Conway, Kelley Lead ECHA All-Conference Honors

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Women’s Ice Hockey team has nine named to All-Conference Awards that were voted on by the ECHA head coaches. Clare Conway led the honors with her selection as Player of the Year, while head coach Eliza Kelley was named Coach of the Year. In only the Lancers second season of competition they have secured back-to-back ECHA conference championship, defeating Anna Maria in both finals to take home the title.

Graduate student Clare Conway (Billerica, MA) of Worcester State University was named the ECHA Player of the Year after recording 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists) in ECHA play. Conway tallied 36 points (22 goals, 14 assists) in 25 games played on the season. Conway wrapped the 2023 season 7^th in the DIII NCAA for goals per game, 15^th in points per game and 10^th for power play goals.

Lancer’s Head Coach Eliza Kelley was recognized as the ECHA Coach of the Year by her peers after guiding Worcester to a 6-1-1 mark in ECHA play and a program best, 18-7-2 mark on the season. Kelley also led the Lancers to the second consecutive ECHA Championship win.

Joining Conway on the first team is Lancer senior forward Katie Puumala (Framingham, MA) and graduate student Kylian Kelly (Shrewsbury, MA). Puumala finished second in ECHA scoring with 9 points, she also notched 26 points on the season with 10 goals and 16 assists in 27 games. Kelly finished first in the ECHA in the assists and defensive scoring categories with 7. On the season, Kelly notched 22 points on 1 goal and 21 assists. She concluded the season with the 13^th most assists in the DIII and 3^rd most among defensemen.

The second team landed seniors Cassidhe Wozniak (Turner Falls, MA) and Amber Lee (Fairlawn, NJ). Wozniak led the ECHA in goals (8) and points (12). She finished the season with 14 goals and 7 assists for 21 points in 22 games played. Lee posted an impressive 12 wins on the season with a 1.75 GAA and a .941 SV%.

Three Lancers were named to the All-Rookie team, first years Jennarae Bateman (Wyoming, MN) and Lea Gaspar (Chelmsford, MA) along with sophomore Kelsey Czerniawski (Chicopee, MA). Bateman led the Lancers in rookie scoring with 12 points on 6 goals and 6 assists, she also finished tied for 2^nd in ECHA scoring. Gaspar finished 2^nd on the team in defensive scoring and was 3^rd in the ECHA in rookie scoring. category. Czerniawski finished her rookie campaign with a 2.04 GAA and a .931 SV% in 9 games played. Czerniawski also finished with a .714 Win%.

MAJOR AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Clare Conway, Worcester State University

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR: Sam Dahill, Anna Maria College

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jillian Hallee, Rivier University

COACH OF THE YEAR: Eliza Kelley, Worcester State University

FIRST TEAM ALL-ECHA

FORWARD Clare Conway, Worcester State University

FORWARD Katie Puumala, Worcester State University

FORWARD Grace Dodge, Anna Maria College

DEFENSE Kylian Kelly, Worcester State University

DEFENSE Jillian Hallee, Rivier University

GOALTENDER Sam Dahill, Anna Maria University

SECOND TEAM ALL-ECHA

FORWARD Molly Duvall, Assumption University

FORWARD Cassidhe Wozniak, Worcester State University

FORWARD Briana Paxson, Rivier University

DEFENSE Abigail Vigliotte, Anna Maria College

DEFENSE Tessa Henry, Anna Maria College

GOALTENDER Amber Lee, Worcester State University

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

FORWARD Jennarae Bateman, Worcester State University

FORWARD Jessica Driscoll, Rivier University

FORWARD Briana Rumptz, Rivier University

DEFENSE Jillian Hallee, Rivier University

DEFENSE Lea Gaspar, Worcester State University

DEFENSE Molly Dukesherer, Rivier University

GOALTENDER Kelsey Czerniawski, Worcester State University