By: Mark Vasey, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications–
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Junior forward Annie Katonka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), senior defenseman Hannah Kiraly (Glendale, Ariz./Northern Cyclones) and junior defenseman Erin McArdle (Macomb, Mich./Belle Tire) of No. 1 Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey have been named to the 2019-20 CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III Women’s All-America teams, as announced by the AHCA on Thursday.
Katonka garnered First-Team honors for the second consecutive season, while Kiraly and McArdle earned Second-Team distinction. Kiraly is now a three-time All-American after earning First-Team recognition in both 2017-18 and 2018-19. McArdle, who earned her first All-America recognition, is the 27th student-athlete in the history of the Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey program to earn All-America status. Katonka became the 18th Cardinal to earn multiple All-America accolades.
Katonka, who was named the 2020 Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) Player of the Year, tallied 21 goals, 20 assists, 41 points, nine power-play goals and five game-winning goals over 26 games played in 2019-20. Katonka led Plattsburgh State’s high-powered offense, which ranked second nationally in goals per game (4.85), in both goals and points. An All-NEWHL First-Team honoree for the second consecutive season, Katonka ranked second in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey in points per game (1.58), third in power-play goals, sixth in goals per game (0.81), tied for sixth in game-winning goals and tied for 18th in assists per game (0.77). It is the second time Katonka has eclipsed 40 points in a season after tallying 54 points in 2018-19. Earlier this season, Katonka tallied her 100th career point in the Cardinals’ 9-1 win over SUNY Canton on Jan. 17. In her career, Katonka has tallied 64 goals and 54 assists for 118 points over 87 games played. Katonka leads all active Cardinals in career goals and points. Katonka was also a two-time NEWHL Player of the Week in 2019-20.
Kiraly, who is the only student-athlete in NEWHL history to be named to the All-NEWHL First Team three times, tallied one goal, 22 assists, 23 points and 21 blocked shots in 27 games played in 2019-20. In addition, she tallied at least one assist in 18 games this season, including four multi-assist contests. A NEWHL All-Tournament Team selection this season, Kiraly tallied one goal and one assist in the Cardinals’ 6-1 win over Oswego State in the NEWHL Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 7, at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. Nationally, Kiraly ranked tied for 14th in assists per game among all skaters (0.81) and 11th in points per game among blueliners (0.85). In her career, Kiraly recorded nine goals and 73 assists for 82 points over 118 games played.
McArdle, who was named to the All-NEWHL First Team in 2019-20, garnered five goals, 20 assists, 25 points, three power-play goals and 30 blocked shots over 27 games played in 2019-20. She tallied at least one point in 18 games, including seven multi-point games. Nationally, she ranked eighth in points per game among defensemen (0.93) and tied for 24th among all skaters in assists per game (0.74). This season, McArdle achieved career highs in points per game, goals per game (0.19) and assists per game. In her career, McArdle has amassed 13 goals and 56 assists for 69 points over 88 games played.
Plattsburgh State (26-1-0, 18-0-0 NEWHL), which was ranked No. 1 in USCHO.com Division III Women’s Top-10 Poll for the entire 2019-20 season and earned the NEWHL’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, had its season come to an abrupt end when the NCAA announced on Thursday, March 12, that all of its winter and spring championships would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
