A total of 99 Western Collegiate Hockey Association student-athletes earned the WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award presented by Sterling Trophy for the 2025-26 season.
Representing all eight WCHA member institutions, the WCHA Scholar-Athlete honor includes student-athletes who have a GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in their previous two semesters or three-quarters and who have achieved at least sophomore status in their academic careers.
Bemidji State had the most recipients of any WCHA program on the list, with 17 student-athletes earning the award. St. Thomas had 16 athletes earn the honor, while Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State each had 13 athletes recognized. Minnesota had 12 named to the list, and St. Cloud State had 11. Ohio State had 10 Buckeyes earn the award, and Wisconsin had seven Badgers named to the list.
The WCHA Scholar-Athletes are selected with the help of the Faculty Athletic Representatives from each of the member institutions.
Below is a full list of the 2025-26 WCHA Scholar-Athlete award recipients by school.
Bemidji State (17)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
| Avery Achterkirch |
Forward |
So. |
| Hailey Armstrong |
Forward |
Jr. |
| Raeley Carney |
Forward |
Sr. |
| Autumn Cooper |
Forward |
So. |
| Ana Davis |
Defender |
Jr. |
| Izy Fairchild |
Forward |
So. |
| Eva Filippova |
Goaltender |
Jr. |
| Isa Goettl |
Forward |
R-So. |
| Hannah Graves |
Forward |
So. |
| Kaitlin Groess |
Goaltender |
So. |
| Talya Hendrickson |
Forward |
Jr. |
| Kate Johnson |
Forward |
Jr. |
| Shelby Sandberg |
Forward |
Jr. |
| Morgan Smith |
Forward |
So. |
| Heidi Strompf |
Defender |
Sr. |
| Carmen Bray |
Defender |
Jr. |
| Elly Klepinger |
Defender |
Jr. |
Minnesota (12)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Hannah Clark |
Goaltender |
So. |
Oshawa, Ontario |
| Kendra Distad |
Forward |
So. |
Burnsville, Minn. |
| Allie Franco |
Defender |
Sr. |
Oakdale, Minn. |
| Gracie Graham |
Defender |
So. |
Kelowna, British Columbia |
| Sophia Johnson |
Goaltender |
Sr. |
Minnetonka, Minn. |
| Madison Kaiser |
Forward |
Sr. |
Andover, Minn. |
| Emma Kreisz |
Forward |
Jr. |
Budapest, Hungary |
| Nelli Laitinen |
Defender |
Sr. |
Lohja, Finland |
| Ava Lindsay |
Forward |
Jr. |
Minnetonka, Minn. |
| Sydney Morrow |
Defender |
Sr. |
Darien, Conn. |
| Jamie Nelson |
Forward |
Gr. |
Andover, Minn. |
| Chloe Primerano |
Defender |
So. |
North Vancouver, British Columbia |
Minnesota Duluth (13)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Anna Byczek |
Goaltender |
R-So. |
Marquette, Mich. |
| Kamdyn Davis |
Defender |
So. |
Beloit, Wis. |
| Ève Gascon |
Goaltender |
Jr |
Mascouche, Quebec |
| Thea Johansson |
Forward |
Sr. |
Ljungby, Sweden |
| Ida Karlsson |
Defender |
Jr. |
Avesta, Sweden |
| Kate Kosobud |
Defender |
So. |
Moorhead, Minn. |
| Zoey Krock |
Forward |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| Ashley Messier |
Defender |
Gr. |
Wilcox, Saskatchewan |
| Devyn Millwater |
Defender |
R-Sr. |
Victoria, B.C. |
| Mary Kate O'Brien |
Forward |
R-Sr. |
Wilbraham, Mass. |
| Krista Parkkonen |
Defender |
Sr. |
Lappeenranta, Finland |
| Grace Sadura |
Forward |
So. |
Chanhassen, Minn. |
| Josie St. Martin |
Forward |
So. |
Stillwater, Minn. |
Minnesota State (13)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Jessica Boland |
Forward |
Gr. |
Northfield, Minn. |
| Lauren Goldsworthy |
Defender |
So. |
Minnetonka, Minn. |
| Ava Guillemette |
Forward |
Jr. |
Prior Lake, Minn. |
| Hailey Hansen |
Goaltender |
Jr. |
Blaine, Minn. |
| Taylor Otremba |
Forward |
Sr. |
Lakeville, Minn. |
| Ayla Puppe |
Forward |
So. |
Northfield, Minn. |
| Lilie Ramirez |
Defender |
Sr. |
