Gustavus takes top ’22-23 MIAC women’s honors as Holland named top offensive player, Vrieze tabbed best defensive player

Hailey Holland was a consistent producer this season for Gustavus (photo: Gustavus Athletics).

The MIAC has announced its award winners for the 2022-23 women’s hockey season.

Gustavus senior forward Hailey Holland and senior defender Kayla Vrieze were selected by MIAC head coaches as the offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively, while Augsburg first-year defender Nora Stepan was named rookie of the year and St. Catherine senior defender Kaitlyn Blair was honored with the Sheila Brown Award for outstanding citizenship in MIAC women’s hockey. St. Olaf head coach Tracy Johnson was recognized by her peers with coach of the year honors.

In addition to individual awards, MIAC coaches also selected 20 players all-conference with nine more receiving honorable mention distinction. All awards were nominated by and voted on by the 10 MIAC head women’s hockey coaches and only statistics from MIAC contests were considered for conference honors. Any nominated player not selected as all-conference but still receiving votes from at least three coaches was named honorable mention.

Seven of the 20 players named all-conference in 2023 were also selected in 2022, while Gustavus’ Hailey Holland and Tina Press received the honor for the third times in their careers.

The MIAC also announced the inaugural all-playoff team for women’s hockey, which recognized the top eight performers from the conference tournament as selected by playoff-participant head coaches.

2022-23 MIAC Women’s Hockey All-Conference
F: Solvei Berg-Messerole, St. Olaf, Fy.
F: Allie Bussey, St. Scholastica, Jr.
F: Emily Cronkhite, Augsburg, So.
F: Katie Flynn, Augsburg, Sr.
F: Hailey Holland, Gustavus, Sr.
F: Kaitlyn Holland, Gustavus, So.
F: Emily Olson, Gustavus, Sr.
F: Aurora Opsahl, Saint Benedict, So.
F: Brooke Power, Gustavus, Jr.
F: Tina Press, Gustavus, Sr.
F: Marie Reimer, St. Catherine, Sr.
F: Kennedy Stein, Augsburg, Jr.
D: Payton Allen, Augsburg, Sr.
D: Grace Lankas, St. Olaf, So.
D: Brooke Remington, Gustavus, Jr.
D: Nora Stepan, Augsburg, Fy.
D: Jenna Timm, Saint Benedict, So.
D: Kayla Vrieze, Gustavus, Sr.
G: Hannah Fritz, St. Olaf, Fy.
G: Katie McCoy, Gustavus, Sr.

2022-23 MIAC Women’s Hockey Honorable Mention
F: Laura Denchfield, St. Catherine Sr.
F: Haley Eder-Zdechlik, Hamline Jr.
F: Jerica Friese, Concordia, Jr.
F: Lily Mortenson, Gustavus, Fy.
F: Abby Pohlkamp, St. Scholastica, Sr.
F: Molly Terebayza, St. Olaf, Fy.
D: Kaitlyn Blair, St. Catherine, Sr.
D: Elizabeth Valley, Hamline, Sr.
G: Chloe Stockinger, Augsburg, Jr.

2023 MIAC Women’s Hockey All-Playoff Team
F: Emily Cronkhite, Augsburg, So.
F: Jenna Gerold, Augsburg, Sr.
F: Hailey Holland, Gustavus, Sr.
F: Emme Nelson, Hamline, Jr.
F: Tina Press, Gustavus, Sr.
D: Jenna Timm, Saint Benedict, So.
D: Kayla Vrieze, Gustavus, Sr.
F: Iona Welsch, St. Olaf, So.