The offseason is officially upon us, with the NEPSAC season officially in the rearview. Now comes the individual recognition.
The girls All-NEPSAC and Player of the Year selections, as voted by the coaches, came out last week. Naturally, the best of the best around the region were among the headliners. Like last season, All-NEPSAC nods and honorable mentions were broken down by Elite 8, Large School and Small School classifications with one overall Player of the Year.
Loomis Chaffee senior forward Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.), a Harvard commit, earned Player of the Year for the second year in a row. She also repeated as Elite 8 MVP after 10 points (six goals) in three postseason games. Stepnowski missed some games with Team USA at the U18 Women's Worlds in January, winning gold, but she still finished with 41 points in 22 contests, ranking 10th in the NEPSAC. Her 21 goals were the sixth-highest total in prep.
Let's take a look at the three All-NEPSAC groups and react to each section.
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Elite 8
- Deerfield: Keira Austen, D, sr.
- Deerfield: Chloe Cleaves, D, sr.
- Deerfield: Sophie Frost, F, sr.
- Dexter Southfield: Evelyn Doyle, F, sr.
- Dexter Southfield: Sawyer Merrill, F, sr.
- Loomis Chaffee: Megan Hosman, D, sr.
- Loomis Chaffee: Annie Schwarz, F, sr.
- Loomis Chaffee: Lindsay Stepnowski, F, sr.
- Nobles: Francie Ames, F, so.
- Nobles: Gretta Hulbig, F, sr.
- Phillips Andover: Caroline Averill, F, sr.
- Phillips Andover: Sarah Powers, F, sr.
- St. Paul's: Maggie Berleth, D, sr.
- St. Paul's: Erin Flaherty, F, jr.
- Tabor: Evelyn Lacey, G, jr.
- Tabor: Mirella Martinelli, D, jr.
- Williston Northampton: Nina Coffee, D, sr.
- Williston Northampton: Zola Piekarski, F, sr.
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Takeaways
- No surprise to see Stepnowski, obviously. Ames was just one of several other players with a case to make for Player of the Year, too, though. It was a deep year across the region. We've previously discussed Ames' credentials: leading the NEPSAC with 61 points, finishing second in goals with 26 and finding the scoresheet in every game. She was also the first prep player to crack 60 points in four seasons. But that's not to take anything from Stepnowski, who naturally is more than deserving. What more can you say about that playoff run?
- I thought St. Paul's Chelsea Bell (Barre, Vt.) could have at least been an honorable mention. The senior Middlebury commit is naturally a defender, but played forward this season. She had a career season with 33 points (14 goals), ranking second in team scoring. Flaherty and Berleth, plus honorable mentions Kelsey MacPherson (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Paige MacPhee, were all worthy, too.
- No qualms with the Loomis contingent of Stepnowski, Schwarz and Hosman, as well as honorable mentions Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.) and Adeline Roper (Kennebunk, Maine). Loomis' four leading scorers, plus the starting goalie, were clear choices.
- I would've had Williston junior forwards Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Brooke Schlutter in my honorable mentions at the very least. Daley, a Yale commit, led Williston with 30 points (11 goals) in 23 games. Schlutter was right behind with 29 points (14 goals) in 22 games. But major props to the seniors named in Piekarski and Coffee, plus Yasmine McKenzie (Holden, Mass.) and Catie Putt (Norfolk, Mass.) in the honorable mentions. Piekarski led Williston in goals (15). McKenzie, Putt (who also played some forward) and Coffee were all steady, effective presences for the Wildcats on the back end.
- Can't argue with Dexter's Doyle and Merrill, nor Andover's Averill and Powers. They were the top two scorers on their respective teams and among their most effective players throughout the season.
- How about Tabor? A year ago, Martinelli and Lacey were elsewhere. What an impact those two had in their first run with the Seawolves, helping them reach the Elite 8 semifinals.
- Nobles seemingly had at least eight players who could have been named. No issues with Ames or Hulbig. Hulbig was sixth in team scoring, but it's hard to discount her three-zone impact and ability to drive play.
Large School
- Austin Prep: Adia Murphy, F, jr.
- Berkshire: Alex Gregorek, F, sr.
- Berkshire: Gabby Ogunnupe, D, jr.
- BB&N: Barbara Ma, G, jr.
- BB&N: Anika Singh, F, sr.
- Choate: Annie Forker, F, sr.
- Choate, Noel Schaab, G, sr.
- Choate: Maggie Swanson, F, sr.
- Kent: Maddie Leonard, D, sr.
- Kent: Chloe Pittinaro, F, sr.
- Middlesex: Janie Martin, F, sr.
- Middlesex: Niamh Tobin, G, jr.
- Milton Academy: Ava Scannell, G, sr.
- Phillips Exeter: Maria Gray, F, sr.
- Phillips Exeter: Paisley Meyer, F, jr.
