NEWHA releases major end-of-season awards, All-League teams

WINTHROP, Mass. – The New England Women's Hockey Alliance announced its major end-of-season awards on Friday and also unveiled its All-NEWHA teams.

Nominated and voted on by the league's coaches, student-athletes from the seven member institutions were honored for their accomplishments on the ice during the 2022-23 campaign.

PDF: 2022-23 All-New England Women's Hockey Alliance Women's Ice Hockey Teams

In addition to the two All-NEWHA squads revealed on Tuesday, the league's All-Rookie Team was selected as well as the All-Sportswomanship Team. Six first-year student-athletes (regardless of position) were voted to the All-Rookie Team while the All-Sportswomanship Team nominees were furnished by each of the league's Head Coaches.

Friday's announcement is the fifth All-League team released by the NEWHA, the newest NCAA Division I league for women's ice hockey, since its formation in 2017. The soon-to-be eight team league was granted official NCAA Division I status in August 2019 and the postseason champion will earn an automatic berth in the National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Championship.

Saint Anselm's Kelly Golini was named NEWHA Player of the Year and LIU's Paula Bergström was tabbed as the league's Defender of the Year. Golini becomes the first from Saint Anselm to collect Player of the Year since Katy Meehan in 2019.

LIU's Tindra Holm was issued the NEWHA Goaltender of the Year award, giving LIU their first two major postseason award winners. Alexis Petford from Stonehill was selected as the league's Rookie of the Year recipient, finishing alongside Golini as the regular-season point-scoring champion.

Head Coach Tara Watchorn from Stonehill was hired to start the Skyhawks women's ice hockey program from scratch in May 2021. In the team's first season of varsity competition, Stonehill earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming NEWHA postseason, compiling a 14-9-1 record in league play and mentored the league's Rookie of the Year in Petford.

Tying for the league lead in point scoring (17-24=41), Golini leads all NEWHA student-athletes in assists (24) while ranking fourth in the league with 17 goals to her credit. With 453 face-off victories in 2022-23, Golini ranks second in all of National Collegiate women's ice hockey and her 36 points against NEWHA opponents is the league-leader in that metric.

On defense, Bergström helped the Sharks to a league-leading seven shutouts and her team's goals-against average of 2.33 ranks second in the NEWHA. The three-time NEWHA Defensive Player of the Week selection led the Sharks with 30 blocked shots and chipped in offensively with three goals and 12 assists for 15 points (3-12=15).

The league-leader in goals-against average (1.879), Holm picked up 13 wins in net for the Sharks and produced the top save percentage (0.937) in the NEWHA. Against conference opponents, her goals-against average shrunk to just 1.31 and she was defeated in just three of her 18 games versus NEWHA opponents.

Petford scored a league-leading 25 goals for Stonehill, tying for the NEWHA lead with 41 points (25-16=41). Averaging 1.21 points per game to rank second among National Collegiate first-year performers, Petford's 0.74 goals per game is second in the nation, trailing only the reigning Patty Kazmaier Award recipient, Taylor Heise from Minnesota. Her on-ice rating of plus-26 led the league by three whole goals.

A complete roster of All-NEWHA selections reads as follows.

First Team
Tindra Holm, LIU - So. - G - Skellefteå, Sweden / Nolaskolan
Paula Bergström, LIU - Jr. - D - Örnsköldsvik, Sweden / Nolaskolan
Stefanie Caban, Franklin Pierce - Sr. - D - Fitchburg, Mass. / The Winchendon School
Kelly Golini, Saint Anselm - Gr. - F - Tewksbury, Mass. / Boston Junior Shamrocks
Alexis Petford, Stonehill - Fr. - F - Balgonie, Saskatchewan, Canada / Regina Rebels
Jeannie Wallner, LIU - So. - F - Kings Park, N.Y. / Millbrook School

Second Team
Carissa Mudrak, Saint Michael's - Jr. - G - Duluth, Minn. / Gentry Academy
Maeve Carey, Stonehill - Fr. - D - Gloucester, Mass. / Islanders U19 Tier 1
Gabrielle Huson, Saint Anselm - Sr. - D - Edina, Minn. / Gentry Academy
Kelly Solak, Sacred Heart - Gr. - D - Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Belle Tire
Delani MacKay, Sacred Heart - Gr. - F - Brookfield, Wis. / Colgate
Natalie Tulchinsky, Saint Anselm - Jr. - F - Clifton Park, N.Y. / Boston Col.
Tyra Turner, Saint Anselm - So. - F - Andover, Minn. / Andover Huskies
Carrigan Umpherville, LIU - Sr. - F - Cross Lake, Manitoba, Canada / Pilot Mound Collegiate

All-Rookie Team
Avery Farrell, Franklin Pierce - Fr. - F - Otsego, Minn. / Rogers H.S.
Jill Hertl, Franklin Pierce - Fr. - G - Highland Park, Ill. / Chicago Young Americans
Madeleine Noonan, Post - Fr. - F - Calgary, Alberta, Canada / Södertälje SK
Brooklyn Pancoast, Saint Anselm - Fr. - F - Helena, Mont. / Helena H.S.
Alexis Petford, Stonehill - Fr. - F - Balgonie, Saskatchewan, Canada / Regina Rebels
Sydney Russell, Stonehill - Fr. - D - Nashville, Tenn. / Nashville Jr. Predators

All-Sportswomanship Team
Jenna Abeyta, Post - Sr. - F - Aurora, Colo. / Team Colorado
Gabrielle Huson, Saint Anselm - Sr. - D - Edina, Minn. / Gentry Academy
Natalie Kennedy, Sacred Heart - Sr. - F - Ridgefield, Conn. / Brewster Lady Bulldogs
Ava Kison, Franklin Pierce - Sr. - F - Eau Claire, Wis. / Team Wisconsin
Jordan Lettiere, Saint Michael's - Sr. - F - Belmont, Mass. / Belmont H.S.
Sarah Rourke, LIU - Jr. - F - Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada / Shawnigan Lake
Brianna Walkom, Stonehill - Fr. - F - Moon Township, Pa. / Pittsburgh Penguins Elite