FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UMN’S CAMERANESI AND LEVEILLE, AND UW’S COGAN
NAMED WCHA PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY 2016
EDINA, Minn. – March 2, 2016 – As has been the case throughout the 2015-16 season, the final month
of the season featured a bevy of standout performance throughout the women’s Western Collegiate
Hockey Association (WCHA). Today, the WCHA recognized its award winners for February 2016:
Minnesota junior forward Dani Cameranesi (Offensive Player of the Month), Minnesota senior
goaltender Amanda Leveille (Defensive Player of the Month) and Wisconsin freshman forward Sam
Cogan (Rookie of the Month).
WCHA Offensive Player of the Month – February 2016
Dani Cameranesi, Jr., F, Minnesota (Plymouth, Minn.)
Cameranesi, a top-10 finalist for the 2016 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, captured her second straight
monthly accolade after leading the WCHA with 14 points, seven goals, 0.88 goals per games and a .269
scoring percentage (seven goals on 26 shots). She also ranked second in the league with 1.75 points per
game and was tied for fourth with seven assists, while finishing with a +10 rating. The sophomore from
Plymouth, Minn. had at least one point in seven of eight games, including four multi-point contests and
two multi-goal efforts – capped by a hat trick (with one assist) in the Gophers’ playoff series-clinching
win over Ohio State on Feb. 27. Cameranesi assisted on the game-winning goal in Minnesota’s 3-0 win
over North Dakota to open the month, tallied five points (3g-2a) in a road sweep at Minnesota Duluth,
logged a pair of assists in two home wins over then-No. 2 Wisconsin and had a team-high six-point effort
(4g-2a) in the Gophers’ first round playoff sweep of Ohio State. Minnesota finished the month with a 70-1 mark and will open March by participating in the 2016 WCHA Final Face-Off semifinals. For the
season, Cameranesi – the WCHA’s regular season scoring champion – ranks third in goals (32), goals per
game (0.91), and points per game (1.91), fourth in points (67), fifth in assists (35), and sixth in assists per
game (1.00) among NCAA players. Her 13 power-play goals and .258 scoring percentage lead the nation
as well.
Also nominated: Ashleigh Brykaliuk, Jr., F, Minnesota Duluth (tied for WCHA lead with seven goals and
ranked second with 13 points, helping UMD to a Final Face-Off berth); Amy Menke, Jr., F, North Dakota
(led No. 8 UND with 11 points on five goals and six assists, while recording a +11 rating and team-high
41 shots for the Final Face-Off semifinalist); Annie Pankowski, So., F, Wisconsin (Patty Kazmaier
Memorial Award Top-10 finalist led UW with 11 points off four goals and team-high seven assists, along
with +7 rating); Kaitlyn Tougas, Sr., F, Bemidji State (helped BSU cap a historic regular season by leading
the Beavers with 10 points off four goals and six assists, along with a +7 rating).
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WCHA Defensive Player of the Month – February 2016
Amanda Leveille, Sr., G, Minnesota (Kingston, Ontario)
In a league full of fantastic goaltenders, Leveille’s efforts during February stood above, as the senior
paced all NCAA netminders with a .961 save percentage and four shutouts (tied), while leading the
WCHA with a 1.02 goals-against average (second nationally). The Kingston, Ontario native backstopped
nationally second-ranked Minnesota to a 7-0-1 record and a berth in the 2016 WCHA Final Face-Off,
ranking third with 196 saves along the way. Leveille was named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week
after opening the month with a combined 57-save effort in consecutive shutouts of No. 8 North Dakota
(resulting in a win and tie). She earned her second Player of the Week accolades after making a careerbest 66 saves on 69 shots faced during the Gophers’ sweep of Wisconsin. She wrapped up the month
with 46 saves in Minnesota’s first round playoff series sweep of Ohio State, capped by a 25-save shutout
in the series clincher. Among NCAA goaltenders this season, Leveille’s 1.31 goals against average is
ranked fourth (second in the WCHA) and her .939 save percentage is eighth (second in the WCHA). At
25-3-1, she has a .879 winning percentage, good for third in the nation and second in the league. Her
nine shutouts are fourth in the NCAA and tied for second in the WCHA as well.
Entering the 2016 Final Face-Off, Leveille’s career totals stand at 31 shutouts and a 94-8-5 mark. She
ranks second in Minnesota history in both career shutouts and career wins, trailing only Noora Raty
(114-17-8 with 43 shutouts). Her 1.18 career goals against average is the best in Minnesota history, and
her .946 career save percentage ties the Gophers’ program record held by Raty. Leveille’s 94 wins and
31 shutouts both rank fourth in NCAA history.
Also nominated: Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Sr., G, North Dakota (Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-10
finalist stopped 175 shots with a .946 save percentage and 1.25 goals-against average, leading No. 8
UND to the Final Face-Off); Ann-Renée Desbiens, Jr., G, Wisconsin (Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award
Top-10 finalist collected four shutouts to run her NCAA single-season record total to 18, ranked second in
the WCHA with six wins, and compiled a .929 save percentage and 1.26 GAA); Brittni Mowat, Jr., G,
Bemidji State (led the WCHA with 496:05 minutes in February, compiling a 5-2-1 record, .921 save
percentage and 1.94 GAA).
WCHA Rookie of the Month – February 2016
Sam Cogan, Fr., F, Wisconsin (Ottawa, Ontario)
Cogan tied for the WCHA lead among freshmen with eight points in February, tallying two goals and four
assists to help nationally third-ranked Wisconsin reach the 2016 Final Face-Off, The rookie from Ottawa,
Ontario tallied at least a point in five of eight games, while logging a +5 rating (second-best among
WCHA freshmen). She saved her best effort for last, keying the Badgers’ first round playoff sweep of
Minnesota State with a three-point effort (1g-2a). For the season, Cogan is tied for second among WCHA
freshmen with 24 points (9g-15a), is third with 0.67 points per game and is tied for the lead with two
power-play goals.
Also nominated: Melissa Hunt, Fr., D, Bemidji State (tallied a +3 rating, while adding an assist and seven
shots on goal); Anna Kilponen, Fr., D, North Dakota (totaled four assists and a +5 rating, while ending
the month on a three-game point streak to help No. 8 UND reach the Final Face-Off).
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About Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA)
The women’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association has won a record 15 national championships in 16
years since its inception in 1999, while producing six Patty Kazmaier Award winners, 76 All-Americans
and numerous Olympic and international team members. The eight-team Division 1 conference consists
of: Bemidji State University (Beavers), the University of Minnesota (Golden Gophers), the University of
Minnesota Duluth (Bulldogs), Minnesota State University (Mavericks), the University of North Dakota,
Ohio State University (Buckeyes), St. Cloud State University (Huskies) and the University of Wisconsin
(Badgers). For more information, visit www.wcha.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Matt Hodson
Associate Commissioner for Public Relations
E: [email protected]
O: 952.818.8872
M: 612.801.2808
MORE INFORMATION
Website: wcha.com
Twitter: @wcha_whockey
Instagram: @wcha_whockey
Facebook: facebook.com/wchawomenshockey
– WCHA –
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