Women’s Hockey Announces Team Awards – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
May 6, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s hockey team announced their 2005-06 awards Saturday at the team banquet. Senior Jana Harrigan earned her third-consecutive Most Valuable Offensive Player award while sophomore Lisa Chesson was named Most Valuable Defensive Player. Along with Harrigan, the Buckeyes celebrated fellow departing seniors Crystal Sayther and Katie Sershen.
Harrigan (Burlington, Ontario/Mississauga Jr. Chiefs) led Ohio State in scoring for the third-consecutive season with 47 points and ended the year tied for eighth in the nation in scoring. She led the NCAA with six shorthanded goals, the second-most in a single season in NCAA history, and ended the season tied for eighth with 23 goals overall. Harrigan had the second-highest point total among active players in the NCAA with 160 points, which also is the Ohio State all-time school scoring record. During the 2005-06 season, she had a school-record 17-game point streak (Oct. 29-Jan. 22). Harrigan finished third in league scoring with 35 points (15g, 20a) in 28 WCHA games. Harrigan was also named Second Team AHCA All-America, Second Team All-USCHO and First Team All-WCHA as well as a 2006 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalist.
Chesson (Plainfield, Ill./Chicago Mission) had a breakout sophomore season with 17 points to tie for third on the team in scoring. She ranked fourth in the WCHA in points by a defenseman as all but one of her points were scored in league games. While playing significant minutes on the power play and penalty kill, Chesson tied for third in assists with 14. She was named Third Team All-WCHA.
Hayley Klassen (Warman, Saskatchewan/College of Notre Dame) earned the team’s Most Valuable Freshman Award. Klassen led all rookies in scoring with eight goals and 15 points. She played in all 36 games and two of her goals were scored on the power play. Klassen tied for sixth in the WCHA in points by a freshman.
Freshman Megan Hostasek (Kimberley, British Columbia/Warner School) was named the team’s Most Improved Player. Hostasek scored one goal in the season and saw increasing ice time by the end of the season, while also playing on the Buckeyes’ special teams.
Sophomore Mallory Peckels (Minocqua, Wis./Madison Capitols) earned the Seventh Player Award, given to the player who exhibits great attitude, gives 100 percent effort at all times and has made significant, but sometimes unnoticed, contributions to the team. Peckels anchored the second line throughout the season while totaling five goals and 12 points.
The Scarlet and Gray Award, voted on by the off-ice officials to the team’s most intense competitor, was given to junior Lacey Schultz (Kelvington, Saskatchewan/College of Notre Dame). Schultz concluded the season with one point on one assist and led the Buckeyes with 23 penalties for 57 minutes. She also was co-recipient of the award in 2003-04.
Freshman Liana Bonanno (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Sound Shore Warriors) received the Team Academic Award. The goaltender concluded her first two collegiate quarters with a 4.0 GPA. Bonanno played in 12 games with nine starts as a rookie. She had a 4-6-0 record with a .901 save percentage and 3.62 goals-against-average.
Ohio State also honored its departing seniors, Harrigan, Sayther (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) and Sershen (Woodbury, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds) for their Buckeye careers. In 142 career games, Sayther scored 22 points with 10 goals. Sershen, splitting her career between forward and defense, totaled 10 points in 127 games.
