Sophomore
Defenseman/Co-Captian Erin Ficken (Brooklyn Park, MN) was voted 'Player of
the Year' by the ACHA coaches. Ficken tops other great ACHA standouts such
as Tara Trombly - NMU Goaltender, Andrea DeShong - MSU Forward, and four others
players to become Wisconsin's first player ever to earn an award of this magnitude.
Standing a mere 5' 1," Erin is one of the most aggressive and toughest defensive players in the league. Erin has found the knack to consistently stand opposing players up at either blue line. On top of knowing how to position her body to gain control of the puck, Erin had no problem sacrificing her body to block shots. She never let her size come between her and getting the puck. Ficken only scored 2 goals and had 13 assists in 25 ACHA games, but her overall impact on the ice made her a solid choice for this honor. Ficken was also honored by her teammates as she was voted co-MVP with Goaltender Katherine Arner.
Katherine
Arner: 2nd-Team ACHA All-American Goaltender
This is Arner's second year earning an All-American honor (2002 she earned 1st-Team
honors). Arner who will be taking the next season off to study in Germany exits
as one of the Badger's greatest goaltenders of all time.
Katherine was
also named Co-Team MVP, Best Goalie & Best Sportsmanship by her peers. She
stopped 65 of 61 shots in 4 games including 1 shutout. She also made 25 saves
in a losing effort in the championship game at the ACHA National Tournament.
She also broke her 2002 school record of 23 wins with 24 this season and holds
every school record for goaltenders. On top of
her athletic successes, Arner also holds 4.0 gpa (Deans List)
Katie Ball:
1st-Team ACHA All-American Forward
Standout Freshman, Katie Ball honored as a 1st-Team ACHA All-American Forward.
It was Katie's consistent, aggressive play in the corners and around the net
that made her an offensive threat on the ice. Katie had either a goal or an
assist in 27 of the 31 games she played in. As a freshman, Katie broke two-time
1st Team All-American Anne Woll's school records for goals (31), points (54),
hat tricks (4) and power-play goals (5) in a single season. She also tied school
records for short-handed goals (2) in a single season. She was voted Rookie
of the Year and Best Overall Forward by her teammates.
Erin Ficken: 1st-Team ACHA All-American Defense
E rin Ficken also honored as 1st Team All-National Tournament - Defense. Erin
was the Badger's Top Scoring Defenseman with 7 goals and 17 assists for 24 points.
She was voted co-Most Valuable Player, Most Dedicated, Most Aggressive and Best
Overall Defense by her teammates. Ficken set a new school records for +/- differential
with a +68 in a single season. Erin's overall puck handling, shooting and skating
skills are some of the best in the league while her passion and dedication to
play this game makes her an excellent advocate for women's hockey.