There are a countless number of seniors every year who deserve plenty of acclaim and recognition. Here’s a look at the careers of 10 of the best players that this year’s class has to offer.
Kelly Babstock, Forward, Quinnipiac
Babstock shattered every single one of Quinnipiac’s offensive records, scoring 95 goals, 108 assists, and 203 points over the course of her career. She is 24th all-time in NCAA Division I scoring, and ranks in the top 30 in career goals. Babstock is the only player in Quinnipiac history to have reached the 100-point plateau, let alone 200. As a freshman in 2010-11, Babstock was named the ECAC Rookie of the Year as well as the conference’s Player of the Year. This season, she was named a top-10 finalist for the 2014 Patty Kazmaier Award, and was a three-time All-ECAC First Team selection over her four years with the Bobcats.
Christine Bestland, Forward, Mercyhurst
Bestland’s 226 career points are the most of any player graduating this year. That mark is good enough to tie her for 14th all-time in NCAA Division I scoring, and she’s also tied for ninth all-time in career assists with 134. She is second all-time for Mercyhurst in career points and goals (92), and third in assists. Bestland was named the College Hockey America Rookie of the Year in 2010-11, and was named a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2013-14. She was a three-time All-CHA First Team selection and two-time CHA Player of the Year, becoming the second player in league history to win the award twice when she received the honor again this season.
Alyssa Gagliardi, Defense, Cornell
Gagliardi finishes her career as the Big Red’s all-time leader in games played with 138. Over those 138 games, she scored 19 goals, 70 assists, and 89 points from the back-end, while blocking 158 shots. Named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team in 2010-11, she established herself as a big presence on the Cornell blue line by her senior year. She was named to the All-ECAC First Team and the All-Ivy League First Team in 2013-14, and was also named the ECAC’s Co-Defensive Defenseman of the Year this season. She received recognition at the national level as well, as she was named a Second Team All-American in 2013-14.
Erica Howe, Goaltender, Clarkson
Howe was invaluable in building the Golden Knights’ program up to national championship caliber over her four years. Consistently ranking at the top of the country in minutes played, she is Clarkson’s all-time leader in career saves with 2,979, career wins with 90, and career shutouts with 31. Her .941 save percentage in 2013-14 is also a single-season program record. In the NCAA Division I record books, she is fifth in career wins, fourth in career shutouts, ninth in career save percentage with .932, and 10th in goals-against average with 1.57. Howe was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team in 2010-11, and was also a two-time All-ECAC First Team selection and ECAC Goaltender of the Year honoree.
Thea Imbrogno, Forward, Robert Morris
Imbrogno graduates as the Colonials’ all-time points leader with 122. She is first in program history with 71 career assists, and fourth all-time for Robert Morris with 51 career goals. Though her career didn’t have the biggest impact nationally, she was nonetheless an important player for the Colonials’ program. Imbrogno became the first player in team history to win a major College Hockey America award when she was named the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2010-11, and she has twice been honored as an All-CHA Second Team selection.
Michelle Karvinen, Forward, North Dakota
Despite only having three seasons of eligibility, and missing significant time this past season while competing with the Finnish national team at the Olympics, Karvinen finishes her career third all-time for North Dakota in goals with 56, assists with 75, and points with 131. Her 1.51 points per game ranks her in the top-25 all-time in NCAA Division I. Karvinen was named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Year in 2011-12, and was named to this season’s All-WCHA First Team. As much as her point totals can say about her ability as an athlete, there’s plenty more to be said about her character. Karvinen has undoubtedly been one of the most elite players in the country on the ice during her time at North Dakota, and one of the best people off of it.
Jamie Lee Rattray, Forward, Clarkson
Like Erica Howe, Rattray made a huge impact on the Golde
n Knights’ program during her four years, and graduates as perhaps the best player to ever pull on a Clarkson jersey. Her 2013-14 campaign was the best of any player’s in school history, as she provided immense leadership and scored 29 goals, 37 assists, and 66 points en route to winning the 2014 Patty Kazmaier Award. She totaled 70 goals, 100 assists, and 170 points over her career, which are all school records. Rattray was named a Second-Team ECAC All-Star in 2012-13, and won the conference’s Player of the Year award this past season before being named the best player in the country.
Alex Rigsby, Goaltender, Wisconsin
Rigsby is tied for second in NCAA Division I career wins with 100, and is one of just three goaltenders in history to reach the 100-win plateau. She is 10th all-time in NCAA career saves with 3,126, and ranks first in Wisconsin history in career saves as well. She is tied for third in NCAA Division I career save percentage with .941, and is sixth in goals-against average with 1.50; she also ranks third in career shutouts with 34. Rigsby was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team in 2010-11, backstopping the Badgers to a national title that same year. She was twice selected to the All-WCHA Second Team, and was named to the All-WCHA First Team in 2013-14.
Kelly Terry, Forward, Minnesota
Terry has been overshadowed by the sheer amount of talent that the Gophers have had for much of her career, but finished this past season tied for sixth in scoring nationally with 54 points. Over her career, she amassed 57 goals, 98 assists, and 155 points in 158 games. She ranks ninth in the program all-time in assists, and is just outside of the top 10 all-time in points. Terry was an All-WCHA First Team honoree in 2013-14, and was named the WCHA’s 2013-14 Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year.
Louise Warren, Forward, Boston University
Warren is fourth all-time in goal-scoring for the Terriers with 55, and is fifth all-time in career points with 108. She was 12th in the nation in scoring this past season with 46 points in 38 games, and also provided Boston University with some solid two-way play, blocking 37 shots to help lead the Terriers in all three zones. Warren never missed a game in her career, skating in 151 total contests, and was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star in 2013-14.