(UW ATHLETICS) – The WCHA announced this Monday that two members of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team were awarded WCHA Player of the Week awards – following the team’s series sweep against Maine this past weekend. Laila Edwards received the WCHA Defender of the Week award, while Ava McNaughton earned the WCHA Goaltender of the Week award. Both are the first Badgers to earn WCHA weekly awards this season.
Edwards was a 2024-25 WCHA Forward of the Year Finalist; however, this is her first time being honored as a defender. The senior alternate captain has started three of the team’s four games this season on the blue line.
Edwards put up two goals during Wisconsin’s game against Maine on Friday, Oct. 3. This was her 14th career multi-goal game, and her first of this season. Edwards earned two primary assists in the following game on Saturday, where the Badgers bested the Bears again, 5-0.
Junior goaltender Ava McNaughton started, and won, both games of the series. McNaughton didn’t allow a single goal in either game, saving 25 shots in game one and 13 shots in game two. The Pennsylvania native earned a shutout in game one, but was pulled with 10 minutes remaining in the second game before she could earn her third straight shutout of the season.
McNaughton won the HCA Goaltender of the Year award last season, was a WCHA Goaltender of the Year Finalist, and earned the WCHA Goalie of the Month for October, November, January and February.
Edwards, McNaughton and the No.1 Badgers face their first ranked opponent this Saturday and Sunday at LaBahn Arena coming in the form of No. 4/5 Minnesota-Duluth. Fans can watch the contest on B1G+ or listen on 1070 The Game.
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