Eastern Collegiate Hockey Alliance Announces Major Award and All-Conference Honorees

Worcester State University graduate-student forward, Katie Puumala (Framingham, MA) earned Player of the Year honors after amassing a league best, twenty-one points on eleven goals and ten assists in ECHA play. Puumala led the ECHA in both goals and points on the 2023-24 season, including the game-tying goal in Sunday’s Championship victory over Rivier University. 

Anna Maria’s graduate-student goaltender, Sam Dahill (Littleton, MA) was tabbed Goaltender of the Year for the second consecutive season after registering a league-best 441 saves. Dahill boasted a .961 save percentage and a 1.89 goals against average during ECHA play. Dahill also helped guide Anna Maria to a program-best record in her final season with the AMCATS. 

Worcester’s first-year defender, Fiona Hatton (Homer, AK) was named Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies in points (10) and assists (8) during ECHA play. The first-year blueliner also scored the Lancers overtime game-winning goal in Sunday’s Championship win over Rivier University. Hatton was tied for most points by a defender during ECHA play over the season.

To finalize the 2023-24 Major Awards, Worcester State University’s head coach, Eliza Kelley was named Coach of the Year after leading the Lancers to their third consecutive Eastern Collegiate Hockey Alliance Championship. The Lancers went 11-2-1 during ECHA play this season. 

Worcester’s graduate forwards, Katie Puumala and Cassidhe Wozniak (Turners Falls, MA) and Anna Maria senior Jordyn Bleaney (Nanoose Bay, BC) were named first-team forward selections. Wozniak ranked second in the ECHA in points (19) and goals (10), and recorded twenty-nine points on the season overall. Bleaney registered twelve points in ECHA play on five goals and seven assts. Worcester’s sophomore defender, Lea Gaspar (Chelmsford, MA) and Rivier University sophomore defender, Molly Dukesherer (Richland, MI) were also named first-team selections. Gaspar led the ECHA for assists by a defender with nine and Dukesherer was tied for second for goals by a defender in ECHA play. Sam Dahill rounded out the first-team goaltender selection. 

MCLA’s junior forward, Alexandrea Bednar (Vita, MB) was named an ECHA second-team selection after leading the Trailblazers in points during ECHA play. Bednar totaled six goals and nine assists on the season. Rivier junior forward, Paige Anger (Nashua, NH) and Worcester senior forward, Ellen Cook (Beckett, MA) were also named second-team forwards. Anger registered ten points on the season while Cook led the ECHA in assists (16). Second-team defender selections landed with the AMCAT duo of sophomore, Tessa Henry (Media, PA) and junior, Julia Ballinger (Newport, VT). Henry was first for defenders in goals during ECHA play with five, while Ballinger was fourth for defensive assists. Rivier University junior goaltender, Rachel Hinkley (Swedesboro, NJ) was named a second-team selection after registering a league-best save percentage of .969 over six ECHA starts. 

The All-Rookie forwards were MCLA’s Rebekah Ade (Yucca Valley, CA), Worcester’s Maddy Franta (Superior, WI) and Rivier’s Tia Picardi (Saugus, MA). Ade was third among trailblazers in points, while Franta’s four goals during ECHA play was first-among rookies and Picardi’s six ECHA points was tied for second among rookies. The All-Rookie defensive selections were Worcester’s Rookie of the Year, Fiona Hatton, and MCLA’s Natasha Lozowchuk (Canmore, AB). Lozowchuk was second for the Trailblazers in ECHA points. Worcester’s, Lana Pacific (Marlborough, MA) was named the All-Rookie goaltender after posting a league-best goals against average of .79 over five ECHA starts.