The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team owned one of the stingiest defenses in all of college hockey this season, and Friday, two of the biggest reasons why were recognized for their heavy contributions to the Bulldog backline.

Senior defenseman Ashton Bell and junior goaltender Emma Soderberg were two of just 12 players named 2020-21 CCM/AHCA Women's University Division Ice Hockey All-Americans, with both players selected to the Second Team.  They become the first AHCA All-Americans for the program since Lara Stalder landed a First Team honor in 2016-17, and the first UMD defenseman in 10 years -- Jocelyne Larcoque, a two-time selection, was the Bulldogs last All-American blueliner in 2010-11.  Soderberg becomes the first goaltender in 14 years, following in the footsteps of fellow Swede Kim Martin, who earned the honor in 2007-08.

Bell, coming off the biggest goal of her collegiate career after scoring the game-winning tally against Colgate University to earn UMD it's first NCAA Frozen Four berth in more than a decade, has been piling up the accolades ever since the Deloraine, Manitoba native moved to defense ahead of her junior campaign.  Bell finished the season the seventh-highest scoring defenseman in the nation and second highest in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 14 points on four goals and 10 assists.  The offensive blueliner was named the WCHA's Defenseman of the Year, as well as an All-WCHA First Team selection, and also turned in a plus/minus rating of +19 over the season.

Soderberg was ranked in the top-two in the NCAA in at least three categories for almost the entire season, and finishes the year with a 1.56 GAA and .944 saves percentage -- only one goaltender that played in more than 10 games had a higher saves percentage than the Jarved, Sweden product.  Tied for the second most shutouts in the nation (6), Soderberg cleaned up every WCHA honor available to her, ending with the WCHA Goaltender of the Year and All-WCHA First Team honors.  Named the WCHA's 2020-21 Goaltending Champion, Soderberg was a three-times named the WCHA Goaltender of the Month.

Bell joins Lacrocque (2011, 2009, both First Team) and Julianne Vasichek (2005, 2004, both Second Team) as the only UMD defensemen to land First or Second All-American honors. Soderberg becomes the third Bulldog goaltender to garner First or Second Team All-American status -- Martin (2008, First Team) and Riitta Schaublin (2006, First Team) were the other two.