University of Wisconsin sophomore forward Kirsten Simms has been selected as the 2023-24 Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Player of the Year.

 

A resident of Plymouth, Mich., Simms has played a pivotal role in the success of the Badgers throughout the 2023-24 season.  A first team All-WCHA award winner and the WCHA Forward of the Year for 2023-24, Simms led all league players with 47 points in 26 WCHA games this winter.  In those games, Simms posted 22 goals, 25 assists along with four power play goals and six game winning goals.
 
In overall games played this season, Simms currently leads all NCAA Division I players with 67 points scored in 34 games played.  She has registered 21 multi-point games this season and has scored 29 goals and 38 assists for the #2 ranked Badgers this season.  Simms’ stat line also includes 128 shots on net, five power play goals and eight game winners this season.
 
As a team, Wisconsin owns a 31-5-0, 23-5-0 WCHA record this season and will open play in the 2024 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff tournament as the #2 seed on March 8.  The Badgers currently lead the nation in scoring with 188 goals and they rank seventh on defense with only 54 goals allowed in 2023-24.
 
Simms becomes the 10^th University of Wisconsin student-athlete to receive the prestigious WCHA Player of the Year award.

Tickets are now available for the 2024 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on March 8-9.  To purchase tickets online or for more information, please visit wcha.com/finalfaceoff
 
Previous WCHA Players of the Year

1999-00	Jenny Schmidgall-Potter, F, So., Minnesota Duluth
2000-01	Courtney Kennedy, D, Sr., Minnesota
2001-02	Ronda Curtin, D/F, Jr., Minnesota
2002-03	Jenny Schmidgall-Potter, F, Jr., Minnesota Duluth
2003-04	Krissy Wendell, F, So., Minnesota
2004-05	Krissy Wendell, F, Jr., Minnesota
2005-06	Sara Bauer, F, Jr., Wisconsin
2006-07	Sara Bauer, F, Sr., Wisconsin
2007-08	Tessa Bonhomme, D, Sr., Ohio State
2008-09	Hilary Knight, F, So., Wisconsin
2009-10	Felicia Nelson, F, Sr., St. Cloud State
	Zuzana Tomcikova, G, So., Bemidji State
2010-11	Meghan Duggan, F, Sr., Wisconsin
2011-12	Brianna Decker, F, Jr., Wisconsin
2012-13	Amanda Kessel, F, Jr., Minnesota
2013-14	Hannah Brandt, F, So., Minnesota
2014-15	Hannah Brandt, F, Jr. Minnesota
2015-16	Ann-Renée Desbiens, G, Jr., Wisconsin
2016-17	Lara Stalder, F, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
2017-18	Sydney Baldwin, D, Sr., Minnesota
2018-19	Annie Pankowski, F, Sr., Wisconsin
2019-20	Abby Roque, F, Sr., Wisconsin
2020-21	Daryl Watts, F, Sr., Wisconsin
2021-22	Taylor Heise, F, Sr., Minnesota
2022-23	Sophie Jaques, D, Grad., Ohio State
2023-24	Kirsten Simms, F, Wisconsin