WOMEN'S HOCKEY HONORS SEVEN STUDENT-ATHLETES AT ANNUAL BANQUET

KELLY PATON

COURTNEY BIRCHARD

KRISTINA LAVOIE

KELLY CAHILL

SHANNON SISK

KAYLEY HERMAN

MICAELA LONG

DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team honored seven student-athletes and paid tribute to the four-member Class of 2010 at its annual banquet that was held April 18 at Holloway Commons.

Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario) was the recipient of both the Karyn Bye Award (team MVP) and Tricia Dunn Award (best defensive forward) as well as the Fan Favorite Award. The senior forward and captain ranked sixth in the nation in points per game (1.55) as well as fourth in assists per game (0.97) and 20th in goals per game (0.58); in other statistics, she is 16th in game-winning goals (four) and 19th in power-play goals (six).

Paton led the team in points (51), goals (19) and plus/minus (+16) and tied for the lead in game-winning goals with four. She was also second in assists (32) and tied for second in power-play goals (6). Furthermore, she ranked second in shots (128) and fourth in shooting percentage (.148).

Paton's 2010 accolades included RBK/AHCA All-America First Team, Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 3 Finalist, New England Player of the Year as well as Hockey East co-Player of the Year, First Team All-Star (unanimous selection), Three Stars Award, three-time Player of the Month and three-time Player of the Week.

Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ontario), a junior defenseman, was bestowed the Colleen Coyne Award as the best defenseman. She ranked fifth in the nation in defensemen scoring at 0.81 points per game; she also tied with Paton in both game-winning goals (16th; four) and power-play goals (19th; six).

Despite missing the last six games of the season due to injury, Birchard recorded a team-high 136 shots, tied for the team lead in game-winning goals and tied for second in power-play goals; she also tied for third in assists (13) and ranked fourth in points (22), fifth in goals (nine).

Birchard's 2010 accolades included RBK/AHCA All-America Second Team, New England All-Star Team, Hockey East First Team All-Star and one league Player of the Week award.

Kristina Lavoie (Fonthill, Ontario) was named the Rookie of the Year. The freshman forward ranked ninth in the nation in rookie scoring (0.88 points per game) and sixth in power-play goals (seven). Lavoie led the Wildcats with those seven power-play goals and also ranked second in goals (18) as well as third in points (29), shooting percentage (.175) and plus/minus (+10).

Lavoie was named the Bauer Rookie of the Year by Hockey East. She was a two-time Rookie of the Month and Rookie of the Week and was also named to the All-Rookie Team.

Kelly Cahill (Farmington Hills, Mich.) was presented the Sue Merz Award (7th Player). The senior forward – 2010 was her only full season as a forward – tied for sixth on the team in both goals (eight) and points (13), and she ranked fifth in shooting percentage (.143).

Shannon Sisk (Pipersville, Pa.), a senior forward, received the Unsung Hero Award. The assistant captain recorded two goals and two assists for four points in 33 games.

Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) received two awards – the Academic Award for Excellence (highest grade-point-average) and the A. Barr "Whoop" Snively Citizenship & Service Award, which is in recognition of outstanding contributions off the ice in the community. She ranked 13th in the nation in goals-against-average (1.88). In 16 games, Herman went 8-4-3 with three shutouts and a .913 save percentage.

Micaela Long (South Boston, Mass.), a senior forward, won the Norma O'Dowd Hartnett Award for sportsmanship. She ranked second in the nation in assists per game (1.15) as well as sixth in points per game (1.55) and 19th in power-play goals (six).

Long finished the season with 13 goals and 38 assists for 51 points in 33 games played. She led the team in assists and tied for the lead in points; Long also ranked second in plus/minus (+15) and power-play goals (six).

Long's 2010 Hockey East accolades included First Team All-Star, Humboldt Storage and Moving Scoring Champion and two-time Player of the Week; she was also selected to the New England All-Star Team.

The senior quartet of Cahill, Long, Paton and Sisk received special recognition for their contributions to the programs during their Wildcat careers. UNH advanced to the NCAA tournament all four years and made one Frozen Four appearance; the 'Cats also won three consecutive regular-season and tournament championships.

New Hampshire, which made its fifth consecutive NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship tournament appearance this year, finished the 2010 season with a 19-9-5 overall record.

2010 UNH Women's Ice Hockey Awards
Karyn Bye Award (MVP)- Kelly Paton
Colleen Coyne Award (best defenseman)- Courtney Birchard
Rookie of the Year- Kristina Lavoie
Tricia Dunn Award (best defensive forward)- Kelly Paton
Sue Merz Award (7th Player)- Kelly Cahill
Unsung Hero Award- Shannon Sisk
Academic Award for Excellence- Kayley Herman
Norma O'Dowd Hartnett Award (sportsmanship)- Micaela Long
A. Barr 'Whoop' Snively Citizenship & Service Award- Kayley Herman
Fan Favorite- Kelly Paton