Amato Named NEWHA Co-Rookie of the Year, Women’s Ice Hockey Has Four Honored
RINDGE, N.H. (February 22, 2018) – Freshman forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) of the Franklin Pierce University women’s ice hockey team has been named New England Women’s Hockey Alliance Co-Rookie of the Year, as announced late Wednesday afternoon by the NEWHA. Amato also took home All-NEWHA Second Team honors and an All-Rookie Team selection, to lead four Ravens honored in the alliance’s year-end awards.
Joining Amato on the Second Team was sophomore defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.), as each of the two earned their first career all-conference selections. Freshman forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) was picked alongside Amato on the All-Rookie Team, while senior goaltender Madison Murray (Berkley, Mich.) was named to the NEWHA’s All-Sportswomanship Team.
Amato is the team’s leading scorer and is tied for third in the NEWHA in scoring with 37 points on 19 goals and 18 assists through 28 games (1.32 points per game). Amato and Massaro (15-18-33) are currently one-two among the league’s freshmen in scoring, with Amato nine points clear of the top non-Franklin Pierce rookie on the list. Amato also currently ranks tied for second in the NEWHA in goals scored and tied for seventh in assists. She has set a new Franklin Pierce program single-season record for goals, and has tied the single-season school record for points.
Amato shares her Rookie of the Year award with Saint Anselm freshman forward Katy Meehan, who has tallied 15-13-28 in 26 games (1.08 points per game). Meehan ranked third in the NEWHA in freshman scoring and tied for eighth in the league overall in points.
Prentiss has chalked up 17 points on three goals and 14 assists through 28 games (0.61 points per game). Among the NEWHA’s defensemen, she is tied for fifth in scoring, and overall, she is tied for 11th in the alliance in assists. Prentiss also helps anchor a defense which is surrendering just 21.2 shots on goal per game.
Massaro, as mentioned above, is second among the NEWHA’s freshmen in scoring, with 33 points on 15 goals and 18 assists through 28 games (1.18 points per game). She ranks fifth in the league in scoring, tied for fifth in goals and tied for seventh in assists.
Murray took over the role of the team’s primary starter in net in her senior season, as she has logged 55% of the team’s minutes thus far. Over 17 starts, she has stopped 289 of 321 shots to post a 2.04 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage on the way to a 10-5-1 record.
The Ravens (15-11-2) return to the ice on Saturday, Feb. 24, when they visit Saint Anselm for the semifinal round of the NEWHA Open Tournament. Opening faceoff for Saturday’s second semifinal is set for 4 p.m. at Sullivan Rink in Manchester, N.H.
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 ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics’ online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).