ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Elmira College women’s ice hockey team was well-represented on the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) All-Conference Teams, as six skaters received recognition from the league office.
Headlining the group was third-year forward Emma Crocker ’21, who was voted the UCHC Player of the Year. Crocker, who also earned a spot on the All-UCHC First Team, becomes Elmira’s third consecutive UCHC Player of Year honoree, following in the footsteps of former teammates Katie Granato ’19 and Sarah Hughson ’18.
Crocker has been the driving force behind Elmira’s offensive successes during the 2019-20 campaign. She leads the Soaring Eagles with 40 points on 19 goals and 21 assists, all of which are career highs for the Abington, Massachusetts, native. Of her 19 goals, seven have been registered on the power play, a mark that ranks seventh in the country, while five other tallies have gone down as game-winners. Additionally, Crocker heads into the conference championship weekend ranked fifth in the country in points per game (1.54) and 12th in assists per game (0.81).
Crocker has produced at least one point in 20 contests this season and the Soaring Eagles are 18-1-1 in those games. Her impact is even greater when she finds the back of the net, as the Elmira women sport a 12-1-0 record in games in which Crocker has scored a goal.
Joining Crocker on the All-UCHC First Team was senior blueliner Kiana Melvin ’20. Melvin, who was an All-UCHC Second Teamer a year ago, enters the semifinal round of the UCHC playoffs with 20 points on two goals and 18 assists. The bulk of her damage has been done against UCHC opponents with 19 points against league opposition. She leads all Elmira defensemen in points and ranks 12th in the country in points per game (0.77).
Melvin has produced multi-point performances in six contests this year, including a career-high four-point outing in a 7-0 blanking of Chatham on January 25. In that game, Melvin produced a career-high four assists. Additionally, Elmira is 10-1-0 in games in which the senior blueliner logs at least one point.
Elizabeth Hanson ’21 and Eliza Beaudin ’22 were both voted to the All-UCHC Second Team.
After seeing time primarily in a back-up role during the previous two seasons, Hanson has emerged as one of the country’s top goaltenders during her breakout junior season. She possesses 302 saves, a .968 save percentage, a 0.66 goals-against average, and a total of seven shutouts, all while posting a 13-2-1 record between the pipes. Hanson’s save percentage ranks second in the country, while her goals-against average and shutout total rank third.
Hanson is arguably having one of the greatest seasons by an Elmira goaltender in its 19th year of varsity competition. Her .968 save percentage currently ranks first in EC single-season history, while her 0.66 goals-against average is third. Additionally, Hanson’s seven shutouts rank seventh in single-season program history.
Despite playing in just 18 of EC’s 26 games, Beaudin still ranked among EC’s top-five point-getters with 23 (14g-9a). Of her 23 points, 16 (9g-7a) were registered against UCHC opponents. Beaudin ranks among the best skaters in the UCHC, as her 0.78 goals per game average ranks second and her 1.28 points per game are tied for ninth.
Beaudin, a 2019 UCHC All-Rookie Team selection, has produced at least one point in 12 games. In those 12 games, Beaudin produced goals in 11 contests, including a pair of multi-goal performances against William Smith (11/16) and Alvernia (1/19).
Sophomore blueliner Amanda Zenstein ’22 earned a spot on the All-UCHC Honorable Mention team, the first all-conference award for the product of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. With 15 points on two goals and 13 assists, Zenstein enters the semifinal round of the UCHC Championships as Elmira’s second-leading point-getter among blueliners. Her 15 points and 13 assists are both career highs.
Fellow defenseman Jordan Holt ’23 secured a spot on the UCHC All-Rookie squad following an eight-point outing in her debut season. Holt scored a pair of goals and assisted on six others. Of her eight points, six were registered against conference opponents.
Elmira’s six all-conference honorees, along with the rest of the Soaring Eagles, will host the UCHC Championships this weekend at the Murray Athletic Center in Pine Valley, New York. The Elmira women open the semifinal round with a 3:00 p.m. matchup against Stevenson University. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for senior citizens and students with ID. Children ages 12 and under receive free admission.
2020 UCHC Award Winners
Player of the Year: Emma Crocker, Elmira College
Rookie of the Year: Julianna Gong, William Smith College
Defensive Player of the Year: Jillian Moffatt, Lebanon Valley College
Goaltender of the Year: Jillian Moffatt, Lebanon Valley College
Coach of the Year: David Turco, Manhattanville College
First Team All-UCHC
Forward: Emma Crocker, Elmira College
Forward: Tianna Lopes, Manhattanville College
Forward: Gina Scibetta, William Smith College
Defense: Kiana Melvin, Elmira College
Defense: Zoey Pellowitz, Manhattanville College
Goalie: Jillian Moffatt, Lebanon Valley College
Second Team All-UCHC
Forward: Katelyn Brown, Neumann University
Forward: Abbey Luth, Nazareth College
Forward: Eliza Beaudin, Elmira College
Defense: Olivia Gilida, Alvernia University
Defense: Keeley Rose, Nazareth College
Goaltender: Elizabeth Hanson, Elmira College
UCHC All-Rookie Team
Forward: Julianna Gong, William Smith College
Forward: Karly Aguirre, Stevenson University
Forward: Carolyn Whitney, Utica College
Defense: Olivia Gilida, Alvernia University
Defense: Jordan Holt, Elmira College
Goaltender: Lena Flores, Manhattanville College
UCHC Honorable Mention
Forward: Amanda Sabia, Manhattanville College
Forward: Hailey Redders, Nazareth College
Forward: Julianna Gong, William Smith College
Defense: Ali Howard, Manhattanville College
Defense: Amanda Zenstein, Elmira College
Defense: Emily Martino, William Smith College
Goaltender: Helen Cooney, Neumann University
