SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC announces its inaugural women's ice hockey top awards which are nominated and voted on by the conference coaches. The honors include the All-Conference teams, All-Rookie team, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Goaltender of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coaching Staff of the Year. 

Player of the Year - Julia Masotta, Plattsburgh
Masotta led the league in points (26) and assists (18) in conference play. She was also No. 1 with 37 points and 24 assists overall so far this season. She had a season high of four goals in a 5-1 win against Morrisville on February 24. Masotta has 13 goals with three game-winners, and is +20 overall going into NCAA play. The Cardinals earned an at-large bid into the tournament after falling to Cortland in overtime, 2-1, in the SUNYAC championship game Saturday. 

Defensive Player of the Year - Kayla Persinger, Cortland
Persinger helped lead the Red Dragons to win the first-ever SUNYAC women's ice hockey title. She was part of a defense that held its opponents to 21 goals in league play and 29 goals overall. Persinger contributed 20 points with five goals and 15 assists so far this season. Cortland will advance to the NCAA tournament hosting Elmira in the first round.

Goaltender of the Year - Molly Goergen, Cortland
Goergen was named the SUNYAC Tournament MVP after totaling 48 saves in the semifinal and final games to help her team win the first SUNYAC women's ice hockey championship. Goergen led the league with a .955 save percentage in conference play. She totaled 10 wins and 403 saves for a 1.26 goals against average in regular season SUNYAC play. Overall she has 14 wins and 563 saves for a .956 save percentage and a 1.23 goals against average. She had a season high of 54 saves in a win against Canton on November 10. Goergen and her team will face Elmira in the first round of the NCAA Division III women's ice hockey tournament on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m.

Rookie of the Year - Zsofia Pazmandi, Plattsburgh
In her first season with the Cardinals, Pazmandi totaled 16 points with 10 goals and six assists in league play. Overall she is +20 and has 21 points with 15 goals, including four game-winners, and six assists so far this season. Pazmandi will play in her first NCAA tournament at home after recieving an at-large bid. The team will face Middlebury College or Western New England University in the quarterfinal round Saturday, March 9 at 3 p.m.

Coaching Staff of the Year - Plattsburgh
Head coach Kevin Houle is assisted by Julia Duquette and Kassi Abbott. The staff coached seven all-conference honorees including the Player of the Year and the Rookie of the Year. Their team went 16-2 in regular season conference play to clinch the No. 1 seed going into the SUNYAC tournament. The Cardinals advanced to the SUNYAC final, but was topped by Cortland in overtime, 2-1. The Cardinals, No. 2 in the PairWise rankings, earned an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA women's ice hockey tournament and will host the quarterfinals on March 9.

2024 Women's Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams (PDF)