ERIE, Pa. – Junior captain Christine Bestland and senior goaltender Stephanie Ciampa were among eight Mercyhurst  women's hockey players who were honored at the annual College Hockey America Tournament Banquet on Thursday evening.  The Lakers were also given a trophy for capturing the regular season title.
 
Bestland was unanimously named the Conference Player of the year and was also unanimously selected to the All-CHA First Team. Ciampa was awarded the league's Goaltending Trophy for her performances this season. 
 
Bestland was the league's leading scorer with 20 goals and 23 assists for 43 points.  She averaged 2.15 points per game in CHA play and led the conference in points, goals, power-play goals, assists, and +/-.  Overall, Bestland totaled 66 points on 26 goals and 40 assists.
 
Ciampa, meanwhile, compiled a 1.35 goals against average, a .932 save percentage and went 11-1-0 in CHA play, including two shutouts.  Overall, she went 17-1-0, including three wins against nationally ranked teams.  Ciampa is fourth in the nation in goaltending with a 1.40 overall goals against average, eighth with a .935 save percentage, and second in winning percentage (.944). 
 
Joining Bestland on the All-CHA first team were sophomore forward Shelby Bram and sophomore defenseman Vaila Higson. 
 
Bram had a career-high 31 points this season with eight goals and 23 assists.  She had a season-best four points against Lindenwood on January 25 and four points on October 9 against Minnesota State Mankato.  Bram scored her 50^th career point on February 15 against Syracuse University in a  5-3 win.  Bram finished seventh in the league in scoring.
 
Higson is tied for fourth nationally in points by a defenseman (0.94) with teammate Molly Byrne.  In conference play, Higson scored seven goals and added 17 assists for 24 points during the regular season.  Higson's 17 helpers and 24 points were both tied for third.
 
Sophomore Molly Byrne was named to the Second Team.  Byrne wastied for fifth on the team in scoring with 31 points on eight goals and 23 assists.  In conference play, Byrne compiled 22 points on three goals and 19 assists, tied for fifth.
 
Three freshmen were named to the All-Rookie Team, including forwards Emily Janiga and Jenna Dingeldein and defenseman Lauren Kilroy. 
 
Janiga was second on the team in points with 40 on 19 goals and 21 helpers.  She was Rookie of the Week five times this year, and scored two hat tricks in her rookie season.  In the CHA, Janiga tied for fifth in points with 10 goals and 12 assists, and is third in the nation in points by a rookie with1.21 points-per-game.
 
Dingeldein was second in scoring in conference play, collecting 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points.  She was named Rookie of the Week three times this season.  Dingeldein is fourth nationally behind Janiga in points by a rookie, 1.18 per game.
 
Kilroy was a solid contributor o the back line,  contributing to the Lakers' seventh-ranked defense in Division I (1.70).  Kilroy also recorded six assists, three in conference play. 
 
Mercyhurst will try for its 11th tournament championship in the last dozen years when thr action begins Friday. The top-seeded Lakers will take on the fourth-seed, defending CHA champions Robert Morris, in the opening semifinal game at 1:30 p.m. Syracuse (#2) and RIT (#3) will play the other semifinal at 4:30 p.m. The two winners will meet for the CHA Championship on Saturday, March 9 at 3:00 p.m.

First Team All-Conference
Forward- Christine Bestland, Mercyhurst
Forward- Shelby Bram, Mercyhurst
Forward- Rebecca Vint, Robert Morris
Defenseman- Akane Hosoyamada, Syracuse
Defenseman- Vaila Higson, Mercyhurst
Goalie- Kallie Billadeau, Syracuse 
 
Second Team All-Conference
Forward- Alison Wickenheiser, Lindenwood
Forward – Tenecia Hiller, RIT
Forward - Nicole Ferrara, Syracuse
Forward - Margot Scharfe, Syracuse  
Defenseman- Molly Byrne, Mercyhurst
Defenseman- Jamie Joslin, Robert Morris
Goalie- Nicole Hensley, Lindenwood 
 
All-Rookie Team
Forward – Emily Janiga, Mercyhurst  
Forward - Jenna Dingeldein, Mercyhurst
Forward- Shannon Yoxheimer, Penn State
Defenseman – Lauren Kilroy, Mercyhurst
Defenseman – Nicole Renault, Syracuse
Goalie Nicole Hensley, Lindenwood 
 
Defensive Forward
Margot Scharfe, Syracuse 
 
Best Defensemen
Akane Hosoyamada, Syracuse 
 
Individual Sportsmanship
Holly Carrie-Mattimoe, Syracuse 
 
Team Sportsmanship
Robert Morris
 
Scoring Trophy
Christine Bestland, Mercyhurst 
 
Goaltending Trophy
Stephanie Ciampa, Mercyhurst 
 
Player of the Year
Christine Bestland, Mercyhurst 
 
Rookie of the Year
Nicole Hensley, Lindenwood 
 
Coach of the Year
Paul Flanagan, Syracuse