ST. PAUL, Minn. – Senior goaltender Kassi Abbott (Medford, Mass./Boston Shamrocks Elite), sophomore forward Annie Katonka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), senior forward Courtney Moriarty (Estero, Fla./Northfield Mount Hermon) and junior defenseman Hannah Kiraly (Glendale, Ariz./Northern Cyclones) of the Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team were named to the 2018-19 CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women’s Division III All-America teams, as announced Thursday at the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship banquet on the campus of the University of St. Thomas.
Abbott and Katonka earned First-Team selection, while Moriarty and Kiraly merited Second-Team distinction. It marks the second All-America honor for both Moriarty and Kiraly and the inaugural All-America selection for Abbott and Katonka.
Plattsburgh State’s four honorees were the most among all Division III schools this season.
Abbott, the 2019 Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) Co-Goaltender of the Year and a two-time All-NEWHL selection, has been a reliable backstop for the Cardinals’ defense all season, leading Division III in goals-against average (0.81) and winning percentage (.931) while holding a share of the national lead in shutouts (13). She also ranks third in Division III in save percentage (.954). For her career, she currently owns the program’s all-time record in goals-against average (0.96) and holds a share of the all-time record in save percentage (.949) with Camille Leonard (2013-17). In addition, Abbott holds the program’s single-game record in saves with 47, which she set during the NCAA Tournament third-place game against Hamline University on March 17, 2018.
Katonka, who was also a First-Team All-NEWHL honoree in 2018-19, has enjoyed a breakout season for the Cardinals. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native currently leads Division III in power-play goals (11) and holds a share of the national lead in goals (30). Katonka also ranks second in Division III in points per game (1.72) and goals per game (1.03). She has recorded two hat tricks this year and has scored multiple goals in nine games. Perhaps Katonka’s most memorable game of her career so far came in the NCAA Tournament first round last week, as she scored two goals—including the game-winner—in a 3-2 overtime victory over Endicott College. For her career, she has 73 points on 42 goals and 31 assists.
Moriarty, Plattsburgh State’s captain, earned 2019 NEWHL Player of the Year honors, as she ranks 15th in Division III in points per game (1.34). She has 39 points total this season on 17 goals and 22 assists, and she ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in game-winning goals (second, 22), goals (fifth, 78), points (sixth, 146), power-play goals (sixth, 21) and shorthanded goals (tied for sixth, 5). Moriarty also was a First-Team All-NEWHL selection for the second time in as many years this season and earned NEWHL Tournament MVP honors after recording three points on a goal and two assists against SUNY Cortland in the NEWHL Tournament championship game.
Kiraly, who earned First-Team All-NEWHL recognition for the second time in as many years, has once again proved herself as one of the top blueliners in Division III, as she is tied for 15th in Division III in points per game among defensemen (0.72). She has started on defense for a Cardinal team that leads Division III in scoring defense (0.79 goals allowed per game). Kiraly has five games this season with multiple points, and she owns a +31 rating for the season. For her career, she has 59 points on eight goals and 51 assists.
