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Alison Malty |
NIAGARA UN, N.Y. – The women’s hockey team (10-18-6, 5-6-1 CHA) continued to receive postseason accolades, as a pair of freshmen were unanimous selections to this year’s College Hockey America All-Rookie Team, as announced by the conference office, Wednesday.
Forward Mary McKinnon (Summerside, P.E.I.) and defender Alison Malty (Milford, Mich.) earned a spot on this season’s list after tremendous freshmen campaigns. Both players received a pair of weekly honors this season, as McKinnon earned CHA Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6) and Rookie of the Week (Jan. 8), while Malty nabbed a pair of CHA Rookie of the Week awards (Oct. 2 & Dec. 18).
McKinnon tied for second on the team with 19 points and eight goals while tying for third with 11 assists. Her point total ranks second among freshmen in the CHA. The forward had two special teams tallies, a power-play goal and the team’s lone short-hander this year.
After totaling just one point in her first nine games, McKinnon scored a goal and assisted on three others in Niagara’s 6-3 win over Northeastern, Nov. 5, at Dwyer Arena. She seemed to hit her stride after that, having her best weekend come at then-No. 8 Minnesota-Duluth. The freshman had a hand in every Purple Eagle score, totaling two goals and a pair of helpers. She had two goals and three assists in CHA games this season.
Malty tied McKinnon for third on the squad with 11 helpers. Her 13 points rank sixth on the team and fifth among CHA defenders. She assisted on four goals in CHA play.
The blueliner started her Purple Eagle career with a bang, earning CHA Rookie of the Week honors in the team’s first weekend after picking up a pair of assists at then-No. 2 New Hampshire. She again earned the weekly praise after dishing out three helpers in her first CHA game, a 6-3 win at Wayne State, Dec. 16. The defender totaled three assists against Quinnipiac later in the year, in a 5-0 win, Jan. 26.
McKinnon, Malty and the rest of the Purple Eagles face Wayne State in the semifinal round of the CHA Tournament, March 2, at Island Sports Center.
