NEWHA Releases 2025-26 Major Awards, All-League Teams
WINTHROP, Mass. – The New England Women's Hockey Alliance announced its major end-of-season award recipients on Thursday morning, along with the All-NEWHA team members.
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 2025-26 campaign.
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. Six first-year student-athletes were voted to the All-Rookie Team, while the All-Sportswomanship Team nominees were selected by each of the league's head coaches.
Thursday's announcement marks the seventh All-League team released by the NEWHA since its formation in 2017.
Major Award Winners
Player of the Year: Brooklyn Schneiderhan, Saint Anselm
After leading the conference in goals (22) and total points (45), Schneiderhan was selected as the league's Player of the Year. She added 23 assists to rank among the top three in that category. Her five shorthanded goals lead the nation, and she also recorded four game-winning goals and three power-play tallies. Schneiderhan's 25 goals and 48 points rank as the second-highest single-season totals by a NEWHA student-athlete, trailing only Sacred Heart's Taylor Moreland, who recorded 30 goals and 66 points during the league's inaugural season in 2017-18. A three-time Player of the Week and two-time Player of the Month selection, Schneiderhan delivered steady production and proved to be one of the most difficult players to contain all season.
Defensive Player of the Year: Justina Valentini, Assumption
Valentini was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year after recording a conference-best 28 points (4g, 24a) among defenders. Her 24 assists ranked second overall in the conference, and she finished with a +13 rating while putting 119 shots on goal, the most of any defender in the NEWHA. A staple on both special teams units, Valentini skated on the league's top-rated power play and penalty kill and earned NEWHA Defender of the Week honors three times during the season.
Goaltender of the Year: Jill Hertl, Franklin Pierce
Hertl earned Goaltender of the Year honors after leading the league in save percentage (.951), goals-against average (1.85) and shutouts (4), while finishing tied for first nationally in save percentage. She went 14-7-2, allowing just 44 goals and making 851 saves on the year. Hertl recorded two 50-plus save performances, including a 50-save effort against Saint Anselm (Feb. 20, 2026) and a season-high 56 saves at Assumption (Jan. 24, 2026). She also added three assists during the season.
Rookie of the Year: Addison Andre, Franklin Pierce
Andre made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, finishing with 23 points (13g, 10a) to lead all NEWHA rookies in points, goals, and shots (86). She tied for first on Franklin Pierce in goals, ranked third in total points, and posted a +13 rating, fifth-best in the league.
Coach of the Year: David Stockdale, Franklin Pierce
David Stockdale guided Franklin Pierce to a first-place finish in the NEWHA with an 18-8-2 league record and a 19-11-2 overall mark, earning the program's first regular season title since 2021-22 and just the second in school history. Stockdale's team now looks to secure only its first NCAA Tournament berth via the league's automatic qualifier.
A complete roster of All-NEWHA selections reads as follows:
First Team
Brooklyn Schneiderhan | Saint Anselm | Sr. | F | Helena, Mont. / Helena
Kayla McGaffigan | Assumption | Jr. | F | South Dennis, Mass. / Tabor Academy
Grace Babington | Long Island | Jr. | F | Hanscom AFB, Mass. / Bedford
Justina Valentini | Assumption | Jr. | D | Minnetonka, Minn. / Holy Family
Maggie Korneta | Franklin Pierce | Sr. | D | Naperville, Ill.
Jill Hertl | Franklin Pierce | Sr. | G | Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park
Second Team
Caleigh Murphy | Franklin Pierce | So. | F | Bella Harbor, N.Y. / Millbrook
Ava McGaffigan | Assumption | Jr. | F | South Dennis, Mass. / Tabor Academy
Maddi Achtyl | Stonehill | Sr. | F | Lancaster, N.Y. / Shattuck St. Mary's
Reagan Whynot | Stonehill | So. | D | Perth, Ontario / St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic
Addison Robillard | LLU| Fr. | D | Pembroke, Ontario / Bishop Smith
Hannah Saunders | Post | Sr. | G | Ottawa, Ontario / Ashbury College
All-Rookie Team
Addison Andre | Franklin Pierce | Fr. | F | South St. Paul, Minn. / Roseville Area
Natalie Joiner | Assumption | Fr. | F | White Lake, Mich. / Lakeland
Summer Combe | Stonehill | Fr. | F | York, Maine / Kimball Union Academy
Melanie Targosz | Franklin Pierce | Fr. | D | Livonia, Mich. / Livonia Churchill
Addison Robillard | LIU | Fr. | D | Pembroke, Ontario / Bishop Smith
Kayla Czukoski | Saint Anselm | Fr. | G | Exton, Pa. / B. Reed Henderson
All-Sportswomanship Team
Annabel Ziskin | Assumption | Gr. | D | Smithtown, N.Y. / William Smith
Ashley Wright | Franklin Pierce | Jr. | D | Milford, Conn. / The Taft School
Ryane Kearns | LIU | Sr. | F | Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake
Maddy Noonan | Post | Sr. | F | Calgary, Alberta / Sodertalje SK
Ella Dahl | Sacred Heart | Sr. | F | Viroqua, Wis. / North American Hockey Academy
Sydney Merritt | Saint Anselm | Sr. | F | San Jose, Calif. / Dallas Stars Elite
Elisabeth Gerebi | Saint Michael's | Sr. | F | Victoria, Minn. / Chanhassen
Makenna Slocum | Stonehill | Jr. | F | Ajax, Ontario / Ajax
ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND WOMEN'S HOCKEY ALLIANCE
Founded in 2017, the New England Women's Hockey Alliance is comprised of three NCAA Division I institutions and five NCAA Division II institutions. Members of the NEWHA include Assumption University, Franklin Pierce University, Long Island University, Post University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Anselm College, Saint Michael's College, and Stonehill College.
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