University of Minnesota Athletics
Schleper Named WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
3/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association has announced the 2009-10 All-WCHA Teams as the Golden Gophers have four named to the All-WCHA list. The Gophers have three on the first team in junior forward Emily West (Colorado Springs, Colo.), sophomore defenseman Anne Schleper (St. Cloud, Minn.) and freshman goaltender Noora Räty (Espoo, Finland). Freshman defenseman Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) was named to the second team while she and Räty were also named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team. Along with the All-WCHA honors, Schleper was named the WCHA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
In just two seasons with the Gophers, Schleper has made a name for herself in the conference and nationally. A Patty Kazmaier nominee, Schleper has scored 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points this season, ranking fourth on the team and first among defensemen. She led the WCHA in scoring by a defenseman with 19 points against conference opponents and ranks fifth nationally in points by a defenseman, averaging 0.83 points per game. Schleper also leads the Gopher blue liners in plus/minus rating with a +19, which is good enough for third on the team. A key member to both the Gophers’ penalty kill and power-play units, she has helped the Gophers to a nation’s second-best penalty kill (90.9) and fifth-best power-play conversion (21.1). Schleper is the fifth Gopher to earn the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year honors, and their second in back-to-back years when Melanie Gagnon earned the title last year.
As one of the Gophers’ team captains, West leads the team in points with 20 goals and 20 assists f0r 40 points. A Patty Kazmaier nominee, West leads the WCHA and the nation in game-winning goals (9) and tied for fourth in the country in short-handed goals (3). West, who accomplished her 100th career point in the final regular season series, has already tied her sophomore production from last year. Missing two games to a concussion, West averages 1.18 points per game in 34 games played. Minnesota is 16-1-0 when West scores a goal and has had 12 multiple-points games.
Playing in 22 games this season, Räty holds a record of 16-2-4 this season and leads the nation in goals against average (1.06), save percentage (.958) and is third in winning percentage (.818). At the end of January, Räty left the Gopher program to compete with Team Finland in the Winter Olympics as their starting goaltender and returned this past weekend after winning the bronze medal last Thursday (2/25). Named the WCHA goaltending champion, she finished the conference season with a GAA of 0.94 as well as holding a save percentage of .962 against league opponents. A four-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week and two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week, Räty has seven shutouts on the season and allowed just one goal in 10 games.
In her rookie season, Bozek has been named to the Second-Team All-WCHA and was also a member of the All-Rookie Team. Playing in all 36 games this season, Bozek ranks sixth on the team in scoring and second among defensemen behind Schleper. She was named the WCHA Rookie of the Week twice this season and holds a plus/minus rating of +13. Like Schleper and West, Bozek is a key member to the Gophers’ power-play unit. She leads the Gophers in power-play scoring with 17 of her 21 points coming with the extra attacker.
Along with the on-ice accomplishments, the WCHA honor the WCHA All-Academic honorees. In order to be considered for academic honors, student-athletes must be of sophomore age or older, a letterwinner and hold a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Minnesota’s list includes: Kelli Blankenship, Brittany Francis, Alyssa Grogan, Chelsey Jones, Nikki Ludwigson, Michelle Maunu, Anne Schleper and Alexandra Zebro.
2009-10 WCHA Co-Players of the Year
Felicia Nelson, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (St. Paul, MN)
Zuzana Tomcikova, So., G, Bemidji State (Bratislava, Slovakia
2009-10 Turfer WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year
Caitlin Hogan, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (Oakdale, MN)
2009-10 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
Anne Schleper, So., D, Minnesota (St. Cloud, MN)
2009-10 WCHA Rookie of the Year
Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
2009-10 WCHA Coach of the Year
Steve Sertich, Head Coach, Bemidji State
2009-10 WCHA Scoring Champion
Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
2009-10 WCHA Goaltending Champion
Noora Räty, Fr., G, Minnesota (Espoo, Finland)
2009-19 All-WCHA First Team
Forward: Natalie Spooner, So., F, Ohio State (Scarborough, ON)
Emmanuelle Blais, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth (Lasalle, QC)
Emily West, Jr., F, Minnesota (Colorado Springs, CO)
Defense: Anne Schleper, So., D, Minnesota (St. Cloud, MN)
Jaime Rasmussen, Sr., D, Minnesota Duluth (Garden Grove, CA)
Goaltender: Noora Räty, Fr., G, Minnesota (Espoo, Finland)
2009-19 All-WCHA Second Team
Forward: Felicia Nelson, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (St. Paul, MN)
Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
(tie) Holly Roberts, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (St. Cloud, MN)
(tie) Laura Fridfinnson, Jr., F, Minnesota Duluth (Arborg, MB)
Defense: Megan Bozek, Fr., D, Minnesota (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Rachel Davis, Sr., D, Ohio State (Horton, MI)
Goaltender: Zuzana Tomcikova, So., Bemidji State (Bratislava, Slovakia)
2009-10 All-WCHA Third Team
Forward: Brooke Ammerman, So., F, Wisconsin (River Vale, NJ)
Caitlin Hogan, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (Oakdale, MN)
Defense: Montana Vichorek, So., D, Bemidji State (Moose Lake, MN)
Stefanie McKeough, Fr., D, Wisconsin (Carlsbad Springs, ON)
Goaltender: Jennifer Harss, Fr., G, Minnesota Duluth (Rieden, Germany)
2009-10 All-WCHA Rookie Team
Forward: Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
Katherine Wilson, Fr., F, Minnesota Duluth (Winnipeg, MB)
Brianna Decker, Fr., F, Wisconsin (Dousman, WI)
Defense: Megan Bozek, Fr., D, Minnesota (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Stefanie McKeough, Fr., D, Wisconsin (Carlsbad Springs, ON)
Goaltender: Noora Räty, Fr., G, Minnesota (Espoo, Finland)
In just two seasons with the Gophers, Schleper has made a name for herself in the conference and nationally. A Patty Kazmaier nominee, Schleper has scored 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points this season, ranking fourth on the team and first among defensemen. She led the WCHA in scoring by a defenseman with 19 points against conference opponents and ranks fifth nationally in points by a defenseman, averaging 0.83 points per game. Schleper also leads the Gopher blue liners in plus/minus rating with a +19, which is good enough for third on the team. A key member to both the Gophers’ penalty kill and power-play units, she has helped the Gophers to a nation’s second-best penalty kill (90.9) and fifth-best power-play conversion (21.1). Schleper is the fifth Gopher to earn the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year honors, and their second in back-to-back years when Melanie Gagnon earned the title last year.
