After stellar performances in February, Wisconsin's Lacey Eden and Rhyah Stewart were joined by Ohio State's Emma Peschel and Minnesota Duluth's Ève Gascon in claiming the final set of Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) monthly honors presented by Sterling Trophy Awards & Engraving.
WCHA Forward of the Month
Lacey Eden, 5th-Yr., Wisconsin (Annapolis, Md)
Wisconsin's Eden claimed her first WCHA Forward of the Month honor of the season after recording a league-best 17 points off seven goals and 10 assists in eight games played during February. Eden helped the Badgers to a 7-1-0 record in the month and guided Wisconsin to claim its 11th WCHA Regular Season Championship title. On February 21st against St. Cloud State, Eden recorded a five-point hat trick and became the fourth Badger in program history to record 100+ career goals. The Badger forward had five multi-point games during the month.
Other Nominees: Jamie Nelson, Minnesota; Kaia Malachino, Ohio State; Alice Sauriol, St. Cloud State.
WCHA Defender of the Month
Emma Peschel, Sr., Ohio State (Edina, Minn.)
For the first time this season, Ohio State's Emma Peschel was named the WCHA Defender of the Month. Peschel led Ohio State with 12 points off three goals and nine assists in eight games during the month while also recording a team-high 16 blocked shots. The Buckeye blueliner tallied at least a point in six of the eight games and had three multi-point performances. Peschel helped the Buckeye defense hold its opponents to 1.75 goals per game in February.
Other Nominees: Chloe Primerano, Minnesota; Grace Wolfe, St. Cloud State.
WCHA Goaltender of the Month
Ève Gascon, Jr., Minnesota Duluth (Mascouche, Quebec)
After posting a league-best four shutouts in February, Minnesota Duluth's Ève Gascon earned her first Goaltender of the Month honor of the season. Gascon led all WCHA goaltenders in the month with her .970 save percentage and her 0.81 goals against average. The Bulldog netminder posted a 7-1-0 record during the month, along with making 227 saves. Gascon now ranks second in the NCAA and first in the WCHA with 10 shutouts on the season, while she now sits at 21 in her career.
Other Nominees: Hannah Clark, Minnesota; Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Hailey MacLeod, Ohio State.
WCHA Rookie of the Month
Rhyah Stewart, Fr., Wisconsin (Antigonish, Nova Scotia)
Wisconsin's Rhyah Stewart earned her first career WCHA Rookie of the Month honor after backstopping the Badgers in February. Stewart started in net for the Badgers in the first six games of February in the absence of Olympic goaltender Ava McNaughton, and posted a 5-1-0 during that time. Two of Stewart's wins were against top-three opponents.
Other Nominee: Bella Fanale, Minnesota; Mercury Bischoff, Minnesota State; Maxine Cimoroni, Ohio State; Sydney Lamb, St. Cloud 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.
2025-26 WCHA Players of the Month:
February: Forward: Lacey Eden, Wisconsin; Defender: Emma Peschel, Ohio State; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Rhyah Stewart, Wisconsin
January: Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hailey MacLeod, Ohio State; Rookie: Bella Fanale, Minnesota
December: Forward: Jamie Nelson, Minnesota; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin; Rookie: Maria Mikaelyan, St. Cloud State
November: Forward: Joy Dunne, Ohio State; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
October: Forward: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hannah Clark, Minnesota; Rookie: Hilda Svensson, Ohio State
September: Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Sydney Morrow, Minnesota; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Bella Fanale, Minnesota