ERIE, Pa. -- With the regular season concluded, the Mercyhurst ice hockey teams have named the recipients of the Bill Smith Award, Alexa Vasko and Quinn Wichers.

The Bill Smith Award is given to the senior hockey player from each program that most embodies Mercyhurst hockey on the ice, in the classroom and in the community.

Vasko has been a leader both in the classroom and on the ice. In the classroom Vasko has been able to maintain a 3.95 GPA while she will graduate from Mercyhurst with a degree in Exercise Science. As a sophomore she was named an assistant captain, and ahead of her junior season she was named a captain.

In her career with the Lakers Vasko has been able to 26 goals while adding 41 assists while playing with the Lakers. Vasko would tally her first career college point on October 6th, 2017 in a 4-1 loss to St. Lawrence. Vasko would score her first collegiate goal on March 3rd,2018 in a 5-3 win over Robert Morris in which she tallied three points for her first multi-point game. Vasko would become one of the best defensive forwards in the CHA and was rewarded last season by being name the CHA Best Defensive Forward.

Wichers has served as a captain and assistant captain in his time on the Lakers. Wichers has been an iron man for the Lakers appearing in 117 career games for the Lakers over his four years on campus. The defenseman has tallied nine points on a goal and eight assists over the course of his career. Unafraid to sacrafice for his team, Wichers has blocked 183 shots in his career.

Wichers is a three-time AHA All-Academic Selection. Wichers carries a 3.78 GPA as an Exercise Science major.