2-1 defeat vs UW.

On the season, Nixon owns a 4-5-0 record overall, a 2.88 goals-against average, and a .921 saves percentage.

Also nominated for the award this week were: Zuzana Tomcikova, G, BSU; Jaime Rasmussen, D, UMD; and Alli Altmann, G, MSU.

WCHA Rookie of the Week

Megan Bozek, Fr., D, Minnesota

The University of Minnesota’s Megan Bozek, a freshman defenseman from Buffalo Grove, Ill., led the Gopher scoring charge in the their WCHA series sweep over visiting Bemidji State last weekend. She scored a goal and three assists.

Last Friday (Nov. 20), Bozek tallied an assist on the third period game-winning goal and held a +2 plus-minus rating in Minnesota’s 4-2 win over the Beavers.

Last Saturday (Nov. 21) was a career night for the rookie blueliner, as she contributed on all three goals in the Golden Gophers’ 3-2 victory over BSU. Bozek scored her first collegiate goal, unassisted, on the power-play at 13:27 of the first period to tie the game at 1-1. She later set up Emily West’s game-winning, power-play goal at 5:23 in the second period to give UM a 2-1 lead and then assisted on Terra Rasmussen’s insurance goal at 18:39 in the third for the win.

A member of the Gopher penalty-kill unit, Bozek also helped hold the Beavers scoreless in nine power-play attempts. She had eight shots and a +2 rating on the weekend.

Also nominated for the award this week were: Sadie Lundquist, F, BSU; Vanessa Thibault, F, UMD; Lauren Smith, F, MSU; and Brianna Decker, F, UW.