Feature Story

Ms. Hockey Top 10 finalists announced

 

Let's Play Hockey newspaper has announced the top 10 candidates for the 2008 Ms. Hockey Award, which will be presented to the top senior girls' high school hockey player in Minnesota.

 

In alphabetical order, here are this year's top 10 finalists, with college choice:

 

Emily Erickson, Grand Rapids/Greenway, forward, Bemidji State

Sarah Erickson, Bemidji, forward, Minnesota

Melissa Feste, Eden Prairie, forward, Ohio State

Ashley Holmes, Alexandria, defense, North Dakota

Anne Schleper, St. Cloud Icebreakers, defense, Minnesota

Kelly Seeler, Eden Prairie, defense, Minnesota

Lauren Smith, Holy Angels, forward, Ohio State

Monique Weber, Elk River, forward, Connecticut

Danielle Welch, Hastings, forward, Boston College

Kelly Wild, Cretin-Derham Hall, defense, Ohio State

 

Eight of the 10 players named as finalists are bound for the WCHA next season. All of them have been bound to the textbooks for the past several years. The top 10 finalists check in with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.63. LPH Class AA No. 1 Eden Prairie boasts two players in the top 10, while Ashley Holmes of Alexandria stands as the lone player from a Class A team among the finalists.

 

The top five finalists for Ms. Hockey will be announced Thursday, Feb. 14, with the winner named at the Ms. Hockey awards banquet on Sunday, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m., at the RiverCentre in St. Paul. The award is sponsored by Let’s Play Hockey and the Minnesota Wild. The top five finalists for the Let’s Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year Award will be announced Thursday, Feb. 7.

 

In addition to on-ice talent, criteria for the Ms. Hockey Award includes academics, community/extracurricular activities, citizenship and coachability. The 2007 Ms. Hockey winner was Katharine Chute of Blake. Other past winners include Allie Thunstrom of North St. Paul (2006), Gigi Marvin of Warroad (2005), Erica McKenzie of Hastings (2004), Andrea Nichols of Hibbing/Chisholm (2003), Ashley Albrecht of South St. Paul (2002), Renee Curtin of Roseville (2001), Krissy Wendell of Park Center (2000), Ronda Curtin of Roseville (1999), Laura Slominski of Burnsville (1998), Annamarie Holmes of Apple Valley (1997) and Winny Brodt of Roseville (1996).

 

Other awards that will be presented at the banquet include the Let’s Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year Award, which goes to the top senior goalie in girls’ high school hockey, as well as the Minnesota Girls High School Hockey Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year, and All-State and All-Academic Award winners for the 2007-08 season.

 

For more information on the Ms. Hockey banquet, call Let’s Play Hockey at 612-729-0023.