The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women’s hockey coaches have announced their 2006 post-season awards and the conference champion Gusties came away with the lion’s share of the laurels. Junior defender Andrea Peterson was named the Player of the Year for the third consecutive year, while Head Coach Mike Carroll was tabbed Coach of the Year for the third straight time. Five other Gustavus players joined Peterson on the all-conference team. That group included senior defender Abby Randall, junior forward Kelly Crandall, sophomore defender Margaret Dorer, sophomore forward Molly Doyle, and first year forward Mari Gunderson. In addition, Gunderson and Liz Haakenson were named to All-Rookie team, while junior goaltender Kitty Hurley, sophomore defender Stefanie Ubl, and first year forward Jenny Pusch received honorable mention all-conference honors.
Andrea Peterson, a White Bear Lake, Minn. native, turned in another outstanding season for the Gusties. She is tied for the team lead in points with 16 goals and 28 assists for 44 points and led the MIAC in scoring for the second consecutive year with 15 goals and 23 assists for 38 points. Peterson, who leads all of Division III in scoring by a defensemen at 1.76 points per game, is currently tied with Sarah Moe for first place on the Gustavus all-time scoring list with 144 points. She becomes the first women’s hockey player in the MIAC to receive player of the year honors three times.
Mike Carroll directed the Gusties to their second consecutive MIAC regular season title with a mark of 17-0-1 and the program has posted a record of 34-1-1 in league play over the past two years. Carroll, who is in his seventh year at Gustavus, has compiled an all-time record of 107-14-6 in MIAC play and his teams have won five MIAC regular season titles. This is the fourth time he has been named MIAC Coach of the Year (2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006).
Abby Randall, a Tonka Bay, Minn. native, is the first women’s hockey player at Gustavus to be named to the all-conference team four times. A senior captain, Randall has played in 110 consecutive games for the Gusties and helped the team post a mark of 81-22-7 during her career. She has recorded seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points this season and ranks 16th on the Gustavus all-time scoring list with 21 goals and 53 assists for 73 points.
Kelly Crandall, a Plymouth, Minn. native, is a two-time all-conference honoree. The junior forward is tied for the team lead in points with 12 goals and 32 assists for 44 points. Crandall’s 32 assists ranks first among all Division III players this season. She needs four points to become only the seventh player at Gustavus to record 100 career points. Her current totals are 34 goals and 62 assists for 96 points.
Margaret Dorer, a native of St. Paul, Minn., is a first time all-conference selection. The sophomore defender ranks third in Division III in scoring by a defensemen with 10 goals and 25 assists for 35 points. She is part of a Gustie defense that has allowed only 38 goals in 25 games as well as a key part of the power play unit that has scored an NCAA Division III record 50 power play goals this season.
Molly Doyle, a native of Eagan, Minn., is a two-time all-conference selection. The sophomore forward leads the team in goals scored with 20 and she ranks ninth in Division III in goals per game at 0.80 with 20 in 25 games. After just two seasons, Doyle ranks 14th on the Gustavus all-time scoring list with 38 goals and 41 assists for 79 points.
Mari Gunderson, a native of Shoreview, Minn., is one of only four first-year players on the 23-member honor squad. She is the fifth leading scorer on the team with 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points and her total ranks 14th among all first-year players in Division III.
Gustavus begins post-season play tonight with a MIAC Semifinal Playoff game against St. Olaf at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The Gusties will be looking to claim their third consecutive MIAC Tournament title.