The Western Collegiate Hockey Association, which is celebrating its 25th season of women’s hockey competition in 2023-24, announced on Monday, Jan. 15 its Sterling Trophy Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Players of the Week honors for games played during the week of Jan. 8 through Jan. 14.  

This week’s league award winners included Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien(Forward), Minnesota Duluth’s Hanna Baskin (Defender) along with Ohio State’s Raygan Kirk (Goaltender) and Joy Dunne (Rookie).

The WCHA will feature a full slate of league games on the weekend of Jan. 19-21 including Wisconsin at Minnesota State, Minnesota at Bemidji State, St. Thomas vs. St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth at Ohio State.  Fans can view all of these WCHA games on the B1G+ at www.bigtenplus.com

Make plans now to attend the 2024 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff tournament on March 8-9 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.  For complete ticket information, please visit www.wcha.com/finalfaceoff

Sterling Trophy WCHA Forward of the Week:
Casey O’Brien/Wisconsin/Forward/Senior/Milton, Mass.
Wisconsin senior Casey O’Brien recorded two goals and three assists during the Badgers' sweep of St. Thomas at LaBahn Arena on Jan. 13-14. After recording an assist in Saturday’s 7-0 win, O’Brien enjoyed a four-point game against the Tommies, posting two goals and two assists in a 5-1 win on Sunday. O’Brien’s five points were tied for the WCHA lead while her +5 plus/minus rating was tied for the second-best mark in the WCHA.  O’Brien currently ranks third in the country with 24 assists and seventh with 34 points scored.

Others Nominated: Whitney Tuttle, Minnesota State; Reece Hunt, Minnesota Duluth; Hannah Bilka, Ohio State and Klara Hymlarova. 

Sterling Trophy WCHA Defender of the Week:
Hanna Baskin/Minnesota Duluth/Defense/Junior/Excelsior, Minn.
Junior blueliner Hanna Baskin led all WCHA defenders in scoring over the weekend and figured in five of UMD’s nine goals -- more than half -- in the series. Baskin had the game-winning second goal Friday night before serving up four assists Saturday, including the opening two goals. Basking averaged a league-high 2.50 ppg and her +5 plus ranking doubled the next closest in the WCHA. Baskin’s defense also helped hold BSU scoreless in both games and helped UMD stretch their currenty penalty kill scoreless streak to 28.

Others Nominated: Hadley Hartmetz, Ohio State; Ella Anick, St. Cloud State; Vivian Jungels, Wisconsin

Sterling Trophy WCHA Goaltender of the Week:
Raygan Kirk/Ohio State/Goaltender/Senior/Ste. Anne, Manitoba
Ohio State’s Raygan Kirk earned her fourth WCHA Goalie of the Week award in 2023-24 thanks to two standout performances against #2 ranked Minnesota on Jan. 12-13.  She opened the weekend with a 7-0 shutout win at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on Jan. 12, which included 20 saves.  Kirk returned to the nets on Jan. 13 and gained a 6-1 victory over the Gophers that included 17 saves.  On the weekend, Kirk made 37 saves with one goal allowed in 120 minutes of play.  On the season, Kirk has a 10-1-0 record that includes four shutouts along with a 1.12 goals against average and a .947 save rate.  

Others Nominated: Sanni Ahola, St. Cloud State; Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Hailey MacLeod, Minnesota Duluth and Eva Filippova, Bemdiji State

Sterling Trophy WCHA Rookie of the Week:
Joy Dunne/Ohio State/Forward/First Year/O’Fallon, Mo.
A resident of O’Fallon, Mo., forward Joy Dunne was a driving force for Ohio State in its weekend sweep at Minnesota on Jan. 12-13.  Dunne scored the game’s first goal and eventual game winner in OSU’s 7-0 victory at #2 Minnesota on Jan. 12.  She completed that game with three goals and one assist while posting three shots on goal.  Dunne completed the weekend with two shots on goal in OSU’s 6-1 victory on Jan. 13.  Over the weekend, Dunne posted three goals, one assist, four points, five shots, one blocked and was +2 on the plus/minus. 

