The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team officially wrapped up its record-setting season Monday night, and the Bulldog program unveiled their team awards at their annual banquet.

Seniors Élizabeth Giguère and Gabbie Hughes were jointly named the team's Most Valuable Players after helping UMD return to the NCAA Frozen Four championship game for the first time in over a decade by igniting the Bulldog offense.  Giguère finished the season with the second most points in the NCAA -- 62 -- on 22 goals and 40 assists.  Named both a Patty Kaz Top-1o Finalist and a 2021-22 CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American, Giguère was also chosen a All-WCHA Second Team honoree.  Having notched multiple points in 17 games, including 10 skates with three or more, Giguère ended the season on a 10-game scoring streak (4g, 11a), scoring 15 points over a span that included four NCAA Tournament games. In four NCAA Tournament games, Giguère contributed one goal and five assists for six points for a 1.50 ppg clip in the postseason.

Hughes was the program's first Patty Kazmaier Top-3 Finalist in over five years, and only the second in the last decade. She ranked eighth in the nation in points per game overall (1.48 ppg average), and second in game-winning goals in the NCAA with seven. The assistant captain compiled a career-best 59 points on 22 goals and 37 assists en route to landing 2021-22 CCM/AHCA First Team All-American honors, as well as an All-WCHA First Team selection. Hughes led the NCAA in points per game for three months, and had 18 multiple point games in the season.  The Lino Lakes, Minn. native was also a Hockey Humanitarian Finalist -- one of two players in the NCAA Division I history to be both a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian and Patty Kazmaier Top-3 Finalist in the same season.

Senior winger Anna Klein was bestowed Maroon and Gold Award, which is 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 team captain -- who became UMD's first-ever four-time WCHA Scholar Athlete back in February -- broke UMD's all-time games played record, as well as all-time consecutive games player record on Feb. 25.  Klein graduated from UMD having skated in an outstanding 165 straight games. With a career-best 50 points on 19 goals and 31 assists, Klein also became a member of the 100 career point club on Dec. 3, 2021.  Klein also ranked second on the team with a plus/ minus rating of a whopping +37.

Junior defenseman Taylor Stewart was selected 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.  Stewart played in all 40 games for the Bulldogs, and posted a career-high seven points on two goals and five assists, all the while leading the team with 64 blocked shots, a 1.60 blocked shot per game average. A native of Rochester, Minn., Stewart averaged 1.33 shots per game over her breakout season, stepping up on the backline in the absence of Ashton Bell and later the injured Maggie Flaherty to help UMD return to its first back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four in over 12 years.


Previous Recipients:
Breakthrough Player of the Year:                             Most Valuable Player:                                                            Maroon and Gold Award:
Katie McGovern -  2015-16                                            Ashleigh Brykaliuk - 2015-16                                            Michela Cava - 2015-16
Maddie Rooney -  2016-17                                             Lara Stalder - 2016-17                                                          Ashleigh Brykaliuk - 2016-17
Emma Yanko  - 2017-18                                                  Jalyn Elmes - 2017-18                                                          Catherine Daoust - 2017-18
Anna Klein - 2018-19                                                        Gabbie Hughes - 2018-19                                                  Sydney Brodt - 2018-19
Ashton Bell and Kylie Hanley - 2019-20                  Gabbie Hughes - 2019-20                                                  Sydney Brodt - 2019-20
Taylor Stewart - 2021-22                                                Elizabeth Giguere and Gabbie Hughes - 2021-22   Anna Klein - 2021-22