William Smith College junior goalie Maggie Salmon (Medford, Mass./The Governor’s Academy) was named the ECAC Women’s West Defensive Player of the Year by a vote of the conference coaches. Salmon was also voted to the all-conference first team.
Salmon is the first Heron player to receive one of the ECAC West’s major awards and just the second player to receive all-conference honors. Rebecca Begley (Fremont, N.H./Holderness School) was named to the All-Rookie team following William Smith’s inaugural season.
Salmon, a two-time ECAC West Goalie of the Week, finished her junior season with a career-best 6-8-4 overall record in goal, stopping 656 shots. She recorded a program-record 1.92 goals against average, and was the first goalie to finish a season with a sub-2.00 GAA in program history. Salmon also produced a record .951 save percentage, which was second best in the ECAC West and eighth in the nation. Against conference opponents, she compiled a .952 save percentage, best in the conference, and a 1.91 goals against average. Salmon matched a career-high with 58 saves as William Smith and then No. 10/8 Oswego skated to a 1-1 tie in the season finale. She also made 55 saves in Herons’ 3-1 win over the Lakers, the most by a William Smith goalie in a win in regulation. Salmon’s 113 saves on 115 shots against Oswego earned her a place on the D3hockey.com National Team of the Week. She also made 52 saves in the Herons’ home opener, a 2-1 loss to top-ranked Plattsburgh. She made 40 saves on four different occasions this year. Salmon finished the season with two shutouts, stopping all 37 shots she faced in a 1-0 win at Salve Regina and making 29 saves in a 2-0 win at Potsdam. She recorded her second career assist in the 3-1 win over Oswego.
Salmon has played in 47 career games through her first three seasons at William Smith. She has registered a 2.95 career goals against average and a .927 save percentage. Salmon has compiled a 12-27-6 career record.
William Smith finished the season with a 7-12-6 overall record and a 4-9-5 record in ECAC West play.
