Evan Daum, Canada West Communications
Highlights:
- Canada West announced the 2017-18 women's hockey award winners Wednesday
- Goalies Jessica Vance and Lauren Taraschuk took home the top individual honours, as Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year respectively
- The CW Final is slated for this weekend when Manitoba hosts Saskatchewan
EDMONTON – Half the time this season Jessica Vance was unbeatable. In the other half, she was inches off perfection.
The second-year Saskatchewan Huskies netminder was named the Canada West Women's Hockey Player of the Year Wednesday, as the conference unveiled its major award winners ahead of this weekend's CW Final.
Vance claimed the conference's top individual honour after posting a 14-3-0-1 record over 18 games this season. The Prince Albert, Sask. product recorded a remarkable nine shutouts over that stretch and a GAA of 0.77.
Her shutout total finished tied for second-most in a single CW season behind Lindsey Post's record of 10, which for comparison sake, was set in 2014-15 when the Alberta goalie played in 27 games for the Pandas.
Taking home the CW Rookie of the Year honour was fellow goalie Lauren Taraschuk of the Manitoba Bisons. The Winnipeg native earned the award after posting a 10-2-0-0 record, .961 SV%, 0.71 GAA, and five shutouts.
Taraschuk's 0.71 GAA was tops in the conference, as the Bisons finished first during the regular season and are not set to host the Huskies this weekend in the best-of-three CW Final beginning Friday in Winnipeg.
Rounding out the major award winners is UBC's Mikayla Ogrodniczuk as the Student-Athlete Community Service award winner, and Coach of the Year Jon Rempel of Manitoba.
Ogrodniczuk earned the honour thanks in large part to her extensive efforts to provide mental health support to student-athletes through the UBC Athletes Hub, which is an online resource dedicated to mental health information targeted at student-athletes.
Rempel is the conference's top coach for the second consecutive season, after leading Manitoba to a first-place finish and home ice advantage throughout the conference playoffs.
All CW award winners now move forward as nominees for the U SPORTS national awards, which will be handed out at the national tournament March 15-18 at Western University in London, Ont.
You can watch Vance and Taraschuk battle to backstop their teams this weekend in the CW Final by tuning into Canada West TV – the official streaming home of every conference women's hockey game.
For a complete look at the CW Final schedule, click here.
NOTE: The CW awards were selected by the conference's eight women's hockey head coaches.
2017-18 WOMEN'S HOCKEY AWARDS
G – Jessica Vance, Saskatchewan Huskies
2nd-year
Prince Albert, Sask.
Kinesiology
2017-18 CW regular season: 18 GP / 14-3-0-1 / .964 SV% / 0.77 GAA / 9 SO
Statistically, Jessica Vance's nine shutouts in 18 games this season was one of the most dominant statistical stretches in Saskatchewan Huskies history.
The Kinesiology student was nearly impossible to beat this season for the Huskies, as her 0.77 GAA and .964 SV% helped her team to a second-place finish during the regular season.
After transferring from the University of Manitoba following two seasons with the Bisons, including one as a redshirt, Vance more than delivered for the Huskies once she made her debut in early November.
Over the course of the regular season, the Prince Albert, Sask. product allowed multiple goals in just three games, while allowing one goal during six games.
Vance is the first Huskie to earn the conference's top award since Julie Paetsch claimed the honour in 2011-12, and is the third overall winner from Saskatchewan after Breanne George's win in 2009-10.
"I couldn't be any happier for Jessica. She's had a long route to this award and she is very deserving of the honour. She plays and conducts herself with so much poise and confidence that it influences the way the rest of our team plays in front of her." – Steve Kook, Saskatchewan head coach.
G – Lauren Taraschuk, Manitoba Bisons
1st-year
Winnipeg, Man.
University 1
2017-18 CW regular season: 12 GP / 10-2-0-0 / .961 SV% / 0.71 GAA / 5 SO
In the year of the goaltender, Lauren Taraschuk's numbers were worthy of a veteran. The Winnipeg native is the CW Rookie of the Year after posting a dazzling .961 SV% and conference best 0.71 GAA for the regular season champion Bisons.
Taraschuk split duties this season in Manitoba with Rachel Dyck, as the Herd's two-headed brick wall helped the team to a 19-5-3-1 record.
The first-year goalie is the first Bison to be named the conference's top rookie since Alanna Sharman claimed the honour during the 2014-15 season.
"Lauren had a tremendous first year in our program. To post the numbers she did as a first-year goaltender in this league speaks to her ability, talent and perseverance. She is a determined player who has had an immediate impact on our team and has a very bright future." – Jon Rempel, Manitoba head coach.
D – Mikayla Ogrodniczuk, UBC Thunderbirds
3rd-year
Vancouver, B.C.
Kinesiology – Health Sciences
2017-18 CW regular season: 28 GP / 0G – 2A – 2 Pts.
A tough defender who has become known for her hard work both on and off the ice, Mikayla Ogrodniczuk is the CW Student-Athlete Community Service award winner thanks to her outstanding performance in the classroom and the community.
Ogrodniczuk was an Academic All-Canadian in 2016-17, and posted a 3.75 GPA during the first semester of the 2017-18 season.
Along with her success in the classroom, the health sciences student has been leading the charge for student-athlete metal health on campus at UBC. With assistance from her dad John, who is a highly-regarded psychiatrist at UBC, she worked countless hours to help develop UBC Athletes Hub – a website dedicated to providing mental health resources for student-athletes.
Along with her continued work on mental health issues, she is also part of UBC's access and diversity program, where she assists students with disabilities in taking notes, helping ensure that all students with a registered disability at UBC have equal access to course material.
"Helping build the UBC Athletes Hub, the first mental health resource dedicated strictly for a student-athlete population, is incredible. It's inspiring and hopefully something that will be built on for athletes across North America. We're really proud of Mikayla and the dedication and effort she's put into mental health awareness and support for student athletes everywhere." – Graham Thomas, UBC head coach.
Jon Rempel, Manitoba Bisons
14 seasons
Steinbach, Man.
2017-18 CW regular season record: 19-5-3-1 (first CW)
For the second consecutive season, Jon Rempel has been chosen by his peers as the CW Coach of the Year – the fifth of his 14-year career.
With 214 career regular season wins to his name, Rempel has built Manitoba into a perennial contender for the Canada West title and guided the Herd to a CW regular season best 19-5-3-1 record this season.
He now moves forward as the Canada West nominee for the U SPORTS Coach of the Year award, where he will be looking to claim the national award for the first time in his career.
"Jon Rempel being named Canada West Women's Hockey Coach of the Year is a special accolade for Bison Sports and our women's hockey program. As the leader of our women's hockey team, Jon is fully absorbed in the role and the responsibilities that it entails. He is dedicated to the achievement of our student-athletes in all facets of their lives. Bison Sports recognizes and values his effort, energy and time. Jon's award is thoroughly deserved." – Gene Muller, University of Manitoba Director of Athletics and Recreation.