- Phillips Exeter: Grace Riley, D, sr.
- St. George's: Maddie Lahah, F, sr.
- Taft: Lindsey Kunzelmann, F, so.
- Taft: Phoebe Weisman, D, jr.
- Thayer: Maddy Call, F, so.
- Thayer: Abby DeAnzeris, F, sr.
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Takeaways
- I was surprised Milton Academy's Mary Quatrale (Pembroke, Mass.) wasn't at least an honorable mention. The senior Holy Cross commit was the Mustang's most impactful skater, scoring nearly a point per game with 23 points (12 goals) in 24 games.
- No surprises at all with Exeter's selections, from Gray, Meyer and Riley, to honorable mentions Erin Sears (Cornwall, Vt.) and Mia Griffith. The first four were the headliners of Exeter's Large School title run, while Griffith was critical depth.
- Thought Austin Prep's Kayleigh Norton (Pelham, N.H.) could've at least been an honorable mention. The junior was second on the team with 40 points (18 goals) in 28 games, just behind honorable mention Sarah Sampson (Wilmington, Mass.; 20 goals and 43 points). Sampson and Murphy (Dedham, Mass.; 19 goals and 36 points) were more than deserving, though.
- Major props to Forker, who had a career season with 29 points and 19 goals, powering Choate's run to the Large School final. The senior Assumption commit shattered her previous bests of nine goals and 21 points from 2023-24.
- Credit where it's due for Scannell and Tobin, who were two of the busiest goalies in prep this season. Scannell posted a .914 save percentage while facing 758 shots, the fourth most in the NEPSAC. Tobin posted a .938 on 632 shots, the eighth-most. Props to Northfield Mount Hermon's Helen Zeaske (Lexington, Mass.), too, who earned an honorable mention. The senior posted a .915 save percentage, facing far and away the most shots in prep (964).
- BB&N and Taft exceeded my preseason expectations. Ma and Singh were at the forefront of that for the Knights, along with honorable mentions Kate Glantz (Burlington, Mass.) and Mary Murray (Hingham, Mass.). The same goes for Kunzelmann and Weisman with the Rhinos, along with honorable mentions Sophie Um and Ella Bates (Weymouth, Mass.). BB&N was 17th in our Next 15 rankings in the preseason and at the holiday break. Taft went unranked in both. Both teams finished inside the top 16 of the JSPR (15th and 14th, respectively), and both reached the Large School semifinals. Kudos all around.
Small School
- Berwick: Ella Souza, D, sr.
- Cushing: Bella Freitas, F, so.
- Cushing: Madi Soderquist, F, sr.
- Frederick Gunn: Raven Bennett, D, so.
- Frederick Gunn: Moira Landsverk, G, jr.
- Governor's: Brooke Carlson, F, so.
- Governor's: Liz Luong, G, sr.
- Groton: Oona Kathan, D, sr.
- Groton: Tina Scalese, F, sr.
- Groton: Nora Wilson, G, jr.
- Holderness: Songdy Assoume, G, sr.
- Hoosac: Mackenzie Richardson, F, jr.
- New Hampton: Kelsey Baker, F, sr.
- New Hampton: Emma MacPherson, F, jr.
- New Hampton: Addy Peel, F, sr.
- Portsmouth Abbey: Marguerite Cordahi, G, jr.
- Portsmouth Abbey: Anna Hutton, D, jr.
- St. Mark's: Erin Drew, G, fr.
- St. Mark's: Jocelyn Gray, F, fr.
- Rivers: Ellie Beigel, G, sr.
- Rivers: Simone Burns, F, so.
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Takeaways
- Not many surprises here, although I would've had Cushing's Brooke Harb (Atkinson, N.H.) among the honorable mentions, at least. The postgrad Stonehill commit tied for the team lead in scoring with 31 points (13 goals) in 28 games. Freitas and Soderquist, plus honorable mentions Sadie Bellissimo and Lily Winckler, all had great seasons in their own right.
- I was also surprised Brooks' Shelby Buckler (Sherborn, Mass.) wasn't at least an honorable mention. She stepped in as a freshman and led them in goals (12) and points (20).
- How about St. Mark's? Three of the four Lions' selections (Drew and Gray, plus honorable mention Allie Sauls) are underclassmen. All three, along with several other underclassmen, were instrumental in St. Mark's run to the Small School semis. Honorable mention Kayleigh Koen (Canton, Mass.), a junior, should be back next year as well, along with a handful of other key upperclassmen. St. Mark's is in great hands next season and beyond.
- A hat tip to Richardson, plus honorable mention Gabby Cohen. Richardson broke out for 23 points (17 goals), while Cohen carded another strong season in net, putting Hoosac in the playoff hunt until the very end of the regular season. The Owls held a playoff spot going into the final day and barely missed.
