WCHA honors Shakopee’s Menke, UMD’s Lacquette

WCHA Offensive Player of the Week
Amy Menke – Sophomore, Forward
University of North Dakota

Menke, a sophomore from Shakopee, Minn., led North Dakota with four points during a weekend sweep of Bemidji State. She tallied three goals and one assist, including her team-leading third game-winning goal of the season in Saturday’s 4-1 victory. After the Beavers opened the second period of Saturday’s game with a 1-0 lead, Menke scored twice in the period, including a shorthanded goal, to put UND on top for good. She then followed that performance with a goal and an assist during Sunday’s 5-1 triumph. Menke finished the weekend with a +4 rating and currently leads UND with nine goals this season.

Also nominated: Hannah Brandt, Jr., F, Minnesota; Zoe Hickel, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth; Karley Sylvester, Sr., F, Wisconsin

WCHA Defensive Player of the Week
Brigette Lacquette – Senior, Defenseman
University of Minnesota Duluth

Lacquette had a five-point weekend, including a hat trick of power-play goals last Friday night, to help No. 6 Minnesota Duluth sweep a WCHA road series at Minnesota State. The senior from Mallard, Manitoba scored in each period Friday night to tie a UMD record for most power-play goals in a game, while also adding an assist for a four-point night. She also excelled on the defensive side of the ice during a pair of UMD shutouts, anchoring a penalty-kill unit that kept the Mavericks scoreless in six power-play attempts. Currently training with Team Canada until this Friday, Lacquette ranks eighth nationally with five power-play goals and eighth among scoring defenseman with 19 points (6g, 13a).

Also nominated: Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Jr., G, North Dakota; Ann-Renée Desbiens, So., G, Wisconsin; Shyler Sletta, Sr., G, Minnesota

WCHA Rookie of the Week
Annie Pankowski – Freshman, Forward
University of Wisconsin

Pankowski recorded her second career hat trick to give No. 4 Wisconsin a 4-0 victory over No. 7 Clarkson on Sunday. The freshman from Laguna Hills, Calif. broke a scoreless tie against the defending national champions with two second-period goals, before notching a third-period tally that iced the 350th career victory for Badgers’ head coach Mark Johnson. Pankowski finished the weekend with a +3 rating and now has 12 goals, 16 assists and 28 points on the season. She is tied for second nationally among freshmen with an average of 1.12 points per game.

Also nominated: Nina Rodgers, F, Minnesota