ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red women’s hockey team went 7-1 in January, and ECAC Hockey has recognized two Cornell players as essential to that terrific month by giving them ECAC Hockey Women’s Monthly Awards on Thursday night.
Brianne Jenner, the team’s leading scorer, was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Month, and goalie Lauren Slebodnick was named the league’s Goaltender of the Month.
Jenner had team highs in goals (12), points (23) and plus/minus (+20) in January as she crept up the national rankings in multiple categories. She now sits third in the country in points per game (2.21), second in the country in goals per game (1.11) and six in the nation in assists per game (1.11). Jenner averaged nearly three points per game in January as she earned an ECAC Hockey Player of the Week honor once. She contributed a goal or an assist on 23 of Cornell’s 37 goals in the month. Jenner also moved up into the top 10 in team history for assists, where she is now eighth at 86. She also scored her 150th career point against Mercyhurst on Tuesday.
On the other end of the ice, Slebodnick was just as impressive. Starting all eight games for the Big Red, she went 7-1 with a goals against average of 1.30. She earned one ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week award and had three wins over teams in the top 10 in the country at the time (No. 9 Northeastern, No. 6 Clarkson, No. 7 Mercyhurst). Slebodnick allowed only three goals in four conference games, earning a 0.82 GAA in those contests. During January, Slebodnick went from fifth all-time at Cornell in wins to her current place in third tied with Alanna Hayes. She is now 12 wins away from the all-time record at Cornell held by Amanda Mazzotta ’12. Slebodnick has the nation’s sixth-best goals against average (1.56), ninth-highest save percentage (.927) and eighth-best winning percentage (.778).
The Big Red has never had a Goaltender of the Month before, and its lone Player of the Month Award was given to Rebecca Johnston ’12 last year for January. Sophomore Jillian Saulnier was named the league’s Rookie of the Month in October and November last season.
Jenner, Slebodnick and the No. 5 Big Red take on Union and Rensselaer this weekend at Lynah Rink in the Do It For Daron Series. Fans are encouraged to wear purple to show their support for DIFD, which aims to raise awareness of youth mental health. Cornell and Union drop the puck at 7 p.m. Friday, and Rensselaer comes to town at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
