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 eight member institutions were honored for their accomplishments on the ice during the 2023-24 campaign.
PDF: 2023-24 All-New England Women's Hockey Alliance Women's Ice Hockey Teams
In addition to the two All-NEWHA squads revealed on Friday, the league's All-Rookie Team was selected as well as the All-Sportswomanship Team. Seven 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 sixth All-League team released by the NEWHA, the newest NCAA Division I league for women's ice hockey, since its formation in 2017. The 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 Natalie Tulchinsky was named NEWHA Player of the Year while LIU's Bri Eid was voted Defensive Player of the Year. Tulchinski joins former Hawks Kelly Golini and Katy Meehan in securing the league's top honor. Eid makes it back-to-back Sharks to take home the league's top blueliner award, following Paula Bergström's win in 2023.
LIU's Tindra Holm becomes the first back-to-back winner of the Goaltender of the Year award after helping lead the Sharks to a school-record 26 wins. Isabella Chaput of Sacred Heart took home the league's top newcomer award, joining former Pioneer Anna Klein who won the award in 2019.
Head Coach Kelly Nash, now in her second season on the bench for the Sharks, was recognized by her colleagues as the league's Coach of the Year. Nash led the Sharks to a 26-8-0 overall mark and a 26-2 record in league play, earning the regular season championship and the top spot in the upcoming NEWHA Tournament.
Tulchinsky claimed the league's Player of the Year honors and was a NEWHA First Team selection after leading the alliance in points (39), points per game (1.18), assists (22), points in conference play (35) and assists in conference play (20). The third student-athlete from Saint Anselm to be honored with the Player of the Year accolade, Tulchinsky needs just one more point to become the first student-athlete in team history with multiple 40-point campaigns to her credit. In 116 games between Boston College and Saint Anselm, she has scored 40 goals with 48 assists for 88 points (40-48=88).
Eid and Holm helped anchor a LIU defense that helped lead the team to a program-record 26 victories. The Sharks posted six shutouts on the season and have twice posted 12-game win streaks including an active streak heading into the postseason. Eid led all blueliners in assists (17) and points (19) and finished the regular season with a plus-15 on-ice rating, best amongst league defenders. Holm becomes the first back-to-back Goaltender of the Year in association history, logging more minutes in net (1750:55) than anyone in the league. Holm is also a semifinalist for the Hockey Commissioners Association Women's Goaltender of the Year.
Chaput appeared in 36 games for the Pioneers and led the league's newcomers class with 19 points (12-7=19). She posted a plus-10 on ice rating in league play registered four game-winning goals (t-4th) and notched four multi-point performances including a hat trick on Oct. 27 against Saint Anselm.
A complete roster of All-NEWHA selections reads as follows.
First Team
Name - School - Year - Position - Hometown / Previous Team
Alexis Petford - Stonehill - So. - F - Balgonie, Saskatchewan / Greenall High School
Natalie Tulchinsky - Saint Anselm - Sr. - F - Clifton Park, N.Y. / St. Paul's School / Boston College
Jeannie Wallner - LIU - Jr. - F - Kings Park, N.Y. / Millbrook School
Bri Eid - LIU - Jr. - D - Belle River, Ont. / St. Anne's Catholic
Maggie Korneta - Franklin Pierce - So - D - Naperville, Ill. / LIU
Tindra Holm - LIU - Jr. - G - Skellefteå, Sweden Nolaskolan -
Second Team
Name - School - Year - Position - Hometown / Previous Team
Audrey Jackson - Saint Anselm - Jr. - F - Shoreview, Minn. / Gentry Academy
Mikayla Kelley - Franklin Pierce - Jr. - F - Eagan, Minn. / Eastview
Mikayla Lantto - LIU - Sr. - F - Wasilla, Alaska / Clawson / Penn State
Brinna Martin - Saint Anselm - Sr. - D - St. Michael, Minn. / North Wright County
Savannah Popick - Saint Anselm - Sr. - D - South Windsor, Conn. / The Gunnery School
Jillian Petruno - Sacred Heart - So. - G - Wixom, Mich. / Belle Tire
All-Rookie Team
Name - School - Year - Position - Hometown / Previous Team
Grace Babington - LIU - Fr. - F - Hanscom AFB, Mass. / Bedford
Jenna Chaplain - Assumption - Fr. - F - Peabody, Mass. / St. Mary's
Isabella Chaput - Sacred Heart - Fr. - F - Wixom, Mich. / Mercy High School
Pusle Dyring-Andersen - Stonehill - Fr. - D - Stockholm, Sweden / Flex School
Alexa Hanrahan - Assumption - Fr. - F - Maple Grove, Minn. / Gentry Academy
Lauren Maras - Franklin Pierce - Fr. - F - Alexandria, Minn. / Alexandria
Courtney Stagman - Saint Anselm - Fr. - G - Andover, Minn. / Minnesota Whitecaps
All-Sportswomanship Team
Name - School - Year - Position - Hometown / Previous Team
Delaney Bonifacio - Franklin Pierce - Sr. - D - Traverse City, Mich. / LIU
Grace Glasrud - Post - Sr. - G - Delano, Minn. / Delano
Mary Leys - Saint Michael's - Sr. - F - Newport, R.I. / Saint George's School
Kayla McGaffigan - Assumption - Fr. - F - South Dennis, Mass. / Tabor Academy
Samantha Ostrowski - Sacred Heart - Sr. - F - South Windsor, Conn. / South Windsor
Savannah Popick - Saint Anselm - Sr. - D - South Windsor, Conn. / The Gunnery School
Sarah Rourke - LIU - Sr. - F - Shawnigan Lake, B.C. / Shawnigan Lake
Hannah Squires - - Stonehill - So. - D - Mattapoisett, Mass. / Lawrence Academy