The NCHA women’s conference has announced the 2021-22 season award winners, including player of the year, coach of the year, freshman of the year, the all-conference team, and the all-freshman team.
The 2021-22 player of the year is Brandi Wilson, a senior forward at Trine. She not only paced the conference in scoring but currently checks in at ninth at the NCAA Division III level with 40 total points as well as seventh with her 21 total goals. In NCHA play, Wilson stood heads above her competition, with her 16-13-29 stat line the top total by over 50 percent (second place posted 18 points).
“Brandi has really shouldered the scoring burden for our team this year,” Trine coach Tom Hofman said in a news release. “She is always out there in those critical situations when your best player needs to be on the ice because of her ability to take the game over.”
This marks the first time a Thunder player has earned NCHA Player of the Year accolades and also just the second player to earn postseason laurels since Trine joined the NCHA in 2017-18. Wilson rang up 16 goals in 16 conference appearances, lighting the lamp five more times than any other player in the league. Her 13 assists also led the league, with the runner-up spot tallying 10. She enjoyed quite the breakthrough campaign, coming into the season with 23 points over the course of her first 56 career games.
Wilson was also the only NCHA player to record a pair of hat tricks in league play, picking up NCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors on a pair of occasions over the course of the 2021-22 campaign.
“Everyone can see what a great hockey player Brandi is, but we are the lucky ones who know what a great person she is as well,” Hofman said.
The league coaches also voted for freshman of the year, with Darci Matson of Aurora earning the distinction. The newcomer burst onto the scene in a big way, finishing tied for third in league play with 17 points (11 goals, 16 assists in just 13 games), while her overall offensive exploits (21-17-38) also sit tied for seventh nationally in goals as well as 14th in the NCAA in points.
The 2021-22 coach of the year is Finlandia’s Lindsay Macy, picking up the honors after leading the Lions to their best finish since the 2017-18 campaign. The second-year coach led FU to its first NCHA victory since Jan. 2019 and its first weekend sweep of an opponent in league play since Feb. 2018.
2021-22 NCHA All-Conference Team
F: Marissa Gebauer, Lake Forest, Jr.
F: Darci Matson, Aurora, Fr.
F: Morgan Olson, St. Norbert, So.
F: Emily Reimche, Concordia-Wisconsin, Sr.
F: Brooke Schmebri, Adrian, Gr.
F: Brandi Wilson, Trine, Sr.
D: Ava Jaschke, St. Norbert, Jr.
D: Olyvia Opsahl, Lake Forest, Sr.
D: Maya Roy, Adrian, So.
D: Kirsten Vandenheuvel, Trine, Sr.
G: Sophie Goldberg, Adrian, Jr.
G: Chiara Pfosi, Aurora, Sr.
G: Hannah Turnage, Lake Forest, Jr.
NCHA All-Freshman Team
F: Peyton Elliott, Aurora
F: Courtnie Hogan, St. Norbert
F: Darci Matson, Aurora
D: Sophia Chapman, Lake Forest
D: Maddux Federici, St. Norbert
D: Katie Rahilly, Concordia-Wisconsin
G: Ryleigh Furlong, Trine
