DIIIHockeyNews.com Women’s Awards: Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, & All-Rookie Team!

The season has come to an end and that means end of year awards are here! These awards were determined by many factors, including voting from our poll voters throughout the season. This is the first edition of the DIIIHockeyNews.com awards! Our awards will be released throughout this week, with Tuesday being First Team East & West, followed by Wednesday being Second Team East & West.

Coach of the Year

Elizabeth Bauer – Augsburg University

• First ever season as a head coach at any level
• 24-4-1
• MIAC regular season title
• MIAC conference championship
• #1 overall seed for the first time in program history
• First ever NCAA Tournament appearance in program history
• First ever Frozen Four appearance in program history

Head Coach Elizabeth Bauer took over the Auggies after longtime Head Coach Michelle McAteer (2010-2024) took the Commissioner role for the WCHA (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) for her first ever head coaching position. Bauer, a Wisconsin-Eau Claire alum (2016-2020), played in 114 games, scoring 37 goals and tallying 69 assists for a total of 106 points.

Bauer led the Auggies to their first conference championship since 2000, their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, which led to their eventual Frozen Four appearance. Regardless of the situation she was handed, she handled it near-perfectly and took this program to the next level of success that it had never seen before. Their season came to an end in the semifinals versus the eventual back-to-back National Champions UW-River Falls, nothing to hang your hat on…

Congratulations to Elizabeth “Biz” Bauer on winning Coach of the Year.

Player of the Year

Bailey Olson – Wisconsin-River Falls

• 27 goals
• 33 assists
• 60 points
• 2025 Laura Hurd winner
• Two-time National Champion (’24 & ’25)
• T-#1 for goals (Anna Dale – LVC 27G)

What else can be said other than greatness continues to roll through Hunt Arena on the campus of Wisconsin-River Falls under 26-year Head Coach Joe Cranston’s leadership. Bailey Olson is the third Laura Hurd winner in the last four seasons to come from UW-River Falls (Callie Hoff ’22 & Maddie McCollins ’24) and the fourth Falcon all time to win it (Dani Sibley ’17)…

Olson racked up a career total of 60 goals & 68 assists for a total of 128 points in her 118 games played. This season, she had highlight reel after highlight reel goal, including her goal versus Amherst in the national championship game. In the title game, she scored once and assisted on the other two Falcon goals. She also came up big in nearly every game for the Falcons, racking up eight points in four games versus UW-Eau Claire, six points in their three NCAA Tournament games, four points versus Gustavus in three games, etc…

On most occasions, Olson looked like a player who had a gear everyone on the ice didn’t possess. Game after game she showed that clearly she was the best player on the ice and in all of Division III hockey.

Congratulations to Bailey Olson on winning Player of the Year.

Rookie of the Year

Kayla Simonson – Augsburg University

• 15-4-0
• 1.58 GAA
• .941 save percentage
• 5 shutouts

A big year for the Freshman, Kayla Simonson wins Rookie of the Year after playing a huge role in the Auggies program-best season. Simonson boasted a GAA of 1.58 & .941 save-percentage in the competitive MIAC and tough non-conference slate.

Simonson had a game-high 53 saves versus Saint Mary’s in the longest Women’s Division III hockey game of all time in the MIAC semifinals (128:06). She allowed more than two goals in only four games this season, with her last seven of her last nine games resulting in two goals or less, going 7-2-0 in that stretch to end the season.

She really showed up in the final stretch of the season, after making her career high 53 saves versus St. Marys, she then made 37 versus Gustavus, 30 vs St. Norbert, & 25 in the loss vs UW-River Falls.

Congratulations to Kayla Simonson on winning Rookie of the Year.

All-Rookie Team

Alexa Niccum – Wisconsin-River Falls

• 8 goals
• 27 assists
• 35 points
• National Champion

Alexa Niccum stood out as a freshman, granted, UW-River Falls has a history of this and constant showing as you’ll see with the next selection, but Niccum had a terrific freshman year, being recognized by various coaches around the league east & west.

Niccum racked up 27 assists, including four in two games versus St. Catherine & UW-Stevens Point. She also tallied a goal versus Augsburg in the semifinals and an assist in the title game versus Amherst.

Kylie Jones – Wisconsin-River Falls

• 8 goals
• 25 assists
• 33 points
• National Champion

Kylie Jones, another standout freshman for UW-River Falls, like her teammate Alexa Niccum, racked up the assists with 25 and eight goals to top it off. Her totals included two games with three assists each versus Concordia (Minn.) & UW-Stevens Point.

In the NCAA Tournament, Jones had an assist in the quarterfinal game versus Elmira and versus Augsburg in the semifinal.

Amy Laskowski – Nazareth University

• 14 goals
• 13 assists
• 27 points
• Only Freshman All-American for the East

Amy Laskowski had a stellar season, being the lone freshman to be named an All American for the East, having a balanced year of 14 goals & 13 assists for a total of 27 points.

Her signature game this season was in their biggest win, the first ever NCAA Tournament victory for Nazareth. Laskowski scored twice and assisted once in the 4-2 win over Endicott in the NCAA First Round matchup.

She also recorded the lone Golden Flyer goal in their 1-1 tie vs a ranked Cortland squad in January.

Caitlin Pierce – Connecticut College

• 6 goals
• 8 assists
• 14 points
• Transferred to Sacred Heart (NCAA D-I)

Caitlin Pierce was a standout player for the Camels of Connecticut College. A freshman forward who was highly regarded by many in her league and all across the east region of Division III.

Pierce was the signature player in the Camels huge 2-1 overtime upset of (at the time) #1 Middlebury at home, scoring and assisting in the game.

As of April 3, 2025, Pierce has entered the transfer portal, interesting move as we don’t see it as often out of the NESCAC, but we wish her luck and the eventual team assuming she doesn’t withdraw, will be lucky to get her.

Ashley Wagenbach – Wisconsin-Eau Claire

• 6 goals
• 8 assists
• 14 points

Ashley Wagenbach, the 5’10” freshman defenseman for UW-Eau Claire, had shining moments this season, recording points in some of the biggest games for the Blugolds, including games versus Saint Mary’s, Gustavus & Augsburg.

Wagenbach stood out amongst many as a top rookie defender in Division III.

Kayla Simonson – Augsburg University

• 15-4-0
• 1.58 GAA
• .941 save percentage
• 5 shutouts

Read above to see the full writeup on Kayla Simonson of Augsburg.