Players Mentioned
St. Cloud State’s Emma Polusny named to All-WCHA Third and Rookie Teams
2/23/2018 10:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Record-setting freshman goaltender first Husky to win multiple honors in the same season
ST. CLOUD—After a record-setting rookie season between the pipes, St. Cloud State women's hockey goaltender Emma Polusny garnered both 2017-18 All-WCHA Third Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team honors as voted by the conference's coaches, the league announced Friday.
Polusny becomes the 17th and 18th All-WCHA selection in Huskies history and the first to achieve multiple honors in the same season. She is the third goaltender, and fifth SCSU player overall, to be named to the All-Rookie team and the first since Lauri St. Jacques in 2006 to be named to the conference first, second or third team.
"Emma has continued her strong play throughout the second half and has really solidified herself as a strong WCHA goaltender," head coach Eric Rud said. "She really had some big moments this year. Her confidence and consistency have improved throughout the year and we are certainly excited about the future for her."
In 18 games played so far this season, the Mound, Minn., native boasts a 2.04 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. Those marks rank No. 3 and No. 2 in the WCHA, respectively, and both stand as single season SCSU records with the postseason left to play. Her save percentage also ranks No. 4 in the country. Polusny's campaign includes four shutouts, which has set a new single season program standard.
She has averaged 30.33 saves per appearance, including 10 30-plus save outings and a memorable 41-save clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at Ohio State on December 2 that set a Husky record for most saves in a shutout.
This is the third-straight season an SCSU player has captured an All-Rookie team spot, following goaltender Janine Alder last year and forward Julia Tylke in 2015-16. It is the first time the Huskies have had an All-WCHA honoree in three straight seasons since going four straight years with a winner from 2000-01 to 2003-04.
In addition to recognizing Polusny's standout on-ice performance, the WCHA announced 12 players' efforts in the classroom were deserving of WCHA All-Academic Team recognition: Alder, senior defender Brittney Anderson, redshirt junior goaltender Taylor Crosby, sophomore forward Katie Detert, junior forward Ivy Dynek, senior forward Alyssa Erickson, sophomore forward Janna Haeg, sophomore forward Brooke Kudirka, junior forward Suvi Ollikainen, junior forward Hannah Potrykus, senior defender Emma Turbyville and Tylke.
To qualify for the All-Academic Team, players must have completed at least one year at their present institution prior to the current year and have a grade point average of at least 3.00 for the previous two semesters or if they have maintained a 3.00 GPA for all terms.
Polusny and No. 6-seeded St. Cloud State square off with No. 3 Minnesota this weekend in a best-of-three WCHA Playoffs quarterfinal series. Games one and two are Friday, February 23 at 7:07 p.m., and Saturday, February 24 at 4:07 p.m., respectively, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. If necessary, the two sides will play a decisive third game on Sunday, February 24 at 4:07 p.m.
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