Women’s Hockey posts a record-breaking 2019-20 season
MEQUON, Wis. – The CUW women's hockey season wrapped up in February in the NCHA Slaats Cup Quarterfinals.
The Falcons finished the year with a 9-15-2 record and a 7-8-1 NCHA record. The Blue and White advanced to the NCHA Slaats Cup Quarterfinals.
CUW earned its first postseason victory since advancing to the 2015 Slaats Cup Finals. The birds took game one at Lake Forest, 3-2. Junior Ally Hull (Wasilla, Alaska) scored twice on the power play, including the game-winning goal. Senior Sam Lombardi (Ancaster, Ont.) added two assists and senior Breanna Thomson (St. Marys, Ont.) posted a season-high 42 saves.
Concordia Wisconsin landed a pair on NCHA honors in the net. Breanna Thomson was named to the NCHA All-Conference posted a 2.11 goals-against average and a save percentage of .934. Thomson finished the season with 590 saves and seven victories. Freshman Annalina Van Hercke (Castle Rock, Colo.) was named to the NCHA All-Freshman Team. Van Hercke boasted a .921 save percentage on the season on 175 saves. She also picked up two victories in her freshman campaign.
The Falcons broke multiple records in defense on the year.
Breanna Thomson broke the program record for single-season and career shut outs after posting four on the year. From a stretch from Jan. 10-24, she broke the program record for the longest shutout streak in program history at 164:25 minutes, including two shutout victories over St. Norbert. After her two-shutout performance, she was named the NCHA Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 21. She also leads the program with a career record of 27.62 saves per game, a .198 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.
A handful of other records fell in the 2019-20 season as well.
Natasha Wanless broke the school record for career game-winning goals with eight.
Emily Godwin, Natasha Wanless and Sam Lombardi tied the record for games played in a career with 105.
As a team, the Falcons had the highest save percentage in program history at .931 and the lowest goals-against average at 2.18.
The Falcons also succeeded in the classroom with 10 NCHA All-Academic selections. To qualify for All-Academic honors, a student-athlete must be of at least sophomore status academically and have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher. The senior duo of Issy Bilton (Burlington, Ont.) and Breanna Thomson earned the honor for the third-straight season. Making an appearance on the NCHA All-Academic Team for a second time is junior Madi Chapman (Rogers, Minn.), Ally Hull, junior Allison McElwee (Laramie, Wyo.). Making their first appearance on the team is senior Emily Godwin (London, Ont.), sophomore Kaytlin Johnson (Black River Falls, Wis.), junior Shea Petersen (Rhinelander, Wis.), sophomore Emily Reimche (Billings, Mont.) and sophomore Sarah Tretina (Plainfield, Ill.).
The Blue and White also helped raise money to fight breast cancer with their annual pink the rink night that they played this year against St. Scholastica.
In March, the Falcons announced the team awards. Issy Bilton and Sam Lombadri won the Unsung Hero Award, Emily Godwin won the Iron Falcon Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award, sophomore Megan McPike (Mequon, Wis.) claimed the Rookie of the Year Award, Natasha Wanless won the Offensive Player of the Year and Breanna Thomson was named the Most Valuable Player.
The Falcons will graduate five seniors in captain Issy Bilton assistant captain Natasha Wanless, assistant captain Emily Godwin, assistant captain Sam Lombardi and Breanna Thomson.
The Falcons will look to soar in the 2020-21 season.