Wasylk Named New England Hockey Writers Co-Coach of the Year ,Three Rams New England All-Stars

BOSTON – Suffolk women's hockey received four honors from the New England Hockey Writers Association highlighted by head coach Taylor Wasylk's Division II-III Women's Co-Coach of the Year recognition. Player wise, Maddy Burton, Shana Cote and Madison Duff all garnered All-Star distinction from the regional organization.  

Wasylk and the trio of Suffolk's skaters, along with their fellow honorees, across all three divisions will be honored for their efforts in the 2021-22 season at an award reception next Thursday, May 5 at the Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts. The event, back after a two-year absence, will also include the presentation of the Walter Brown Award and the Joe Concannon Award, given by the Gridiron Club of Boston, to the top American-born hockey players in New England, as well as the Eastern Massachusetts Ice Hockey Officials' J. Thom Lawler Award.  

The regional coach of the year distinction is a first for Wasylk and for Suffolk for women's hockey ice. The threesome of Burton, Cote, Duff, all first-time New England all-stars, are the most Rams to earn the accolade in program history and first to do so since Tess Adams '19 represented the Rams after her effort on the ice during the blue-and-gold's inaugural season, 2018-19.  

Suffolk was one of six programs with multiple all-stars and had the second-most overall awards with four behind, Middlebury, who went 27-0-0 and won the NCAA Division III Championship, who received four all-stars, and won a pair of major awards to lead the way. The Rams picked up the most regional recognition in comparison to their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) counterparts on the list as Endicott (two) and Nichols (one) saw student-athletes take home all-star title as well.  

Wasylk, the inaugural CCC Coach of the Year, guided Suffolk to its winningest season in the program's short history with a 19-6-0 mark that beat out the inaugural's team's triumphs of 15-9-2. The blue-and-gold's 76.0-win percentage finished as the 10th-best in the country. In CCC play, Suffolk skated to a 14-4-0 league ledger, good for second. In addition to her conference and regional coach of the year awards, she was recognized as a CCM/AHCA Division III Coach of the Year Finalist.  

Cote, the inaugural CCC Player of the Year and first-ever Suffolk hockey player, male or female, to capture CCM Hockey/AHCA All-America Honors, added another award to her resume with a New England All-Star nod. The accolades come on a senior season in which she racked up 42 points on 22 goals and 20 assists. The forward from Broomfield, Colorado, provided at least one point in all, but three of the Rams 26 to hold the seventh-most points per game in NCAA Division III at 1.68. She also ranks in the DIII top-10 in power play goals (fourth - 8), game-winning goals (fourth - 6), goals per game (seventh – 0.88) and faceoff wins (ninth – 307).  

Burton, a fifth-year forward from Aurora, Illinois, logged personal-best in every offensive category in her final year of eligibility on the ice. She contributed 29 points on 17 goals and 12 helpers. In additional to her all-star recognition, she garnered a spot on the All-CCC first team.  

Duff, who hails from Novi, Michigan, made history earlier this year as the first blue-and-gold defensemen to earn a first-team all-league nod and did so again as the first blue liner with all-region distinction. As a senior captain, she anchored the defense unit and aided the scoring as well with 15 points on four goals and 17 assists.  

NEW ENGLAND DIVISION II-III WOMEN'S ALL-STARs
Goalie – Michaela O'Brien, Endicott
Goalie – Nina Prunster, Colby
Goalie – Caitlin Walker, Amherst
Defense - Madison Duff, Suffolk
Defense – Morgan Tefft, Norwich
Defense – Evan Hendrickson, Middlebury
Defense – Alicia Hunks, Nichols
Defense – Ryanne Mix, Castleton
Defense – Claudia Vira, Middlebury
Forward – Mikah Baptiste, Norwich
Forward – Maddy Burton, Suffolk
Forward – Lexi Cafiero, Colby
Forward – Shana Cote, Suffolk
Forward – Ann-Frederique Guay, Norwich
Forward – Madie Leidt, Middlebury
Forward – Jenna Lettarie, Middlebury
Forward – Meg Fittenhouse, Colby
Forward – Courtney Sullivan, Endicott 

Division II-III Women's Most Valuable Player
Madie Leidt, Middlebury 

Division II-III Women's Coach of the Year
Bill Mandigo, Middlebury
Taylor Wasylk, Suffolk