The Western Collegiate Hockey Association unveiled the recipients of the league’s major individual award winners for the 2025-26 season ahead of crowning the postseason champion this weekend at the 2026 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff.

2025-26 WCHA Individual Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Mark Johnson, Wisconsin
Player of the Year: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin
Outstanding Student-Athlete Award: Mary Kate O'Brien, Minnesota Duluth
Rookie of the Year: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
Goaltender of the Year: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth
Forward of the Year: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota
Defender of the Year: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin

2025-26 WCHA Player of the Year & Defender of the Year 
Caroline Harvey, D, Sr., Wisconsin (Salem, N.H)
Overall Statistics: 28 games, 17 goals, 41 assists, 58 points, 6 PPG, 6 GWG
League Statistics: 21 games, 14 goals, 31 assists, 45 points, 5 PPG, 5 GWG

Highlights: For the third straight season, Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey was named the WCHA Defender of the Year, while the Badger blueliner earned her first WCHA Player of the Year honor. Harvey led all WCHA defenders in league play with 45 points (14g, 31a) as she appeared in 21 conference games after competing for Team USA and winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The senior defender currently leads all defenders in the NCAA in points (58), goals (17), and assists (41). Harvey claimed six WCHA Defender of the Week honors and four WCHA Defender of the Month honors, both of which were the most of any defender in the league. 

2025-26 WCHA  Forward of the Year
Abbey Murphy, Gr., Minnesota (Evergreen Park, Ill.)
Overall Statistics: 29 games, 38 goals, 26 assists, 64 points, 7 PPG, 1 SHG, 5 GWG
League Statistics: 22 games, 25 goals, 15 assists, 40 points, 5 PPG, 4 GWG

Highlights: Minnesota's Abbey Murphy claimed her first-ever WCHA Forward of the Year honor. Murphy, who was crowned a gold medalist with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, recorded 25 goals and 15 assists in 22 conference games this season with the Gophers. The Evergreen Park, Illinois, native also became Minnesota's all-time leading goal scorer two games ago, surpassing Nadine Muzerall, as she now sits at 141 in her career. Murphy claimed two WCHA Forward of the Month honors and two HCA National Forward of the Month awards this season. She also claimed the most WCHA Forward of the Week honors of any forward with five. The Gopher forward currently ranks second in the NCAA among all skaters with 64 points (38g, 26a) this season. 

2025-26 WCHA Goaltender of the Year
Ève Gascon, Jr., Minnesota Duluth (Mascouche, Quebec)
Overall Statistics: 34 games, 2013:44 minutes, 1.79 GAA, 957 saves, .941 save %, 18 wins, 10 shutouts 
League Statistics: 26 games, 1492:57 minutes, 1.89 GAA, 773 saves, .943 save %, 13 wins, 7 shutouts

Highlights: For the second straight season, Minnesota Duluth's Ève Gascon was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Year after being named the All-WCHA First Team goaltender. Gascon was also named this year's WCHA Goaltending Champion after posting a league-best .943 save percentage in conference play, while she also led all goaltenders with her seven shutouts in conference play. The Bulldog netminder was also named a semifinalist for this year's Women's Hockey Goalie of the Year honor. Gascon was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Week a league-best six times this season. 
 

2025-26 WCHA Rookie of the Year
Hilda Svensson, F, Ohio State (Oskarshamn, Sweden)
Overall Statistics: 28 games, 17 goals, 32 assists, 49 points, 4 PPG, 1 SHG, 4 GWG
League Statistics: 20 games, 9 goals, 22 assists, 31 points, 2 PPG, 4 GWG

Highlights: Ohio State's Hilda Svensson was named the 2025-26 WCHA Rookie of the Year as she led all rookies in the league with points during league play with 31 (9g, 22a). Svensson played in just 20 league games after competing for Team Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Svensson was the only rookie to garner a WCHA Forward of the Month honor, while she also claimed two Rookie of the Month honors during the season. The Buckeye forward also claimed two HCA National Rookie of the Month awards. Svensson currently ranks second in the NCAA this season in total points at 49 (17g, 32a). 
 

2025-26 WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year
Mary Kate O'Brien, F, R-Sr., Minnesota Duluth (Wilbraham, Mass.)
Overall Statistics: 37 games, 3 goals, 14 assists, 17 points, 1 PPG, 1 GWG
League Statistics:  28 games, 3 goals, 11 assists, 14 points, 1 PPG, 1 GWG

Highlights: For the third consecutive year, a Minnesota Duluth Bulldog was awarded the WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year award as redshirt senior Mary Kate O'Brien won the honor. O'Brien is a graduate student pursuing her Master of Business Administration, continuing her stellar academic record of success after completing a double major in Business Analytics and Marketing. For the fourth-straight season, O'Brien was named a member of the WCHA All-Academic team and earned the WCHA Scholar-Athlete award. This season for the Bulldogs, the captain has recorded 14 points (3g, 14a) in 37 games played. Off the ice, O'Brien volunteers for several organizations, including serving as a member of the WCHA Student Athlete Advisory Committee, being a Coordinator and Team Admin for Community Service for the UMD Women’s Hockey program,  serving as a board member for the UMD Green Bandana Project, volunteering for 7 Stars Ranch, and many more. 

2025-26 WCHA Coach of the Year
Mark Johnson, Wisconsin
Overall Record: 31-3-2
WCHA Record: 23-3-2

Highlights: Johnson, the winningest coach in Division 1 women's hockey history, coached the Badgers to their 11th regular-season title in program history as Wisconsin posted a 23-3-2 record in league play and currently holds a 31-3-2 record heading into the weekend. The Badgers have now held the top spot in the USCHO.COM poll for the past 22-straight weeks as Johnson has claimed his 11th WCHA Coach of the Year honor in league history. 

WCHA fans can purchase their tickets to the 2026 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff online HERE. The league's premiere event will be held on March 5th & 7th at the brand new state-of-the-art Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, hosted by the University of St. Thomas. 

The tournament will open on Thursday, March 5, with semifinal games between #1 Wisconsin and #4 Minnesota State at 4:02 PM CT, followed by #2 Ohio State vs. #3 Minnesota at 7:32 PM CT. The tournament championship game will then be played on Saturday, March 7th, at 2:02 PM CT 

For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on X and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at wcha.com.