After helping their respective teams to non-conference series sweeps, Minnesota's duo of Abbey Murphy and Nelli Laitinen were joined by Ohio State's Hailey MacLeod and Hilda Svensson in earning the first Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) weekly honors of 2026, presented by OS Hockey.
WCHA Forward of the Week
Abbey Murphy, Gr., Minnesota (Evergreen Park, Ill.)
A career-high performance led to Minnesota's Abbey Murphy claiming her third WCHA Forward of the Week honor of the season. In Minnesota's series sweep of non-conference foe Sacred Heart, Murphy totaled nine points off four goals and five assists. The Gopher forward posted a goal and an assist in Friday's 4-0 shutout before following up in game two with a career-high seven-point performance with her hat trick and four assists in Minnesota's 14-2 win. The seven-point performance in game two tied the program record for most points in a single game. Murphy moved into fourth all-time in points in Minnesota program history with 238.
Other Nominees: Morgan Smith, Bemidji State; Sloane Matthews, Ohio State.
WCHA Defender of the Week
Nelli Laitinen, Sr., Minnesota (Lohja, Finland)
For the first time this season, Minnesota's Nelli Laitinen was named the WCHA Defender of the Week for her performance in Minnesota's non-conference series sweep of Sacred Heart. The Gopher blueliner recorded a goal in the series opener and followed up with a hat trick and two assists in game two for six total points in the series. The hat trick marked the first of Laitinen's career, while her five-point performance marked her fifth multi-point game of the season.
Other Nominee: Mira Jungåker, Ohio State.
WCHA Goaltender of the Week
Hailey MacLeod, Sr., Ohio State (Abbotsford, British Columbia)
After backstopping the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes to a series sweep of No. 4 Penn State, Hailey MacLeod earned the WCHA Goaltender of the Week award, marking her first honor of the season. MacLeod went undefeated in the net against the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions with a .956 save percentage and posted back-to-back 20-plus save games. The Buckeye netminder led all WCHA goaltenders on the weekend with 43 saves.
Other Nominees: Kaitlin Groess, Bemidji State; Hannah Clark, Minnesota.
WCHA Rookie of the Week
Hilda Svensson, F, Ohio State (Oskarshamn, Sweden)
Ohio State's Hilda Svensson claimed her fifth WCHA Rookie of the Week honor for her performance in the Buckeyes series sweep of No. 4 Penn State. In game one, the rookie forward recorded the Buckeyes' first short-handed goal of the season and added an assist to help Ohio State earn the 5-1 win. Svensson chipped in an assist in the Buckeyes 4-1 win in game two for three points on the weekend. The first year Buckeye now has 36 points on the season, good for third in the country among all NCAA skaters.
Other Nominees: Senja Leeper, Bemidji State; Bella Fanale, Minnesota.
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on X and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at wcha.com.
2025-26 WCHA Players of the Week
Dec. 5: Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Nelli Laitinen, Minnesota; Goaltender: Hailey MacLeod, Ohio State; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
Dec. 8: Forward: Jamie Nelson, Minnesota; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin; Rookie: Maria Mikaelyan, St. Cloud State
Dec. 1: Forward: Lacey Eden, Wisconsin; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Emilia Kyrkkö, St. Cloud State; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
Nov. 24: Forward: Joy Dunne, Ohio State; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Mercury Bischoff, Minnesota State
Nov. 17: Forward: Kirsten Simms, Wisconsin; Defender: Sara Swiderski, Ohio State; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
Nov. 10: Forward: Rylee Bartz, St. Thomas; Defender: Jenessa Gazdik, St. Thomas; Goaltender: Kaitlin Groess, Bemidji State
Nov. 3: Forward: Joy Dunne, Ohio State; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Taylor Kressin, Ohio State; Rookie: Sophia Villanueva, Minnesota Duluth
Oct. 27: Forward: Claire Enright, Wisconsin; Defender: Emma Peschel, Ohio State; Goaltender: Hannah Clark, Minnesota; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
Oct. 20: Forward: Alice Sauriol, St. Cloud State; Defender: Ellah Hause, St. Thomas; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Rae Mayer, Minnesota Duluth
Oct. 13: Forward: Kirsten Simms, Wisconsin; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hannah Clark, Minnesota; Rookie: Maria Mikaelyan, St. Cloud State
Oct. 6: Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Laila Edwards, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
Sept. 29: Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Sydney Morrow, Minnesota; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Bella Fanale, Minnesota
Sept. 22: Forward: Rylee Bartz, St. Thomas; Defender: Siiri Yrjölä, St. Cloud State; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Zoe Lopez, Minnesota State