A trio of rookies claimed the latest WCHA Player of the Week honors, presented by OS Hockey. 

After a six-point performance, Wisconsin's Nela Lopušanová was named Forward and Rookie of the Week, Minnesota's Sloane Hartmetz repeats as Defender of the Week, and Minnesota State's Jaya Schippel posted a 2-0-0 record for her first league honor. 

WCHA Forward and Rookie of the Week
Nela Lopušanová, Fr., Wisconsin (Zilina, Slovakia)
Rookie forward Nela Lopušanová enjoyed a six-point weekend as the Badgers swept then-No. 9/8 St. Cloud State, with all six of her points coming in Saturday's 7-2 victory. Recorded five goals and an assist for a hand in six of seven Wisconsin goals, Lopušanová became just the second-ever Badger to score five goals in a game, alongside Hilary Knight (Sept. 27, 2008 vs. Quinnipiac). Lopušanová is just the second NCAA women's hockey rookie to ever do so, with the first being Katie Guay from Brown (Jan. 11, 2022 vs. Yale). After starting out the game with her first career hat trick, Lopušanová finished out the game with two more tallies, including an unassisted, shorthanded goal. She now ties for the lead in points (21) in the NCAA with teammate Cassie Hall. 

The WCHA Forward of the Week honor is the first for Lopušanová in her career, along with her second WCHA Rookie of the Week title of the season (Oct. 5). 

Other Forward Nominees: Ella Boerger (St. Thomas), Ava Lindsay (Minnesota), Talya Hendrickson (Bemidji State), Kaia Malachino (Ohio State), and Mercury Bischoff (Minnesota State). 

Other Rookie Nominees: Sloane Hartmetz (Minnesota), Davina Davis (Bemidji State), Alida Korte (Ohio State), and Renée Lapoint (Minnesota Duluth). 

WCHA Defender of the Week
Sloane Hartmetz, Fr., Minnesota (Phoenixville, Pa.)
In a narrow battle at then-No. 13/12 Minnesota Duluth, freshman Sloane Hartmetz scored her first career goal in dramatic fashion. The blueliner net the game-winner in Saturday's 3-2 victory to seal Minnesota's weekend sweep of the Bulldogs. For a two-point weekend, Hartmetz also tallied an assist in Friday's 3-2 overtime win and skated to a plus-1 rating on the weekend. 

The award is the second consecutive WCHA Defender of the Week title for Hartmetz after also earning it on Oct. 26. 

Other Nominees: Jordan Baxter (Ohio State).  

WCHA Goaltender of the Week
Jaya Schippel, Fr., Minnesota State (Edmonton, Alberta)
Earning a 2-0-0 record on the week was freshman Jaya Schippel. The netminder earned her first career wins in her second and third starts of the season, while making a combined 65 stops on 67 shots faced. Schippel first made 40 saves in the 2-1 overtime win to upset then-No. 15 Boston College, before she added another 25 saves in the 2-1 win over St. Thomas to lift the Mavericks to their first WCHA victory of the season. Through 123:45 of action, Shippel ultimately posted a .970 save percentage and 0.97 goals against average. 

The WCHA Goaltender of the Week honor is the first league award of Schippel's career. 

Other Nominees: Dani Strom (St. Thomas), Hannah Clark (Minnesota), and Rowan Houweling (Ohio State).    

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

2026-27 WCHA Players of the Week:
Sept. 28 // Forward: Alice Sauriol, St. Cloud State; Defender: Lucie Tenenbaum, Minnesota State; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Rowan Houweling, Ohio State. 
Oct. 5 // Forward: Maria Mikaelyan, St. Cloud State; Defender: Mira Jungåker, Ohio State; Goaltender: Alexis Ehrman, St. Cloud State; Rookie: Nela Lopušanová, Wisconsin. 
Oct. 12 // Forward: Sanni Vanhanen, Ohio State; Defender: Mira Jungåker, Ohio State; Goaltender: Marilou Grenier, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Rowan Houweling, Ohio State.
Oct. 19 // Forward: Sarah Paul, Minnesota; Defender: Mira Jungåker, Ohio State; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Rosalie Tremblay, Wisconsin. 
Oct. 26 // Forward: Jocelyn Amos, Ohio State; Defender: Sloane Hartmetz, Minnesota; Goaltender: Sophia Villanueva, Bemidji State; Rookie: Alexis Ehrman, St. Cloud State. 
Nov. 2 // Forward: Nela Lopušanová, Wisconsin; Defender: Sloane Hartmetz, Minnesota; Goaltender: Jaya Schippel, Minnesota State; Rookie: Nela Lopušanová, Wisconsin.