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Trio Honored by Hockey East for 2015-16 Campaigns
March 02, 2016 | Women's Hockey
Keller, Burt tabbed best in the league, while Newkirk earns unanimous selection on rookie team in first wave of annual conference honors
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Two Boston College sophomores – defenseman Megan Keller and goaltender Katie Burt – have been recognized as the best at their position this season by the conference. Hockey East released a partial list of the conference's annual awards today, with the Eagles – who went 24-0-0 in league play – gaining early recognition.
Keller was voted the Best Defenseman, while Burt captured Goaltending Champion honors. Additionally, freshman Makenna Newkirk was a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie Team.
The rest of the league's awards, including Warrior Cammy Granato Player of the Year, Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and the Hockey East All-Stars will be announced at the annual Hockey East Banquet on Friday, March 4.
Keller is the fourth straight Eagles defenseman to draw Hockey East's Best Defenseman award, following Blake Bolden (2012-13) and Emily Pfalzer (2013-14 and 2014-15). This season, Keller anchored the conference's top defense which allowed a league-low 1.12 goals per game and posted nine shutouts in league play. Offensively, Keller set the Hockey East record for points (29) and assists (24) by a defenseman in the conference season. Her +41 mark was also second-best among all players spanning the league slate.
Overall, Keller is the nation's top-scoring defenseman with 46 points (12 goals, 34 assists), is tied for sixth nationally among all players in assists and is second nationally in plus/minus (+58). She set the BC single-season scoring record for a defenseman this year, and has matched the school's single-season assist record by a defenseman.
Burt claimed her second Goaltending Champion award in as many seasons. She paced the conference with a 1.16 goals against average in 20 Hockey East starts, while posting a perfect 20-0-0 record in league play. Burt's eight shutouts more than doubled the next best goaltenders (3 apiece), while her .942 save percentage also led all conference goaltenders. She was a three-time Hockey East Goaltender of the Month, including in February.
Overall, Burt is third nationally in goals against average (1.17) and shutouts (school-record 12) and fourth in save percentage (.944). With a 31-0-0 mark on the season, she also leads the NCAA in winning percentage, and is also the NCAA's career leader in winning percentage (61-3-2, .939).
Newkirk was voted to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team gaining a unanimous selection to the eight-player team. Newkirk paced all freshmen in conference scoring this season, registering 23 points from 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 games. Newkirk led the league with four Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week awards this season, including last week's award, and was the February Rookie of the Month.
Overall, Newkirk has posted 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) and leads the nation in freshman goal scoring and is second in freshman scoring by four points.
The No. 1 Boston College women's hockey team (36-0-0) will next face fourth-seeded Connecticut (17-14-5) in the semifinals of the Hockey East Tournament on Saturday, March 5. Faceoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Merrimack College's Lawler Rink. The winner will face the winner of the other semifinal – featuring No. 6 Northeastern vs. Boston University – in the championship game on Sunday, March 6, at 1:30 p.m., also at Lawler Rink.
Tickets for the Hockey East Tournament championship weekend are available via Merrimack College. Tickets: Semifinals | Championship
Keller was voted the Best Defenseman, while Burt captured Goaltending Champion honors. Additionally, freshman Makenna Newkirk was a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie Team.
The rest of the league's awards, including Warrior Cammy Granato Player of the Year, Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and the Hockey East All-Stars will be announced at the annual Hockey East Banquet on Friday, March 4.
Keller is the fourth straight Eagles defenseman to draw Hockey East's Best Defenseman award, following Blake Bolden (2012-13) and Emily Pfalzer (2013-14 and 2014-15). This season, Keller anchored the conference's top defense which allowed a league-low 1.12 goals per game and posted nine shutouts in league play. Offensively, Keller set the Hockey East record for points (29) and assists (24) by a defenseman in the conference season. Her +41 mark was also second-best among all players spanning the league slate.
Overall, Keller is the nation's top-scoring defenseman with 46 points (12 goals, 34 assists), is tied for sixth nationally among all players in assists and is second nationally in plus/minus (+58). She set the BC single-season scoring record for a defenseman this year, and has matched the school's single-season assist record by a defenseman.
Burt claimed her second Goaltending Champion award in as many seasons. She paced the conference with a 1.16 goals against average in 20 Hockey East starts, while posting a perfect 20-0-0 record in league play. Burt's eight shutouts more than doubled the next best goaltenders (3 apiece), while her .942 save percentage also led all conference goaltenders. She was a three-time Hockey East Goaltender of the Month, including in February.
Overall, Burt is third nationally in goals against average (1.17) and shutouts (school-record 12) and fourth in save percentage (.944). With a 31-0-0 mark on the season, she also leads the NCAA in winning percentage, and is also the NCAA's career leader in winning percentage (61-3-2, .939).
Newkirk was voted to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team gaining a unanimous selection to the eight-player team. Newkirk paced all freshmen in conference scoring this season, registering 23 points from 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 games. Newkirk led the league with four Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week awards this season, including last week's award, and was the February Rookie of the Month.
Overall, Newkirk has posted 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) and leads the nation in freshman goal scoring and is second in freshman scoring by four points.
The No. 1 Boston College women's hockey team (36-0-0) will next face fourth-seeded Connecticut (17-14-5) in the semifinals of the Hockey East Tournament on Saturday, March 5. Faceoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Merrimack College's Lawler Rink. The winner will face the winner of the other semifinal – featuring No. 6 Northeastern vs. Boston University – in the championship game on Sunday, March 6, at 1:30 p.m., also at Lawler Rink.
Tickets for the Hockey East Tournament championship weekend are available via Merrimack College. Tickets: Semifinals | Championship
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