So. St. Paul, Minn. |
| Kianna Roeske |
Defender |
Sr. |
Paynesville, Minn. |
| Bella Shipley |
Forward |
So. |
Maple Grove, Minn. |
| Avery Stilwell |
Goaltender |
Sr. |
Litchfield, Minn. |
| Whitney Tuttle |
Forward |
Sr. |
Rosemount, Minn. |
| Kamryn Van Batavia |
Forward |
Jr. |
Luverne, Minn. |
| Lauren Zawoyski |
Forward |
Jr. |
Edina, Minn. |
Ohio State (10)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Jocelyn Amos |
Forward |
Jr. |
Ailsa Craig, Ontario |
| Brooke Disher |
Defender |
Sr. |
Fort St. John, B.C. |
| Joy Dunne |
Forward |
Jr. |
Ofallon, Mo. |
| Mira Jungåker |
Defender |
So. |
Jönköping, Sweden |
| Genny Klein |
Goaltender |
So. |
Apple Valley, Minn. |
| Sloane Matthews |
Forward |
Sr. |
Plymouth, Minn. |
| Grace McCoshen |
Defender |
So. |
Northfield, Minn. |
| Emma Peschel |
Defender |
Sr. |
Edina, Minn. |
| Maria Roth |
Defender |
So. |
Dubuque, Iowa |
| Sara Swiderski |
Defender |
Sr. |
Langley, B.C. |
St. Cloud State (11)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Sydney Bryant |
Defender |
R-So. |
Traverse City, Mich. |
| Regan Bulger |
Defender |
R-Jr. |
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories |
| Jojo Chobak |
Goaltender |
Gr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Avery Farrell |
Forward |
Sr. |
Rogers, Minn. |
| Sidney Jackel |
Forward |
Jr. |
Ann Arbor, Mich |
| Hali Lawrence |
Goaltender |
Sr. |
Calgary, Alberta |
| Marie Moran |
Forward |
R-So. |
Lakeville, Minn. |
| Alice Sauriol |
Forward |
Jr. |
Sherbrooke, Quebec |
| Svenja Voigt |
Forward |
Sr. |
Cologne, Germany |
| Grace Wolfe |
Defender |
Gr. |
Owatonna, Minn. |
| Laura Zimmermann |
Forward |
R-Jr. |
Ringgenberg, Switzerland |
St. Thomas (16)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Rylee Bartz |
Forward |
Jr. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| Ella Boerger |
Forward |
Jr. |
Andover, Minn. |
| Chloe Boreen |
Forward |
So. |
Somerset, Wis. |
| Madison Brown |
Forward |
Jr. |
Bismarck, N.D. |
| Jenessa Gazdik |
Defender |
Jr. |
Somerset, Wis. |
| JuliAnna Gazdik |
Defender |
Jr. |
Somerset, Wis. |
| Ellah Hause |
Defender |
Jr. |
Forest Lake, Minn. |
| Ilsa Lindaman |
Forward |
So. |
Duluth, Minn. |
| Sadie Lindsay |
Forward |
Sr. |
Minnetonka, Minn. |
| Maggie Malecha |
Goaltender |
Sr. |
Northfield, Minn. |
| Haley Maxwell |
Defender |
Sr. |
Edina, Minn. |
| Julia Minotti |
Goaltender |
Gr. |
Laval, Que. |
| Caillin Mumm |
Defender |
So. |
Andover, Minn. |
| Keara Parker |
Forward |
Jr. |
Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Cara Sajevic |
Forward |
Jr. |
Shoreview, Minn. |
| Dani Strom |
Goaltender |
So. |
Dayton, Minn. |
Wisconsin (7)
| Name |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Chloe Baker |
Goaltender |
Sr. |
Hermosa Beach, Calif. |
| Grace Bickett |
Defender |
So. |
Orono, Minn. |
| Lacey Eden |
Forward |
5th Yr |
Annapolis, Md. |
| Claire Enright |
Forward |
Sr. |
Farmington, Minn. |
| Kelly Gorbatenko |
Forward |
Jr. |
Barrington, Ill. |
| Vivian Jungels |
Defender |
Jr. |
Edina, Minn. |
| Ava McNaughton |
Goaltender |
Jr. |
Seven Fields, Pa. |
ABOUT STERLING TROPHY
Based in Anoka, Minn., Sterling Trophy & Engraving is a family-owned business that provides high-quality awards, certificates, trophies and promotional items to sports, corporate and individual clients. Known locally for their personal touch and high-quality customer service, Sterling Trophy’s catalog of products includes wall plaques, name badges, crystal awards, acrylic trophies, engraved gifts, memorial products, picture frames and traditional trophies. For more information, visit Sterling Trophy.
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on X and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at wcha.com.