Senior center Haley Irwin and junior defenseman Jessica Wong were among four University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey players to land All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association honors, while a record 13 Bulldogs were named to the All-WCHA Academic Team Thursday night.

Irwin and Wong were both named to the All-WCHA Third team -- the fourth consecutive season Irwin has earned a spot on an all-league team.  The WCHA accolade was the second consecutive for Wong, who was selected to the All-WCHA Second Team in 2010-11.

Two UMD freshmen were named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team, including winger Jenna McParland, who ranks second for the Bulldogs in goals this season with 20, and blueliner Brigette Lacquette, who has scored 19 points from the backline so far this season.

13 UMD players earned All-Academic Team status, with seven players two-time honorees.  The seven repeate Bulldog All-Academic Team members named were senior forward Kacy Ambroz, senior goaltender Jennifer Harss, senior goaltender Lana Steck, junior winger Audrey Cournoyer, junior forward Vanessa Thibault, junior center Katie Wilson, and junior winger Pernilla Winberg.  Irwin, senior defenseman Mariia Posa, junior center Gina Dodge, sophmore forward Brienna Gillanders, sophomore defenseman Noora Jaakkola and sophomore winger Jamie Kenyon were also named to the 2011-12 All-WCHA Academic Team.

To qualifty for the All-WCHA Academic Team, student-athletes must have completed one year of eligibility at their present institution prior to the current academic year and have a grade-point average of at least 3.0 for the previous two semesters or three quarters.  

The Bulldogs will host top-ranked Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon in the first semifinal game of the WCHA Final Face-Off at AMSOIL Arena.  Game time is set for 4:37p.m.