2026 Women’s Awards: COTY, POTY, ROTY, & All-Rookie Teams Announced!

Here’s our first round of 2026 DIIIHockeyNews.com end-of-season women’s awards, our website will be fully updated in the coming weeks showing these awards on the “Awards” tab, but for now, here’s your Coach of the year, Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, & All-Rookie Team!

*We emphasize the fact that awards are not given solely on points, but voter opinions, meaningful-game analysis, & individual review. This is especially geared toward the D position at times.

Coach of the Year
Chris Baudo – Nazareth University

Head Coach Chris Baudo led his Nazareth Golden Flyers to a national runner-up finish this season. Previously, the furthest Nazareth had advanced was to the Quarterfinal round. Nazareth went unbeaten in the regular season (24-0-1), their lone blemish being a tie against Buffalo State in mid-January. The only losses came in the UCHC Championship against Elmira & the NCAA Championship against Wisconsin-River Falls.

Coach Baudo led Nazareth to a program-best season, advancing to their first-ever Frozen Four and coming back from a 3-0 deficit against Norwich in the semifinals, finishing the season 27-2-1.

2026 NCAA tournament run:

First-round bye
W 2-1 (OT) vs #6 Wilkes University (25-2-1)
W 5-4 (OT) vs #2 Norwich University (26-3-0)
L 4-0 at #1 Wisconsin-River Falls (30-1-0)

Player of the Year
Megan Goodreau – Wisconsin-River Falls

We’ve highlighted Megan Goodreau all season, she’s simply been the best goal-scorer on the ice at all times and tied the legendary Laura Hurd’s season point record with 77. She exits D-III hockey as a three-time National Champion and the 5th Falcon to win the Laura Hurd. Wisconsin-River Falls has the most Laura Hurd winners with five (all since 2017).

• 37 goals
• 40 assists
• 77 points (ties all-time women’s D-III record)
• UWRF single-season goals record
• UWRF single-season powerplay goals record
• UWRF single-season point record
• NCAA D-III Women’s single-season powerplay goals record
• 2026 Laura Hurd Award Winner (4th Falcon in five years to win award, 5th Falcon all-time)
• DIIIHockeyNews.com First Team West 2025 & 2026

Here’s more of Goodreau’s career achievements (not including many WIAC-specific awards):

• 3 National Championships
• 97 goals
• 112 assists
• UWRF career points record (209)
• NCAA D-III Women’s all-time powerplay goals record (35)
• 3rd player in NCAA D-III Women’s Hockey history to eclipse 200 career points (Laura Hurd (237) – Elmira College, Elizabeth Gibson (226) – SUNY Plattsburgh)

Rookie of the Year
Sophia Hess – Wisconsin-River Falls

Typically, 60 points would win you the Laura Hurd, but when Megan Goodreau puts up 77, 60 somehow won’t get it done. What Sophia Hess did this season is simply incredible, putting up 60 points as a freshman and is now on pace for the most all-time (240) if this pace can be kept up.

• 28 goals
• 32 assists
• 60 points
• WIAC Newcomer of the Year
• DIIIHockeyNews.com First Team West 2026
• National Champion

All-Rookie Team
F – Sophia Hess – Wisconsin-River Falls

*see achievements above

F – Trinity Walsh – Middlebury College

• 11 goals
• 21 assists
• 32 points
• AHCA Third Team
• NESCAC Rookie of the Year

F – Abby Hansberger – Concordia-Wisconsin

• 19 goals
• 27 assists
• 46 points
• NCHA Freshman of the Year
• AHCA Second Team

D – Maggie Hunter – Norwich University

• 6 goals
• 21 assists
• 27 points
• LEC Rookie of the Year
• AHCA First Team

D – Ella Konrad – Nazareth University

• 4 goals
• 17 assists
• 21 points
• +25 rating
• Empire 8 All-Conference

G – Lexi Badali – College of Saint Benedict

• 12-7-3
• 1.76 GAA
• .942 SV%
• 631 saves
• 1 shutout
• All-MIAC Honorable Mention

Summary

COTY – Chris Baudo (Nazareth University)
POTY – Megan Goodreau (Wisconsin-River Falls)
ROTY – Sophia Hess (Wisconsin-River Falls)
All-Rookie Team:
F – Sophia Hess (Wisconsin-River Falls)
F – Trinity Walsh (Middlebury College)
F – Abby Hansberger (Concordia-Wisconsin)
D – Ella Konrad (Nazareth University)
D – Maggie Hunter (Norwich University)
G – Lexi Badali (College of Saint Benedict)