Six from NESCAC Named to New England Hockey Writers Women's All-Star Team

BOSTON, Mass. – Six women's ice hockey players from the NESCAC have been selected to the New England Hockey Writers Division II/III All-Star team. Of the six, three individuals claimed All-New England recognition for the second year in a row. The honorees will be recognized on Wednesday, April 13 at the Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Mass.

Returning from last year's All-New England team were the Amherst defensive tandem of senior Randi Zukas and sophomore Geneva Lloyd along with Trinity senior forward Kim Weiss. Also honored by the New England Hockey Writers were Middlebury senior goalkeeper Alexi Bloom, Amherst senior forward Courtney Hanlon, and Bowdoin sophomore forward Kayte Holtz.

The 2011 NESCAC Player of the Year, Weiss' final season in a Bantam sweater proved to be her best, as she posted a team-leading and career-high 22 goals and 31 points over 26 games en route to becoming the program's all-time scoring leader with 108 points during her tenure (62-45-107). This year's success on the ice can partially be attributed to the lack of time Weiss has spent in the penalty box, having been whistled for just four penalties, a single-season low for her. During a 2-0 victory over Colby on Feb. 11, Weiss scored both goals, the first of which made her the first Bantam to ever reach the century mark in career points. An All-NESCAC First Team selection in each of the last three years, the Potomac, Md. native finished the year riding an 11-game point-scoring streak (11-3-14) which matched her career-long consecutive game point streak set during the 2009-10 campaign. She was also named to the All-America First Team East by the American Hockey Coaches Association in March.

Bloom backstopped the Panthers to the 2011 NESCAC title and a third place showing in the NCAA tournament. Bloom was the nation's best netminder most major statistical categories with career-best figures, owning a 20-4-1 record with 12 shutouts, a 1.10 goals against average, and a .947 save percentage. She was honored as All-America First Team East, All-NESCAC First Team, and NESCAC All-Academic this past winter.

Zukas, a two-time All-Conference Second Team selection in her first two seasons before being promoted to the First Team in 2010, finished second among league blue-liners and fourth overall in points with 29, half of which came during a late season nine-game scoring streak (1-14-15). Seventeen of the senior's team- and conference-leading 25 assists occurred on the power play. She was recognized as All-America for the second year in a row, taking home Second Team East honors after being named to the First Team in 2010.

A dynamic two-way player, Lloyd led the Jeffs in scoring for the second-straight winter, amassing 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points, besting the 31 she recorded as a rookie. Lloyd finished the year first among defenders in scoring, first in power-play points with 23 (8-15-23), and finished the 16-game NESCAC schedule first in points over conference games with nine goals and 13 assists. She earned All-NESCAC First Team honors and was named All-America for the second consecutive season in 2010-11.

Hanlon, who earned All-NESCAC First Team honors at forward three times over her career (2008, 2009, 2011), finished third for the Jeffs in scoring with a team-best 15 goals along with 13 assists for 28 points. Five of her 15 goals came on the Amherst power play, the nation's best man-advantage unit (32.2%), while three served as the game-winner. Hanlon played in every Amherst game over her four years, skating in 113 outings and amassing 126 points on 65 goals and 61 assists to rank fourth among all-time Jeffs. She led her team in goals in each of her four years and had 15 or more goals every year.

A threat to score every time she hits the ice, Holtz posted the most goals by a skater in six years, tallying 25 times in 26 appearances for the Polar Bears. She paced the league in overall points with 36, accumulating 17 points in conference play. Holtz has had three four-point outings during the 2010-11 season, twice scoring four goals. The All-NESCAC First Team selection led the Polar Bears in scoring for the second year in a row after accumulating 27 points on 15 goals and 12 assists in 2009-10.