BOSTON – For the second time in as many years, Shana Cote of the Suffolk women's hockey has been announced as a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) 2023 Laura Hurd Award, given annually to the best NCAA Division III women's ice hockey player in the country.
The 11 players, who have distinguished themselves on the ice as finalist for the highest award in NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey, including two finalists from a year ago, Suffolk's own Cote, and Wisconsin Eau Clarie's senior Sophie Rausch. Overall, it is an experienced group with 10 seniors, and one graduate student with eight forwards, two defenders and one goaltender.
Sponsored by the AHCA, the Hurd Award honors the memory of former Elmire College standout Laura Hurd. A 2005 graduate of Elmire, and a four-time All-American, Hurd died in an automobile accident shortly after graduation. She was the recipient of the AHCA Player of the Year Award in 2005.
The 2023 Laura Hurd Award winner will be unveiled Thursday, March 16.
Suffolk's captain found her way on the Laura Hurd Award ballot for the second consecutive campaign after repeating as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Year. That recognition came on a regular-season in which the blue-and-gold's top-line center provided 26 points on an evenly divided stat line of 13 goals and 13 assists. Three of her goals lifted the Rams to victory, while four came on the power, both numbers led the CCC in the regular-season.
Cote, a Broomfield, Colorado, native, was a critical ingredient to Suffolk's first-ever CCC regular-season title and was instrumental to the team's postseason CCC Championship, dishing out an assist in the semifinal and title tilt to help the Rams punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
In addition to be one of the biggest scoring threats in New England, Cote has proven to be a face off specialist with 378 wins in the circle to lead the nation.
Suffolk's top-line center will go down in the Rams' record book as the leader in every offensive category behind 123 careers points on 59 strikes and 64 handouts. She is one of three Suffolk student-athletes to play in all 115 games in program's five-year history and this season she became the first-ever Rams skater to produce 100-plus points exclusively in a blue-and-gold sweater.
Cote's accolade resume is extensive as well. A year ago, she became the first Ram, male or female, to collect All-America status from the AHCA, receiving a spot on the 2022 second-team. Regionally she was recognized as a New England Writers Association Division II-III All-Star as a senior. The two-time CCC Player of the Year owns a pair of first-team All-CCC distinctions to go along with a pair of third-team selections from the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC). Her standout career started as a freshman with NEHC Rookie of the Year and NEHC All-Rookie Team honors.
With her spot on the Hurd Award list for the second straight season, Cote is the only skater under the CCC umbrella to be nominated for consideration for the highest NCAA DIII Women's Ice Hockey award.
Finalist for the 2022-23 Laura Hurd Award
AHCA Women's Ice Hockey College Division Player of the Year
Shana Cote Suffolk
Sophia Goldberg, Adrian College
Ann-Frederique Guay, Norwich
Hailey Holland, Gustavus Adolphus
Abby Kunhs, Hamilton
Darci Matson, Aurora
Maddie McCollins, Wisconsin River Falls
Kaylee Merrill, SUNY Potsdam
Sophie Rausch, Wisconsin EAU Claire
Erica Sloan, Utica
Kayla Vrieze, Gustavus Adolphus