Gophers center Taylor Heise, the reigning WCHA Player of the Year, is one of three finalists for the 2023 honor as well, the conference announced Tuesday.
Heise, a fifth-year senior who leads the nation with 29 goals and ranks second with 62 points, is joined by Ohio State defenseman Sophie Jacques and Minnesota Duluth goalie Emma Soderberg. Jacques has 22 goals and 24 assists, which lead all blue-liners. Soderberg is 20-8-2 with a 1.36 goals-against average (third nationally) and .938 save percentage (fourth nationally).
* Soderberg, Bemidji State's Abby DeLaRosa and St. Thomas' Maija Almich are finalists for WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year.
* St. Thomas' Joel Johnson, Ohio State's Nadine Muzerall and St. Cloud State's Brian Idalski are finalists for WCHA Coach of the Year.
Award winners will be announced Wednesday and Thursday.
Induction ceremony at MOA
Ten legends will be inducted into the Star Tribune Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame during a 6 p.m. ceremony Wednesday at the Huntington Bank Rotunda of Mall of America. The event is free to the public.
In a nod to the Big Ten women's basketball tournament coming to Minneapolis for the first time this week, all 10 in the class have strong connections to Big Ten schools.
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- St. Mary's senior guard Raheem Anthony and Macalester sophomore forward Badou Ba were named MIAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in men's basketball, respectively, while St. Olaf guard Kobe Kirk was chosen Rookie of the Year, and Carleton's Ryan Kershaw Coach of the Year.
- Kyle Kaemingk of Northwestern was named Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Seth Royston of Crown the Defensive Player of the Year, Blake Munson of Minnesota Morris the Rookie of the Year, and Bethany Lutheran's Pat Garvin the Coach of the Year.
