Nelli Laitinen Award Defender of the Year Week Of 1/5/2026 Sport Hockey School University of Minnesota Year Senior Position Defender Hometown Lohja, Finland High School 2024-25 • Junior Season: Named a team captain for 2024-25 season All-WCHA Preseason Team WCHA Scholar Athlete and WCHA All-Academic Recorded career-high 19 assists Scored a goal against Boston University (Oct. 6) Recorded two assists in series against Ohio State (Oct. 11-12) Tallied two assists against St. Cloud State (Nov. 22) Recorded two assists in series sweep of St. Thomas (Dec. 6-7) Recorded 50th career point against St. Thomas (Dec. 6) Scored a goal against Brown (Jan. 3) Notched three assists in series sweep of St. Thomas (Jan. 10-11) Recorded three assists in three-game WCHA Quarterfinal series against Minnesota State (Feb. 28-Mar. 2) 2023-24 • Sophomore Season: WCHA All-Academic WCHA Defender of the Week (Oct. 30) Ranked seventh on the team in points (23) - tied for first among Gopher defenders Scored one goal in 4-0 win at St. Thomas (Oct. 14) Recorded three points (2g-1a) in 6-5 loss at No. 1 Ohio State (Oct. 28) Tallied two points (1g-1a) in 3-1 win over Minnesota State (Nov. 3) Recorded two points (1g-1a) in 9-1 win vs. Bemidji State (Dec. 2) Notched two points (1g-1a) in 5-3 win over No. 3 Wisconsin (Dec. 8) Assisted on two goals in 5-3 win over No. 11 UCONN (Jan. 5) Recorded two assists in 2-1 win at Minnesota State (Jan. 27) Blocked 9 shots in series sweep vs. St. Thomas (Feb. 2-3) Notched two assists in 4-3 loss to No. 2 Wisconsin in WCHA Final Faceoff semifinals (March 8) 2022-23 • Freshman Season: USCHO All-Rookie Team All-WCHA Rookie Team Named to HCA National Rookie of the Year Watch List Ranked third among Gopher defenders in points (19) Recorded two assists in opening-night win over Bemidji State (Oct. 7) Tallied three points (1g-2a), including first-career goal, in 11-0 win at Minnesota State (Oct. 14) Scored a goal in 4-2 win at No. 1 Ohio State (Oct. 28) Recorded two assists in series sweep over No. 5 Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 4-5) Tallied three points (1g-2a) in return to Minnesota lineup (Jan. 6) Posted two assists in 5-0 win vs. St. Thomas (Jan. 14) Missed eight games due to an upper-body injury Made NCAA Frozen Four debut