ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The No. 3/3-ranked Elmira College women’s ice hockey team was well represented on the first-ever All-United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Awards, as 10 Soaring Eagles received year-end accolades. EC’s impressive haul was highlighted by three Soaring Eagles receiving major awards, as Sarah Hughson ’18 was named UCHC Player of the Year, Rachel Grampp ’18 was tabbed as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, and Kelcey Crawford ’18 was crowned Goaltender of the Year.
This impressive recognition from the league office today is the result of EC’s dominant play in the first season of the UCHC. The Soaring Eagles finished the league portion of their schedule with a 15-0-1 record to earn the No. 1 seed in the UCHC Tournament.
At the top of this convocation of Soaring Eagles was Hughson, the first-ever UCHC Player of the Year. The East Haddam, Connecticut, native broke out in her final collegiate campaign, as she posted new career highs across the board with 40 points, 22 goals, and 18 assists. Heading into the conference tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 3, at the Murray Athletic Center, Hughson is second in the league in both points (1.60) and goals per game (0.88). Nationally she is second in power-play tallies (9) and seventh in goals per game. Hughson became the first Soaring Eagle to amass 40-plus points in a season since Ashley Ryan (61) and Ashton Hogan (50) did so in 2014-15.
Grampp excelled on both ends of the ice, as she anchored a defensive core that ranked third in the country in goals-against average (1.04), in addition to allowing a league-low 0.75 goals per game in conference play. On the offensive end of the ice, the Williamsville, New York, native posted career highs in points (14), assists (10), and goals (4).
Crawford was a brick wall in her 13 starts in league play this year, as she allowed just 10 goals in those bouts on her way to a 12-0-1 record. Overall, the Purcellville, Virginia, native paced the league with a 1.10 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage. Just like Grampp, Crawford was a key component of the nation’s third-ranked defense.
Along with their recognition as major award winners, Hughson, Grampp, and Crawford were also named to the UCHC All-Conference First Team. Katie Granato ’19 rounded out Elmira’s representatives on the First Team, her second consecutive All-Conference honor. Coming off of an outstanding sophomore campaign, the product of Naperville, Illinois, continued to improve with career highs in points (35), goals (20) and assists (15). Granato stood as the only non-senior to rank in the top-five in the conference both points and goals.
Defender Kristin Chivers ’19 was the lone EC player to be named to the All-UCHC Second Team. The junior from Antioch, Illinois, recorded 17 points on two goals and 15 assists, the latter of which is tied for third among conference blueliners. The spot on this season’s All-League team marks Chivers’ third in three seasons.
The Purple and Gold nearly swept the selections on the All-Conference Honorable Mention Team, as the four-person squad featured three Soaring Eagles. Louisa Lippiatt Durnell ’18, Shannon Strawinski ’19, and Meg Lahey ’19 were all a part of the team. In her final collegiate season, Durnell, who was also named an Honorable Mention selection last season, is fourth on the team with 25 points (8g-17a). Strawinski is having a breakout year as a junior, as her 29 points, nine goals and 19 assists are all career highs. The Toms River, New Jersey, native’s 19 assists are tied for the second-most among UCHC skaters. The 2017-18 campaign marks the first season that Strawinski has made an All-League squad.
On the other end of the ice, Lahey secured one of the two defender spots on the Honorable Mention Team. Lahey finished just behind Chivers with among EC blueliners with 16 points (2g-14a). It marks the second consecutive season that Lahey earned All-Conference accolades.
In addition to all of Elmira’s upperclassmen to receive recognition from the league, a pair of rookie Soaring Eagles made the UCHC All-Rookie Team. The duo of Devyn Gilman ’21 and Emma Crocker ’21 proved to be impressive additions to an already potent Elmira offense. Gilman is second in the league in freshman scoring with 21 points (6g-15a), while Crocker is right behind her classmate with 20 points (9g-11a). The Purple and Gold have not had multiple rookies score 20-plus points since the 2015-16 campaign.
These 10 Soaring Eagles will lead No. 3/3-ranked Elmira into the semifinal round UCHC Tournament, where it will battle fourth-seeded Utica on Saturday, March 3. The opening puck drop for the postseason tilt is slated for 3:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center.
Women’s Annual Awards
Player of the Year: Sarah Hughson, Elmira College
Defensive Player of the Year: Rachel Grampp, Elmira College
Goaltender of the Year: Kelcey Crawford, Elmira College
Rookie of the Year: Katelyn Brown, Neumann University
Coach of the Year: Jaime Totten, William Smith College
First Team
Pos. Name School Class
G Kelcey Crawford Elmira Sr.
D Kasandra Petersen Chatham Sr.
D Rebecca Begley William Smith Sr.
D Rachel Grampp Elmira Sr.
F Sarah Hughson Elmira Sr.
F Bek Lucas Neumann Sr.
F Katie Granato Elmira Jr.
Second Team
Pos. Name School Class
G Maggie Salmon William Smith Sr.
D Kristin Chivers Elmira Jr.
F Chelsea Blackburn Stevenson Sr.
F Krista Federow William Smith Sr.
F Nicole Mensi Manhattanville Jr.
Honorable Mention
Pos. Name School Class
D Maura Mulligan William Smith Jr.
D Meg Lahey Elmira Jr.
F Shannon Strawinski Elmira Jr.
F Louisa Lippiatt Durnell Elmira Sr.
All-Rookie Team
Pos. Name School Class
F Katelyn Brown Neumann Fr.
F Devyn Gilman Elmira Fr.
F Emma Crocker Elmira Fr.
F Lexi Stanisewski Utica Fr.
F Julia Mings William Smith Fr.
D Emily Martino William Smith Fr.
