MARSHFIELD, Mass. – In its first varsity season, the Suffolk women's hockey team picked up a nine-award haul from the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Thursday afternoon highlighted by Shana Cote's Rookie of the Year nod and Taylor Wasylk's Coach of the Year recognition.
Suffolk's nine honorees are second behind regular-season champion Norwich, who picked up 10 accolades.
Wasylk used an entire year to recruit prior to 2018-19. Over that time she built a 22-player roster comprised primarily of freshmen (17). In their inaugural season, that group put together 15-8-2 overall record and a 10-4-2 league ledger, good for the second seed in the upcoming NEHC postseason tournament. For her efforts on and off the ice, the first-year head coach was recognized by her peers.
The team Wasylk assembled produces the second-best offense in the league at 2.88 goals per game and holds its opponents to just 2.00 goals per game, making the blue-and-gold's defense the third-best amongst its conference competition.
Not only has the team marked milestones, but there were a number of individual standout performances and it shows as five Rams combined for eight all-league honors.
Cote accounts for nearly half of the accolades with three to her credit; Rookie of the Year, third-team and all-rookie team. She was tabbed the best rookie by the league's head coaches after putting together a conference campaign of 16 points behind four goals and 12 helpers, top amongst league freshmen. Overall, the Broomfield, Colorado product has produced 25 points on the season with eight goals and 17 set-ups. She has found the back of the net to lift the Rams to victory four times, twice in conference contests. Cote has laced up her skates in all 25 of Suffolk's outings this year to sit second on these quad in points and lead the way in assists and +/- (19).
Tess Adams garnered a spot on the first team after recording 17 points on 12 markers and five assists in conference contests. The Calgary, Alberta native is among the national ranks in scoring as her 31 overall points give her a share of 13th most in the country. Her senior leadership has paid off for Suffolk this season with the forward recording at least one point in 68.0 percent (17-25) of the Rams' 25 outings and put away the game winner twice. She holds the Rams' record in points in a game with six behind the most assists (5) by a skater in a game combined with one goal in an offensive onslaught 9-0 victory over Anna Maria Nov. 14, 2018. Adams etched her name in the newly formed Suffolk women's hockey record book as the first and only player to record 100 points in her career. After producing 79 points at SUNY Canton, she tallied her 21st on an assist at Becker Jan. 15 to reach the 100-point plateau.
From the blue line, Madison Duff is also a double honoree with a spot on the second and rookie team. A scoring defenseman, the freshman from Novi, Michigan, is fifth on the team in points with 14 thanks to 13 helpers and one strike. Eight of her 14 assists, which are good for third on the team, came against conference competition.
Haley Poloskey, who hails from Mattawan, Michigan, joins her classmates Cote and Duff on the all-rookie squad after putting together a stat line of nine goals and six assists for 15 points in her freshman campaign.
Netminder Kristen Caporusso rounds out the Rams' honorees with a place on the third team. The sophomore goaltender backstopped Suffolk to each of its 15 victories on the season. The Stouffville, Ontario local put together a .929 save percentage and a 1.71 GAA over 24 appearances and 23 starts. Her 10-4-2 league mark is the second-best amongst conference goalies behind 2019 Goaltender of the Year, Norwich's Emily Lambert (10-0-0).
Suffolk is two days away from dropping the puck of the NEHC Quarterfinals against seventh-seeded UMass Boston. The postseason action at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Rink is set to get underway Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The winner between the Rams and Beacons will advance to the semifinals scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23 with the victor moving on to the championship contest Saturday, March 2.
2018-19 NEHC All-Conference
Player of the Year – Amanda Conway, Norwich
Rookie of the Year – Shana Cote, Suffolk
Goaltender of the Year – Emily Lambert, Norwich
Coach of the Year – Taylor Wasylk, Suffolk
First-Team All-Conference
Forward - Amanda Conway, Norwich
Forward – Sophire McGovern, Norwich
Forward – Tess Adams, Suffolk
Defense – Samantha Benoit, Norwich
Defense, Jensen Hamblett, Southern Maine
Goaltender – Emily Lambert, Norwich
Second-Team All-Conference
Forward – Jocelyn Forrest, Castleton
Forward – Adriena Rossini, Norwich
Forward – Jane Morrisette, UMass Boston
Defense – Madison Duffy, Suffolk
Defense – Robyn Foley, Norwich
Goaltender – Britney Evangelista, Southern Maine
Third Team All-Conference
Forward – Alyssa Hulst, Norwich
Forward – Aimee Briand, Castleton
Forward – Shana Cote, Suffolk
Defense – Arielle Gallucci, UMass Boston
Defense – Casey Traill, Castleton
Goaltender * – Rylie Willis, Castleton
Goaltender * – Kristen Caporusso, Suffolk
All-Rookie Team
Forward – Shana Cote, Suffolk
Forward – Haley Poloskey, Suffolk
Forward – Maddie Moell, Norwich
Defense – Madison Duff, Suffolk
Defense – Ryanne Mix, Castleton
Goaltender – Jasmine Mucci, Johnson & Wales
* Represents additional players recognized due to a tie in voting