Women’s Hockey’s O’Neil Named to New England Hockey Writers All-Star Team
RINDGE, N.H. (April 5, 2017) – Senior goaltender Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.) of the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team has been named to the New England Hockey Writers Association Division II-III All-Star Team, as announced late last week by the organization.
O'Neil -- who was the New England Hockey Conference Goaltender of the Year and an All-NEHC First Team pick -- logged over 80% of the team's time in net this winter. She started 23 of Franklin Pierce's 27 games this fall and posted a 1.55 goals-against average and .939 save percentage while logging 1351:33 minutes. O'Neil faced 572 shots and turned aside 537 of them, allowing just 35 goals over the course of the year, which allowed her to pile up a 15-6-2 record and seven shutouts. Among NEHC netminders, she led the league in save percentage and ranked third in goals-against average, leading a Franklin Pierce defensive effort which ranked third in the Conference, at 1.52 goals against per game.
O'Neil was one of three goaltenders honored by the NEHWA, as she was joined on the Division II-III All-Star Team by Julia Aberg of Johnson & Wales and Kerri St. Denis of Bowdoin. O'Neil was also one of six NEHC selections to the team. All award recipients will be honored at a dinner hosted by the NEHWA on Tuesday, April 11, at the Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Mass.
The Ravens (18-7-2, 12-5-0 NEHC) finished tied for fifth in the NEHC this winter. Franklin Pierce claimed the third seed in the NEHC Open Tournament and ultimately finished fourth, falling in a shootout after playing to a 4-4 tie against Sacred Heart in the tournament's consolation contest.
For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).