Others Nominated:  Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Carmen Bray, SCSU and Cassie Hall, Wisconsin

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ABOUT THE WCHA:
Founded in 1999, the women’s league of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has positioned itself as the top conference in all of women’s collegiate hockey and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023-24.  The WCHA has won an unprecedented 20 national championships while finishing as the national runner-up nine times since 1999.  The league has produced nine Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winners as well an additional 24 student-athletes who were among the Top-3 finalists for the award.  In addition, WCHA student-athletes have been recognized as All-Americans 121 times in league history.

ABOUT STERLING TROPHY:
Sterling Trophy has grown into a leader in the award and recognition industry in the Twin Cities since its founding in 1999. A family business that started in the basement of the home of founders David Steinbring and Patty Steinbring, Sterling Trophy has built a proud tradition of quality service and unique products. For more information, visit sterlingtrophy.net.

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2023-24 Sterling Trophy WCHA Players of the Week:

Sept. 25: 
Forward - Emma Gentry, SCSU/Defender - Ella Anick, SCSU
Goalie - Sanni Ahola, SCSU/Rookie - Sofianna Sundelin, SCSU

Oct. 2: 
Forward - Lacey Eden, Wisconsin/Defender - Caroline Harvery, Wisconsin
Goalie - Raygan Kirk, Ohio State/Rookie - Cassie Hall, Wisconsin

Oct. 9:
Forward - Jamie Nelson, Minnesota State/Defender - Jayden Seifert, MSU
Goalie - Sanni Ahola, St. Cloud State/Rookie - Ella Boerger, St. Thomas

Oct. 16:
Forward - Abbey Murphy, Minnesota/Defender - Hadley Hartmetz, OSU
Goalie - Raygan Kirk, Ohio State/Rookie - Alice Sauriol, SCSU

Oct. 23:

Forward - Klára Hymlárová, SCSU/Defender - Anna Wilgren, Wisconsin
Goalie - Abbie Thompson, Bemidji State/Rookie - Ève Gascon UMD

Oct. 30:
Forward - Jennifer Gardiner, Ohio State/Defender - Nelli Laitinen, Minnesota
Goalie - Jojo Chobak, St. Cloud State/Rookie - Jocelyn Amos, Ohio State

Nov. 6:
Forward - Reece Hunt, Minnesota Duluth/Defender - Emma Peschel, OSU
Goalie - Eve Gascon, Minnesota Duluth/Rookie - Joy Dunne, Ohio State

Nov. 13:
Forward - Rylee Bartz, St. Thomas/Defender - Nicole Vallario, St. Thomas
Goalie - Calla Frank, St. Thomas/Rookie - Ella Boerger, St. Thomas

Nov. 20:
Forward - Jennifer Gardiner, Ohio State/Defender - Khloe Lund, BSU
Goalie - Raygan Kirk, Ohio State/Rookie - Hailey Armstrong, Bemidji State

Nov. 27:
Forward - Abbey Murphy, Minnesota/Defender - Hadley Hartmetz, OSU
Goalie - Hailey MacLeod, Minnesota Duluth/Rookie - Jocelyn Amos, OSU

Dec. 4:
Forward - Abbey Murphy, Minnesota/Defender - Ida Karlsson, UMD
Goalie - Sanni Ahola, St. Cloud State/Rookie - Ava Lindsay, Minnesota

Dec. 11:
Forward - Kirsten Simms, Wisconsin/Defender - Cayla Barnes, Ohio State
Goalie - Eva Filippova, Bemidji State/Rookie - Ella Boerger, St. Thomas

Jan. 8: 
Forward - Britta Curl, UW/Defender - Charlotte Akervik, MSU
Goalie - Skylar Vettter, Minnesota/Rookie - Cassie Hall, Wisconsin

Jan. 15: 
Forward - Casey O’Brien, Wisconsin/Defender - Hanna Baskin, UMD
Goalie - Raygan Kirk, Ohio State/Rookie - Joy Dunne, Ohio State