RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Three Augsburg University women's hockey players were were named to the CCM Hockey/American Hockey Coaches Association Division III All-America Team, it was announced on Thursday. Goalie Kayla Simonson (FY, Delano, Minn./Delano HS) and defender Nora Stepan (JR, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS) were named as West Region first-team honorees, while forward Emily Cronkhite (SR, Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) was named as a West Region second-team honoree.

The awards were announced on Thursday evening during the NCAA Division III National Championships banquet in River Falls, host to the national semifinals and finals this weekend. Augsburg (24-3-1) will face host Wisconsin-River Falls in the national semifinals on Friday (3/28) at 7 p.m. A total of 32 NCAA Division III players were named to the All-American teams -- two six-player West Region teams and three six-player East Region teams.

The honors bring to eight the number of Augsburg women's hockey players honored as AHCA Division III All-Americans since the coaches organization began awards for women's hockey in 2000. Nikki Nightengale '20 earned the honor twice, in 2018-19 and 2019-20; Annie Annunziato '04 was named to the squad in 2003-04, Lauren Chezick '05 was named to the squad in the 2002-03 season, and Angie Rieger '01 was an honoree in 1999-2000. Augsburg has now had 14 women's hockey All-Americans honored by various organizations since the sport began at the university in 1995. It's the first time since the 1998-99 season that multiple Auggies were named as All-Americans in the same season.

Stepan, who was named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year this season, was also named as one of 13 finalists for the AHCA's 2025 Laura Hurd Award, given annually to the best NCAA Division III women's hockey player in the country. Stepan, Simonson and Cronkite were all named as All-MIAC honorees this season, Cronkhite and Stepan for the third time each, and Simonson for the first time.

Stepan leads the Auggies this season with 16 goals and 28 points, while tied for fourth on the team with 12 assists, with a team-high plus-28 plus-minus rating. Her 16 goals are third-most among MIAC players, while her 28 points are fourth-most and her 12 assists are tied for 10th. Stepan's 16 goals are the most among all NCAA Division III defenders nationally, with her points total tied for third-most. Stepan was part of an Auggie defense that has allowed just 40 goals this season, the fewest among all MIAC teams and 14th-fewest among all NCAA Division III teams.

The MIAC Rookie of the Year in the 2022-23 season, Stepan has played in 81 games in her collegiate career, with 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 career points, a plus-64 plus-minus rating (second-best in program history), nine power-play goals and nine game-winning goals. She has had a goal or assist in 21 of Augsburg's 28 games this season.

One of just two first-year players among the 32 AHCA All-Americans, Simonson has had one of the best seasons for a goalie in Augsburg women's hockey history, with a 15-3-0 record and five shutouts in 18 starts. She has a .945 save percentage (482 saves, 28 goals allowed) and 1.45 goals against-average. She stands second to teammate Marissa Paaske (JR, Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central HS) among MIAC goalies in goals against-average (Paaske is at 1.09), first in save percentage,  second with a 26.78 saves per-game average, and tied for first in shutouts. Her 15 victories stand third in a single season in Augsburg history, with her five shutouts tied for second-most.

Among NCAA Division III goalies nationally, Simonson stands 23rd in goals against-average, tied for 18th in save percentage, fifth in goalie winning percentage and tied for 10th in shutouts.

Cronkhite currently stands with 10 goals and a team-best 14 assists for 24 points, two power-play goals and a plus-9 plus-minus rating. She has scored a goal or had an assist in 14 of her 28 games this year, and is tied for seventh among MIAC players in total points and tied for fifth in assists.

Cronkhite has now played in 106 career games, tied for the most in school history. Her 50 career goals are fourth-most in school history, while her 51 career assists are also fourth-most. Her 101 career points are third-most in school history.

The CCM/AHCA Coach of the Year awards are sponsored by CCM Hockey and chosen by members of the AHCA. CCM is the legendary hockey brand dedicated to the endless pursuit of performance by delivering game-changing, head-to-toe innovative hockey equipment to players worldwide.