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D1 Rookie of the Year


#2 -- Sarah Berkley, UD

Sarah has proven herself since day 1. She is a large imposing force on defense that will stop any forwards trying to drive to our net.

Sarah leads Delaware in plus/minus, and she is one of the top point contributors for the season. 

Sarah’s efforts do not stop when
we leave the ice. She has proven herself a leader from the start and has helped motivate our team to some great wins.


#28 -- Jesse Creedy Powers, AU

Jesse 1st move was a huge mistake: volunteering for defense. :) 1 of only 3 blueliners, she became the ONE and ONLY defensmen when the other two went abroad. 

Newer to the position but dedicated & strong on skates, Jesse rose to the challenge, going from "new face" to "absolutely indespensible," almost overnight.  She never missed a game, never blinked, she just took the ice, shift after shift, defending us against tough opponents, improving miles at a time. 

Off the ice, Jesse proved a true teammate.  Taking extra opportunities to learn, making practices & long drives fun, she even became a team President when our leaders went abroad.  Even now Jesse is running a fundrasier, AFTER the season -- despite the fact that she's graduating. 

Jesse is the real deal.  Brave enough to be the ONLY defensemen on a team she just joined.  Caring enough to lead & watch over that whole squad after 1 short semester.  Talented enough to become a top-level player in short order.  We can't imagine what the year would have been without this smiling, protective friend, gracefully shooing away attacks and pulling our team together.


#15 -- Emily Crooker, VU

Emily, Freshman, made an immediate impact on the team as soon as she played her first game with us. She was always relied upon  to make a big play when needed and was a great defender in shorthanded situations.

Her breakout game came in our first win against Navy when her tough back checking and grit in the forecheck was very noticeable. All that hard work ended up paying off when she was asked to play in the final shift against Navy's best specifically for her defensive minded attitude, she also ended up scoring her first goal of her collegiate career on the same shift. 


Emily was there to step up whenever I asked her to, not only on offense, but on defense as well. There was also one practice where she volunteered to tryout as goalie for an upcoming game.

Emily's versatility, hard work, and great personality makes her a player I am lucky to have on my team for the next three years. I believe that after our seniors graduate this year, Emily and a few others will be the key to our success and the future looks very bright. I nominate Emily for the 2011-2012 Rookie Of The Year Award. 


#13 -- Sara Dibernardo, UMD

Sara Dibernardo, #13, came to the Terps for the beginning of the spring semester but halfway through her first time on the ice with the team it was as if she had been with us the whole time.

She worked hard to transition flawlessly into the team and learn the systems we ran in time for our first spring games, just two practices into the semester. Her on-ice play left opposing teams baffled as to where this star defense had come from.

Not only did she light up as an offensive player, scoring several goals in playoffs and two post-season games against Navy, but she also established herself as a strong defensive player in our own zone.

Sara accomplished in half a semester what most freshmen can't do in a whole season and made a name for herself as a strong player and a leader on the ice for the Terps. 
 


#10 -- Elizabeth Hall, WCU

Of course, when a person comes into a new atmosphere, what is natural is to feel a bit nervous and shy within meeting a new team, but what makes these nerves release themselves from the person is to present yourself in a welcoming manner.   This is exactly what newly freshmen from lower merion High, Liz Hall did within entering the team.

Being the new player on the team did not defer her from making a presence for herself. She took pride in everything that was presented to her, which consisted of making new friends, learning new systems, and understanding the game at the next level. Recalling every moment as a learning experience, Liz was able to adapt to the team, and give back as much as she possible could.

Playing as a forward, Liz was quick to skate hard to the boards for a new breakout, was bright to take a coaches remarks and shift them into the right actions on the ice, and poise to take on a fore-check that ultimately lead her to change momentums of the game every time she hit thee ice.  Never missing a practice, and going hard at all of them showed that Liz had a work ethic that was like no other, This is why Liz Hall is our Rookie of the year.


#10 - Lauren Lehman, CAL U

A promising, young talent, Lauren was recruited heavily by Coach Kaminski and our team captain this year, Ashley Schlag, having formerly played with Lauren on a team some years back. When Lauren came to our mini-camp last year, she stood out as a young player that would develop even further later on in her college playing career! 

A forward by nature and a phenomenally gifted skater, we decided to move Lauren back to defense to fill in when our roster needed some adjusting. She did it without complaining and did a remarkable job in her new role! We hope to move her back to her natural position next year as a center, but she did so well at defense that we may keep her there! :)

Lauren also lead the team's GPA for undergraduate students (only to be beaten by two of our graduate students) earning over a 3.5 cumulative! She is a smart player, who skates with confidence and has a wicked shot when she uses it, she will be ours for years to come and we look forward to her development and contribution to our program.   


#18 -- Shannon O'Donnell, UVA

Shannon came to UVa all the way from Wisconsin and was immediately noticeable as a difference maker.  She is a sparkplug in practice, giving 110% effort on every single drill. 

Her stats (4G, 3A, +4) do not begin to display what she brings to the game.  Shannon skates incredibly hard each shift, is an excellent backchecker and is unquestionably a player you can’t miss out on the ice. 

She is someone who, even in her 1st year, was a player that could be plugged into any position, on any line and in any situation with the full confidence of the coaches and her teammates. 

After one season, Shannon was selected to be an Alternate Captain for the 2012-2013 season, proving not only does she have the skills, but the leadership ability to keep UVA Women’s Hockey in the upper echelon of the DVCHC.


#41 -- Christy Paschutca, SRU


Christy had an incredible breakout season with the Rock this year. Leading the team in both points (31) and goals (27), she was the dominating force in Slippery Rock’s offense.

She boasted 4 games with 4 or more goals each and scored points in every single regular season game other the Rock’s 0-0 stalemate against UD. Finishing 2nd in the DVCHC in goals, and 3rd in points and points per game average (2.38), Christy promises to be a league leader in years to come for the Rock.


A leader both on and off the ice, Christy’s talent and experience were called upon by coaches and teammates alike throughout the Rock’s successful season. She was always willing to give her input at crucial points in the game, and her leadership was evident.

Her team high plus/minus (+19) makes it clear that she is a well rounded player both offensively and defensively. With her natural talent and dedication, Christy will certainly go on to lead the Rock to victory after victory for the rest of her career at SRU.