DULUTH — Minnesota Duluth fifth-year senior and Olympic gold medalist Ashton Bell was among the six players from the WCHA named All-Americans by the American Hockey Coaches Association on Thursday.
Bell was named to the AHCA first team along with Ohio State fifth-year senior defenseman Sophie Jaques and Minnesota fifth-year senior forward Taylor Heise. Buckeyes senior forward Jennifer Gardiner, Gophers fifth-year senior forward Grace Zumwinkle and Wisconsin freshman defenseman Caroline Harvey were named second-team All-Americans.
A second-team AHCA All-American in 2020-21 before winning gold with Canada at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, Bell is just the third Bulldogs defenseman to become a two-time All-American along with her 2022 Olympic teammate, Jocelyne Larocque (first-team in 08-09, 10-11) and Julianne Vasichek (second-team in 03-04, 04-05).
Jaques, a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award this weekend, and Heise, the winner of the Patty Kaz last season, are first-team All-Americans for the second season in a row and second time in their careers.
Zumwinkle was a second-team pick back in 2020-21 along with Bell.
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AHCA First-Team All-Americans
- Gwyneth Philips, G, Northeastern
- Ashton Bell, D, Minnesota Duluth
- Sophie Jaques, D, Ohio State
- Taylor Heise, F, Minnesota
- Alina Mueller, F, Northeastern
- Danielle Serdachny, F, Colgate
AHCA Second-Team All-Americans
- Pia Dukaric, G, Yale
- Caroline Harvey, D, Wisconsin
- Emma Seitz, D, Yale
- Jenn Gardiner, F, Ohio State
- Elle Hartje, F, Yale
- Grace Zumwinkle, F, Minnesota
Soderberg snubbed, again
First the WCHA Goaltender of the Year was left off the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top 10 list. On Tuesday, she was left off the All-American teams by the AHCA.
Northeastern goaltender Gwyneth Philips was named to the first team while Yale goaltender Pia Durkaric landed on the second team. Philips beat out both Durkaric and Emma Soderberg for national goaltender of the year, which was also announced on Thursday.
The Women’s College Hockey Goaltender of the Year award, sponsored by the Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association has only been awarded to a Northeastern goaltender in its three years of existence. The Huskies Aerin Frankel won the first two awards.
Soderberg led the NCAA in shutouts this season with 12, which was a single-season UMD record. She set the program record for career shutouts with 23, posting a WCHA-best .939 save percentage and 1.39 goals against average this season.
Philips led the country with a 0.81 GAA and .961 save percentage. Her Huskies take on Ohio State in the NCAA Frozen Four on Friday in Duluth, with Minnesota and Wisconsin meeting in the other semifinal.
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