As one of the Gophers’ team captains, West leads the team in points with 20 goals and 20 assists f0r 40 points. A Patty Kazmaier nominee, West leads the WCHA and the nation in game-winning goals (9) and tied for fourth in the country in short-handed goals (3). West, who accomplished her 100th career point in the final regular season series, has already tied her sophomore production from last year. Missing two games to a concussion, West averages 1.18 points per game in 34 games played. Minnesota is 16-1-0 when West scores a goal and has had 12 multiple-points games.
Playing in 22 games this season, Räty holds a record of 16-2-4 this season and leads the nation in goals against average (1.06), save percentage (.958) and is third in winning percentage (.818). At the end of January, Räty left the Gopher program to compete with Team Finland in the Winter Olympics as their starting goaltender and returned this past weekend after winning the bronze medal last Thursday (2/25). Named the WCHA goaltending champion, she finished the conference season with a GAA of 0.94 as well as holding a save percentage of .962 against league opponents. A four-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week and two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week, Räty has seven shutouts on the season and allowed just one goal in 10 games.
In her rookie season, Bozek has been named to the Second-Team All-WCHA and was also a member of the All-Rookie Team. Playing in all 36 games this season, Bozek ranks sixth on the team in scoring and second among defensemen behind Schleper. She was named the WCHA Rookie of the Week twice this season and holds a plus/minus rating of +13. Like Schleper and West, Bozek is a key member to the Gophers’ power-play unit. She leads the Gophers in power-play scoring with 17 of her 21 points coming with the extra attacker.
Along with the on-ice accomplishments, the WCHA honor the WCHA All-Academic honorees. In order to be considered for academic honors, student-athletes must be of sophomore age or older, a letterwinner and hold a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Minnesota’s list includes: Kelli Blankenship, Brittany Francis, Alyssa Grogan, Chelsey Jones, Nikki Ludwigson, Michelle Maunu, Anne Schleper and Alexandra Zebro.
2009-10 WCHA Co-Players of the Year
Felicia Nelson, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (St. Paul, MN)
Zuzana Tomcikova, So., G, Bemidji State (Bratislava, Slovakia
2009-10 Turfer WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year
Caitlin Hogan, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (Oakdale, MN)
2009-10 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year
Anne Schleper, So., D, Minnesota (St. Cloud, MN)
2009-10 WCHA Rookie of the Year
Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
2009-10 WCHA Coach of the Year
Steve Sertich, Head Coach, Bemidji State
2009-10 WCHA Scoring Champion
Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
2009-10 WCHA Goaltending Champion
Noora Räty, Fr., G, Minnesota (Espoo, Finland)
2009-19 All-WCHA First Team
Forward: Natalie Spooner, So., F, Ohio State (Scarborough, ON)
Emmanuelle Blais, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth (Lasalle, QC)
Emily West, Jr., F, Minnesota (Colorado Springs, CO)
Defense: Anne Schleper, So., D, Minnesota (St. Cloud, MN)
Jaime Rasmussen, Sr., D, Minnesota Duluth (Garden Grove, CA)
Goaltender: Noora Räty, Fr., G, Minnesota (Espoo, Finland)
2009-19 All-WCHA Second Team
Forward: Felicia Nelson, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (St. Paul, MN)
Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
(tie) Holly Roberts, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (St. Cloud, MN)
(tie) Laura Fridfinnson, Jr., F, Minnesota Duluth (Arborg, MB)
Defense: Megan Bozek, Fr., D, Minnesota (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Rachel Davis, Sr., D, Ohio State (Horton, MI)
Goaltender: Zuzana Tomcikova, So., Bemidji State (Bratislava, Slovakia)
2009-10 All-WCHA Third Team
Forward: Brooke Ammerman, So., F, Wisconsin (River Vale, NJ)
Caitlin Hogan, Sr., F, St. Cloud State (Oakdale, MN)
Defense: Montana Vichorek, So., D, Bemidji State (Moose Lake, MN)
Stefanie McKeough, Fr., D, Wisconsin (Carlsbad Springs, ON)
Goaltender: Jennifer Harss, Fr., G, Minnesota Duluth (Rieden, Germany)
2009-10 All-WCHA Rookie Team
Forward: Hokey Langan, Fr., F, Ohio State (Chatham, ON)
Katherine Wilson, Fr., F, Minnesota Duluth (Winnipeg, MB)
Brianna Decker, Fr., F, Wisconsin (Dousman, WI)
Defense: Megan Bozek, Fr., D, Minnesota (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Stefanie McKeough, Fr., D, Wisconsin (Carlsbad Springs, ON)
Goaltender: Noora Räty, Fr., G, Minnesota (Espoo, Finland)
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