ECAC Season in Review: Farewell to the Class of 2015

As part of our Season in Review, AES will recognize the careers of several outstanding seniors from around each conference. Here’s a look at nine players from the ECAC who have contributed an exceptional amount to their programs and to women’s college hockey.

For a look at Hockey East’s Class of 2015, please click here. For a look at College Hockey America’s Class of 2015, please click here.

Sarah Edney, Defense, Harvard

25 goals, 63 assists, 88 points in 127 career games

Harvard’s history is storied and lengthy, so Edney’s offensive totals don’t rank so high for the program all-time, but a near-90 point career for a defenseman is more than respectable. She sits among the top-20 in Harvard history in career assists with 63, and was the mark of consistent throughout her career, posting upwards of 20 points in all four years. She was a member of the ECAC All-Rookie Team in 2011-12, and was named to the All-ECAC Third Team the following year. Edney enjoyed even more recognition as a junior in 2013-14, when she collected All-ECAC Second Team and All-Ivy League First Team honors. As a senior, she repeated as an All-Ivy First Team selection, and was named the ECAC’s Best Defenseman as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the ECAC Tournament.

Brianne Jenner, Forward, Cornell

93 goals, 136 assists, 229 points in 129 games

Jenner ends her Big Red career as the program’s second all-time leading scorer with 229 points, behind Cheryl Hines’ 280. Her 93 goals rank fifth in program history, while she is first in Cornell history with 136 assists. Her 70-point season in 2012-13 is the fifth-best campaign posted by a Big Red player all-time. She was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2010-11, as well as to the ECAC All-Rookie Team. Jenner was tabbed as both the ECAC and Ivy League Player of the Year during her junior and senior seasons, and is a four-time All-ECAC First Team honoree. She was nominated for the Patty Kazmaier Award all four years at Cornell and was named a top-10 finalist for the award in 2012-13 and 2014-15.

Chelsea Laden, Goaltender, Quinnipiac

1.56 GAA, .923 save percentage, 51-22-12 record in 88 career games

Thanks to two stand-out seasons as a starter for the Bobcats, Laden ends her stint with the team third all-time in career saves with 1,570. Her goals-against average of 1.56,  save percentage of .923, and 55 wins are second only to Victoria Vigilanti’s numbers for the program. She also broke the career shutout record with 26, thanks largely to a Bobcats’ single-season best of 16 in 2014-15. Laden also set new single-season records for wins (25) and goals-against average (1.19) as a senior, when she garnered All-ECAC Second Team honors.

Jaimie Leonoff, Goaltender, Yale

2.96 GAA, .918 save percentage, 26-57-11 record in 99 career games

Leonoff established herself as one of the program’s best and, over the last couple of seasons, most successful goaltenders. Her 13 wins in 2014-15 are the second-most ever recorded in one season by a Yale goaltender. For her career, she ranks second all-time for the program in both save percentage at .918 and saves with 3,107. She’s also third in Bulldogs history with 26 career wins and fourth with a 2.96 goals-against average. Leonoff was named the team’s MVP each of the past three seasons, and was an All-Ivy League Second Team selection in 2012-13 and an honorable mention All-Ivy selection in 2014-15.

Shenae Lundberg, Goaltender, Union

2.98 goals-against average, .908 save percentage, 20-77-1 record in 110 career games

Through all of Union’s struggles this season, Lundberg’s play was certainly a bright spot, as it has been for the team throughout her career as a starter. She is the program’s all-time saves leader with 3,023 career stops, which ranks in the top 20 in NCAA Division I history as well. As a senior in 2014-15, she made a career-high 1,110 saves, which led the nation and ranks second for the Dutchwomen all-time. In backstopping Union to a 1-0 win against Northeastern on Dec. 2 2014, Lundberg made 59 saves, which is the most ever in a shutout bid in NCAA Division I history.

Carmen MacDonald, Goaltender, St. Lawrence

2.07 GAA, .928 save percentage, 65-43-15 record in 124 career games

The Saints have always been able to rely on all-star goaltending from MacDonald, which has helped them stay competitive throughout her tenure despite not always having the most elite talent or depth up front. She finishes as the program’s all-time leader in saves with 3,188. Perhaps her most remarkable efforts came as a freshman in 2011-12, when she garnered Most Outstanding Player honors in the ECAC Tournament to help St. Lawrence win the championship and earn a bid into the NCAA Tournament. She was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team as well after a 21-win season, and was outstanding in the league’s postseason with a .958 save percentage.

Jillian Saulnier, Forward, Cornell

80 goals, 115 assists, 195 points in 125 career games

Much like Jenner, Saulnier brought a significant amount of dynamic offensive ability to the Big Red, and that showed all throughout her career. She is eighth all-time for the program with 80 goals, sixth with 115 assists, and sixth with 195 points. She collected ECAC and Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors in 2011-12, and earned a spot on the All-ECAC Second Team during her first two years. A two-time All-Ivy First Team selection and All-ECAC First Team honoree Saulnier had a breakout season in 2013-14, which earned her Co-Ivy League Player of the Year honors, a spot on the All-ECAC First Team, and recognition as a Patty Kazmaier Award Top-3 Finalist and All-American.

Erica Uden Johansson, Forward, Quinnipiac

42 goals, 54 assists, 96 points in 125 career games

Uden Johansson finishes her career as one of the Bobcats’ most productive players. She stands at third on the all-time scoring list with 96 career points, and third in goals and assists as well with 42 and 54. Uden Johansson has also had success on the international stage, representing Sweden twice at the Olympics, in Vancouver in 2010 and in Sochi in 2014. Uden Johansson was one of Quinnipiac’s most reliable offensive players in her four years in Hamden, putting up 25-point seasons three times to finish among the team’s top scorers.

Christine Valente, Forward, Union

20 goals, 36 assists, 56 points in 136 career games

Valente has been one of the Dutchwomen’s best players over the past four years, and has skated her way into the program record books because of that. She is fourth all-time in career points with 56, and tops among all Union players with 36 career assists. She is just the sixth player in program history to reach the 20-goal mark, and as a senior, captained the club to its first-ever finish above last place in the league, as Union ended the 2014-15 season at 11th in the ECAC standings.

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