Plattsburgh Sweeps ECAC Women's West Yearly Awards

February 24, 2012

Eastern College Athletic Conference Commissioner Rudy Keeling announced today the ECAC Women’s West all-conference ice hockey team for the 2011-12 season. The Plattsburgh Cardinals swept the major player awards in a vote conducted by league coaches. Junior forward Teal Gove was named the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year. She is joined by teammates Sydney Aveson, a junior who was voted ECAC Goaltender of the Year, and freshman forward Emma Rutherford, the 2012 ECAC Rookie of the Year.

Gove led a Plattsburgh Cardinals squad that finished the regular season 17-5-3 overall and 15-1-2 in conference play. The junior out of Berwick, Ontario was the driving force of the Plattsburgh offense, leading the ECAC Women’s West in offense by tallying 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points. Plattsburgh finished the regular season fifth in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 3.81 goals per game. Gove, who was also named First Team All-ECAC West, is the sixth Cardinal to be honored as Player of the Year.

A junior from West Covina, California, Aveson caps an outstanding campaign with her first ECAC Goalie of the Year award and Plattsburgh’s third consecutive goalie honor (Mandy Mackrell ’10, ’11). The three-time ECAC Goalie of the Week finished the 2011-12 regular season with a 15-4-2 overall record, earning a 13-1-1 ledger in conference play. Aveson recorded a 1.04 goals against average in conference play, stopping 312-of-328 shots for a .951 save percentage. Aveson also joins Gove on the All-ECAC West First Team.

Rutherford finished second on the Cardinals’ squad with 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points. The freshman tallied 13 goals in conference play, including one game-winner. Rutherford earned ECAC Rookie of the Week honors on Feb. 6 after a five-point weekend (three goals, two assists) against Cortland. Rutherford was also recognized as a member of the ECAC West All-Rookie Team.

Allison Era grabbed a spot on the All-ECAC West Second Team. Era, who was a member of the All-Rookie Team last season, helped anchor a young Plattsburgh defense that allowed just 1.64 goals per game. The sophomore is second among Cardinal defenseman with 19 points and third of the team with 15 assists.

Freshman Alyssa Parke also garnered All-Rookie honors after a standout rookie season. The Lynbrook, N.Y. native leads all Cardinal blueliners with 21 points and is fifth in team scoring. She earned ECAC West Rookie of the Week honors on Feb. 13 after a six-point week (one goal, five assists) against Norwich and Utica.

The Cardinals will begin postseason play on Sat. March 3 in the ECAC West semifinals. The semifinals and finals will be hosted by RIT.