The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team officially wrapped up the 2019-20 season Thursday night at its annual banquet, where it announced its team awards, as well as next season's captains.
 

Ashton Bell and Kylie Hanley were selected as UMD's Breakthrough Player of the Year by the coaching staff, presented annually to the student-athlete who made the most progress in her development as an athlete in a given year. 

Converted to defense prior to the season, junior defenseman Bell led all WCHA defenseman in points with 32 this past season, as well as goals (11),  power play goals (7) and game-winning goals (5).  The All-WCHA First Team selection finished sixth in the nation among all blueliners in total points, and led the NCAA with five-game winning goals and was third in power play goals.  Bell, who hails from Deloraine, Manitoba, was tied for a team-high plus/minus rating of +23, and had the most points by a UMD defenseman since the 2010-11 season, and now ranks fifth for the most points by a blueliner in a single season.  Three times the WCHA's Defenseman of the Week, Bell also finishes in a three-way tie for third for the most goals (11) by a defenseman in a single season in program history.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Sophomore forward Hanley almost tripled her offensive output in her second season, notching seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points over 36 games, the fifth most points by a Bulldog.  The Minnetonka, Minn. product registered five points against teams ranked in the top-5 nationally -- including three goals -- and posted two power play goals, tying her for the second most on the team.  In addition to one game-winning goal, Hanley also posted the third most shots on goal.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                
For a second-consecutive year, senior forward Sydney Brodt was awarded the Maroon and Gold award, voted on by the team.  The award honors the player who the team thinks best combines the team values of work ethic, attitude and commitment to the team and to the game of hockey. The North Oaks, Minn. finished second in team scoring, putting up 41 points on 19 goals and 22 assists in just 36 games this past season.  The output shattered Brodt's previous season-high offensive numbers, and more impressively, Brodt logged 20 points -- nine goals and 11 assists in 15 games against teams ranked nationally.  Named the Maroon and Gold Award recipient as a junior, Brodt finished her career with the 21st most points by a Bulldog in program history -- 98 -- on 40 goals and 58 assists over 141 games. A three-time WCHA Scholar Athlete, as well as three-time WCHA All-Academic Team honoree, Brodt was also named to the 2019-20 All-WCHA Third Team, and is one of only two Bulldogs ever to wear the "C" for three seasons.


Sophomore center Gabbie Hughes was named the Bulldogs Most Valuable Player honor for a second-straight time after the Lino Lakes, Minn. native led UMD in scoring all season with 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points in just 35 games.  The All-WCHA Second Team member ranked fifth in the WCHA in points and second in the conference with five game-winning goals, and her 51 points ranked her tenth overall in the NCAA.   Hughes, a three-time WCHA Offensive Player of the Week this past season, was just one of two players in the past eight years to register 51 or more points, as well as 30 or more assists, and is one of four players in program history to lead a UMD squad in scoring in back-to-back seasons.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
The Bulldog program also named its 2020-21 team captains Thursday night, including Bell, who will wear the "C" next season as a senior.  Bell will be assisted by soon-to-be senior winger Anna Klein and senior defenseman McKenzie Revering.

For a list of all UMD's past captains, click here.