The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced its first set of weekly awards presented by OS Hockey for 2025 as Minnesota State's Whitney Tuttle, Minnesota's Sydney Morrow, Wisconsin's Ava McNaughton and Bemidji State's Morgan Smith joined together in earning the honors.
Minnesota State's Tuttle and the Gophers' Morrow each claimed their first weekly honors of the season after being named the Forward of the Week and Defender of the Week, respectively. Wisconsin's McNaughton earned her second Goaltender of the Week accolade while the Beavers' Smith garnered her second-straight Rookie of the Week nod.
WCHA Forward of the Week
Whitney Tuttle, Jr., Minnesota State (Rosemount, Minn.)
After helping Minnesota State to a series sweep over Lindenwood with a career-high game, Whitney Tuttle was named the WCHA Forward of the Week. In Friday's 8-1 win over the Lions, Tuttle tallied four of the Mavericks' eight goals as she became the first WCHA skater this season to record four goals in a game. The junior forward also became the first Maverick since 2022 to score four goals in a contest. In the series, Tuttle combined for four points, two blocked shots and a plus/minus of six.
Other Nominees: Hailey Armstrong, Bemidji State; Natalie Mlynkova, Minnesota; Joy Dunne, Ohio State.
WCHA Defender of the Week
Sydney Morrow, Jr., Minnesota (Darien, Conn.)
Minnesota's Sydney Morrow was named the WCHA Defender of the Week for the first time this season. Morrow totaled four points off of three goals and one assist over three games while helping the Gophers to wins over Bemidji State and Brown. On Friday in the Gophers' 9-1 victory over Brown at the East/West Showcase, Morrow
recorded her fourth power-play goal of the season and an assist. Morrow scored both of Minnesota's goals in Saturday's contest against No. 12 Penn State, one of which was her fifth power-play goal of the season.
Other Nominees: Kianna Roeske, Minnesota State; Laney Potter, Wisconsin.
WCHA Goaltender of the Week
Ava McNaughton, So., Wisconsin (Seven Fields, Pa.)
Wisconsin's Ava McNaughton earned her second Goaltender of the Week honor this season after helping the top-ranked Badgers to a 1-0-1 series against No. 2 Ohio State. McNaughton recorded her seventh shutout of the season in the Badgers' 6-0 win on Thursday stopping all 18 shots she faced. In Saturday's 3-3 tie against the Buckeyes at the Frozen Confines, the sophomore netminder made a season-high 36 saves. On the week, McNaughton recorded a .947 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average.
Other Nominees: Jessie McPherson, Minnesota State; Amanda Thiele, Ohio State.
WCHA Rookie of the Week
Morgan Smith, F, Bemidji State (East St. Paul, Manitoba)
Bemidji State's Morgan Smith earned back-to-back Rookie of the Week honors after recording a team-high performance at the East/West Showcase at Ridder Arena over the weekend. Smith totaled a team-best five points at the event off of two goals and three assists. Against No. 12 Penn State, Smith recorded her second three-point game of the season with a goal and two assists. On Saturday in the 5-4 win against Brown, Smith helped the Beavers to their largest comeback in program history while tallying her second-straight multi-point game off of a goal and an assist.
Other Nominees: Gracie Graham, Minnesota; Caitlin Kraemer, Minnesota Duluth; Audrey Garton, Minnesota State; Jordyn Petrie, Ohio State; Emma Venusio, Wisconsin.
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league at WCHA.com and on its social platforms: X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
2024-25 WCHA Players of the Week:
Jan. 6 | Forward: Whitney Tuttle, Minnesota State; Defender: Sydney Morrow, Minnesota; Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin; Rookie: Morgan Smith, Bemidji State
Dec. 16 | Forward: Madison Mashuga, Minnesota State; Defender: JuliAnna Gazdik, Minnesota State; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Morgan Smith, Bemidji State
Dec. 9 | Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Chloe Primerano, Minnesota; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Maggie Scannell, Wisconsin
Dec. 2 | Forward: Kirsten Simms, Wisconsin; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Caitlin Kraemer, Minnesota Duluth
Nov. 25 | Forward: Olivia Wallin, Minnesota Duluth; Defender: Tova Henderson, Minnesota Duluth; Goaltender: Hailey Hansen, Minnesota State; Rookie: Chloe Boreen, St. Thomas
Nov. 18 | Forward: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota; Defender: Riley Brengman, Ohio State; Goaltender: Hannah Clark, Minnesota; Rookie: Kaitlin Groess, Bemidji State
Nov. 11 | Forward: Cara Sajevic, St. Thomas; Defender: Nicole Vallario, St. Thomas
Nov. 4 | Forward: Joy Dunne, Ohio State; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Dani Strom, St. Thomas; Rookie: Caitlin Kraemer, Minnesota Duluth
Oct. 28: Forward: Joy Dunne, Ohio State; Defender: Emma Peschel, Ohio State; Goaltender: Emilia Kyrkkö, St. Cloud State; Rookie: Josie St. Martin, Ohio State
Oct. 21: Forward: Hailey Armstrong, Bemidji State; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin; Rookie: Emilia Kyrkkö, St. Cloud State
Oct. 14: Forward: Laila Edwards, Jr., Wisconsin; Defender: Laney Potter, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Amanda Thiele, Ohio State; Rookie: Maggie Scannell, Wisconsin
Oct. 7: Forward: Casey O'Brien, Wisconsin; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Emilia Kyrkkö, St. Cloud State; Rookie: Chloe Boreen, St. Thomas
Sept. 30: Forward: Casey O'Brien, Wisconsin; Defender: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin; Goaltender: Hailey MacLeod, Ohio State; Rookie: Jordyn Petrie, Ohio State
Sept. 23: Forward: Emma Gentry, St. Cloud State; Defender: Ella Anick, St. Cloud State; Goaltender: Ève Gascon, Minnesota Duluth; Rookie: Caitlin Kraemer, Minnesota Duluth