Feature Story

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Hastings’ McKenzie named Ms. Hockey

MINNEAPOLIS -- Let’s Play Hockey newspaper announced today that Erica McKenzie, a senior forward for the Hastings High School girls hockey team, has been named the winner of the 2004 Ms. Hockey Award.
    The ninth annual award, presented annually to Minnesota’s best senior girls high school hockey player, is sponsored by Let’s Play Hockey, the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Trophy.

    McKenzie, a five-time All-State selection by the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association and/or the Associated Press, scored a blistering 68 goals and added 22 assists to tally 90 points in her senior season. She helped the 12th-ranked Hastings Raiders post a 21-6-1 record and advance to the Section 2AA championship, where they lost to South St. Paul, 4-1.

    A six-time participant in the Community Olympic Development Program, McKenzie’s season scoring totals prior to this season were as follows:

    8th grade (1999-2000): 34 goals, 23 assists — 57 points

    9th grade (2000-2001): 39 goals, 19 assists — 58 points

    10th grade (2001-2002): 51 goals, 22 assists — 73 points

    11th grade (2002-2003): 58 goals, 26 assists — 84 points

    “Erica is a very unique player who could be described as a coach’s dream,” Hastings coach Jeff Corkish said. “She is very eager to learn, works incredibly hard and respects all of her teammates and coaches. Erica is known for her ability to score goals, but she should also be recognized for her ability to play in the defensive zone. Over the past five years she has learned the importance of contributing defensively first and offensively when the opportunities are presented. Her abilities have stemmed from countless hours of hard work. Her dedication to hockey and zest for being a positive role model are second to none."

    McKenzie, who participated in the Minnesota Wild Skills Competition earlier this year, also spent two years as an Olympic National Development Camp participant in Lake Placid, N.Y. When she’s not racking up points on the ice, McKenzie can be found on the golf course, organizing outings to nursing homes with her church youth group, being a Santa’s workshop volunteer, or being a “Big Sister” in the Hastings girls youth hockey mentoring program.

An honor roll student with a 3.4 grade-point average, McKenzie has accepted a full scholarship to play hockey at the University of Minnesota.

    "You look at the other finalists, and all four of them are amazing players," said McKenzie, who was recovering from the first of a series of shots for rabies after getting bitten by a stray cat that her family had taken in last week. "I wasn't going to believe until I heard my name called. It would have been nice to have been playing in the state tournament, but this is a prestigious award and it's a great way to end my high school career. I'm just thankful to everyone who helped make it happen."

    The cat has not returned to the McKenzie household since it bit her, and has not been tested for rabies. "But the doctors told us no one has survived rabies, and I didn't think it'd be a lot of fun to die from it, so I went ahead erred on the side of caution and started the shots. They made me real tired so I had to watch the girls state championship game on TV," she said.

    The Ms. Hockey Award is voted upon by a panel of college and high school coaches and Let’s Play Hockey writers and based on the following criteria: academics, community/extra curricular activities, citizenship, coachability and, of course, on-ice performance.

    The other finalists for Ms. Hockey included Rachael Drazan of Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Anya Miller of Elk River, Jenelle Philipczyk of Eagan and Amanda Stohr of South St. Paul.

    This is the ninth season Let’s Play Hockey has sponsored the Ms. Hockey Award. The award’s previous Ms. Hockey winners were: (2003) Andrea Nichols, Hibbing; (2002) Ashley Albrecht, South St. Paul; (2001) Renee Curtin, Roseville; (2000) Krissy Wendell, Park Center; (1999) Ronda Curtin, Roseville; (1998) Laura Slominski, Burnsville; (1997) Annamarie Holmes, Apple Valley; and (1996) Winny Brodt, Roseville.

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The Let’s Play Hockey Ms. Hockey Award is sponsored by:

and Minnesota Trophy