2022-23 MIAC WOMEN'S HOCKEY AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Defender Nora Stepan (FY, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS) was named as the 2022-23 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, leading a group of seven Augsburg University women's hockey players to earn postseason honors from the MIAC, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Joining Stepan among 20 conference players earning All-MIAC honors were Augsburg defender Payton Allen (SR, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS), forward Emily Cronkhite (SO, Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS), forward Katie Flynn (SR, Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge HS) and forward Kennedy Stein (JR, Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest HS). Goalie Chloe Stockinger (JR, Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice HS) was one of nine conference players to be named All-MIAC Honorable Mention, and forward Jenna Gerold (SR, Farmington, Minn./Farmington HS) and Cronkhite were named to the eight-member MIAC All-Playoff Team.

Augsburg's five All-MIAC honorees were tied with the 2019-20 squad and 1999-2000 squad for the most in a single season in program history. For Allen, the All-MIAC honor was her second straight award, while Flynn was named an All-MIAC Honorable Mention and MIAC All-Rookie Team honoree in 2019-20, and Cronkhite earned MIAC All-Rookie Team honors last year. This season's conference honors were the first for the remaining four Auggies.

Stepan had an outstanding season, leading Augsburg defenders with eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points, ranking fourth overall on the team in goals, assists and points. She had a goal or assist in 16 of her 27 games played in her debut season. Her plus-27 plus-minus rating -- one of five Auggies with plus-19 or better plus-minus ratings this season -- was tied for third-best among MIAC players. She scored one shorthanded goal and had 14 blocked shots on the season.

Stepan's honor is the ninth MIAC individual award for an Augsburg player in its women's hockey history -- four Auggies have earned MIAC Player of the Year honors and four have earned the MIAC's Sheila Brown Award as the outstanding senior women's hockey student-athlete in the conference.

Allen, who earned team captain honors this season, was one of the team's leaders on defense, scoring three goals with 10 assists for 13 points. She scored two power-play goals and two game-winning goals, recording a plus-19 plus-minus rating. She also had 15 blocked shots, and had a goal or assist in 10 of her 27 games played this season. In her 90 game collegiate career, Allen finished with six goals and 26 assists for 32 points, with three power-play goals, two game-winning goals and a plus-31 plus-minus rating.

Cronkhite was one of the top scorers in the MIAC this season, leading the Auggies with 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points, with one power-play goal, a shorthanded goal and three game-winning goals. She ranked fourth among MIAC players in goals, third in assists and first in points. Cronkhite had a goal or assist in 21 of her 27 games played, with three multi-goal games and eight multi-point games. In her 52 collegiate games over the last two seasons, Cronkhite now has 24 goals and 25 assists for 49 points.

In Augsburg's two MIAC playoff games, Cronkhite had a goal and three assists for four points, earning her a spot on the MIAC All-Playoff Team.

Flynn capped her outstanding career with career-highs of 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points, with three power-play goals, a shorthanded goal and a game-winning goal. She recorded a plus-22 plus-minus rating. Her 12 assists were tied for 10th-most among MIAC players, with her 22 points 12th-best. Flynn had a goal or assist in 16 of her 27 games played, with a seven-game point streak midway through the season. In her 89-game college career, Flynn finished with 26 goals and 35 assists for 61 points, five power-play goals, one shorthanded goal, four game-winning goals and a plus-24 plus-minus rating. Her 26 goals are tied for 15th-most in school history, with her 35 assists 10th-most and 61 points 12th-most.

Stein had another strong season as one of the best scorers in the conference, finishing with nine goals and 19 assists for 28 points, with two power-play goals and three game-winning goals. Her 19 assists were second-most among MIAC players this season, with her 28 points tied for third-most. Her plus-29 plus-minus rating was tops on the team and led all MIAC players this season. She had a goal or assist in 19 of her 27 games this season, including a 12-game point streak during the season. In her 61 games over three seasons, Stein now has 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points, with four power-play goals, four game-winning goals and a plus-26 plus-minus rating.

In her first year as Augsburg's primary goalie, Stockinger appeared in 21 games (1,266 minutes), with a 1.85 goals against-average, a .924 save percentage (474 saves), and a 12-7-2 record with three shutouts. Her 1.85 GAA was second-best among MIAC goalies, with her .924 save percentage third-best. She had 13 games with 20 or more saves, including 37 in a 3-2 victory at top-ranked Gustavus on Jan. 20. Stockinger has now played in 42 games in her Auggie career (2,275 minutes), with a 2.29 career GAA, .908 save percentage (858 saves), a 21-13-4 record and four shutouts. Her 2.29 career GAA currently ranks fourth in school history, with her .908 save percentage ninth-best and 21 wins tied for fourth-most.

Gerold earned a spot on the MIAC All-Playoff Team for her performance in Augsburg's run to the MIAC playoff title game, scoring two goals with an assist for three points. One of five seniors on the Augsburg squad, Gerold finished fifth on the team in scoring, with seven goals and seven assists for 14 points, incluidng two power-play goals, a shorthanded goal and two game-winning goals. In her 89-game collegiate career, Gerold finished with 18 goals and 18 assists for 38 points, with four power-play goals, a shorthanded goal and three game-winning goals.

Augsburg finished the 2022-23 season with an 18-7-2 overall record and 14-3-1 conference mark under 13th-year head coach Michelle McAteer, finishing in second place in the conference regular-season standings. It's the seventh straight full (non-COVID-shortened) season with 12 or more victories for the Auggies. Augsburg Competed in its seventh straight MIAC playoffs and 11th in program history, advancing to the playoff championship game for the fourth time.