University of New Hampshire Athletics
![Graphic with action shots of each award winner. [L to R] Noemi Martinez, Hannah Rodgers, Nina Rossi, Kelly Harty, Ireland Fredrickson](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Funh.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F5%2F7%2Fwhockey_2526_awards_graphic.png&height=300&type=webp)
Photo by: UNH Athletic Communications
Women's Hockey Unveils Team Awards for 2025-26 Season
5/7/2026 2:37:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Five different Wildcats took home six awards at the banquet.
DURHAM, N.H. — Freshman Nina Rossi (Pittsgrove, N.J.) and senior Kelly Harty (Billerica, Mass.) were named co-recipients of the Karyn Bye MVP Award, highlighting the UNH women's ice hockey team's 2026 team banquet, held May 3 in the Skybox Lounge of the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.
Listed below is the full breakdown of each award and their respective recipient:
Sue Merz Award
Also known as the "7th Player Award", the Sue Merz Award is presented to the player who performs above and beyond all expectations.
Winner: Kelly Harty
Harty posted a career-year with the Wildcats, notching a team-leading 17 goals alongside six assists for 23 points, tied for fourth-most across the roster. Additionally, the senior captain led the team in both shot percentage (.210) and first goals (5), finished second in shorthanded goals (2), tied for second in game-winning goals (2), tied for fourth in power-play goals (3), and finished fifth in blocked shots (30).
Within the conference, Harty finished the season fifth across Hockey East in goals scored and third in shorthanded goals.
Appearing in all 35 games, Harty posted a plus-five rating and logged a point in 20 different games, highlighted by her first-career three-point performance at Assumption (Oct. 4). In total, Harty finished the season with two multipoint appearances and logged four different point streaks of three games or more.
Colleen Coyne Award
Presented to the best defensive player, regardless of position.
Winner: Noemi Martinez
Martinez had a stellar year between the pipes, making a career-high 16 starts in net while guiding the 'Cats to a 9-6-0 record. Posting a team-leading .927 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average, Martinez finished the season with six games of 30+ saves, including three games with 40+ saves, and 10 games having allowed two goals or fewer.
Within the conference, Martinez was tied for the sixth-best save percentage among Hockey East goaltenders with 500+ minutes played. In conference action, she closed out with a 5-4-0 record to the tune of a .926 save percentage and a 2.62 goals against average.
Additionally, Martinez's year was highlighted by a season-best 49-save performance in the Wildcats' 3-2 overtime win at No. 7 UConn (Jan. 31) and shutouts against Assumption (Oct. 4) and Maine (Feb. 14).
Tricia Dunn Award
Presented to the player who improved the most throughout the 2025-26 season.
Winner: Ireland Fredrickson
After appearing in just seven of the team's first 20 games, Fredrickson saw more time in the second half of the year, skating in eight of the final 15 outings.
Highlighted by her first-career points with an assist in each matchup against Long Island University (Jan. 3-4), Fredrickson closed out her rookie campaign with two points, 17 shots on net, five blocks, and a plus-one rating.
Blue Line Club Award
Presented to the player who best embodies what it means to represent the past, present, and future of UNH Women's Hockey through dedication and commitment to the program.
Winner: Hannah Rodgers
Rodgers was a mainstay in the Wildcats' lineup last season, skating in 32-of-35 games, including 22-straight games from Oct. 13 to Jan. 17. Headlined by her second period goal against Merrimack (Oct. 31), Rodgers closed out the year with one point, eight shots on net, and four blocks.
Additionally, Rodgers was a leader in the locker room and on the ice, serving as an alternate captain during the 2025-26 season.
Karyn Bye Award
Presented to the Most Valuable Player.
Winners: Kelly Harty, Nina Rossi
Rossi was a key piece of the Wildcats' offense during the 2025-26 regular season, notching 14 goals alongside a team-leading 20 assists, pacing New Hampshire with 34 points while averaging just under a point per game. Across the conference, Rossi's 34 points were sixth-most across the league, while her 14 goals were tied for ninth-most and her 20 assists were seventh-most.
Additionally, Rossi closed out her rookie campaign with a team-leading three shorthanded goals, tied for second in power-play goals (4), tied for second in game-winning goals (2), second in shots on goal (110), tied for third in plus/minus rating (+8), and tied for fourth in first goals (2).
With her 34-point season, Rossi became the first Wildcat to register a 30+ point season since Jonna Curtis (21g, 21a; 42 points) in the 2016-17 season and marks the highest point total by a New Hampshire freshman since the 2007-08 season, when Jenn Wakefield finished with 46 points (27g, 19a).
During the season, Rossi was named Hockey East Player of the Week (Oct. 6), before taking home two Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors (Nov. 10, Dec. 8), and both Hockey East Rookie of the Month and Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Month honors for December. Following the end of the season, Rossi was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and the Hockey East All-Star Second Team.
Follow the UNH Women's Hockey Team
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unhwhockey
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unhwhockey
X - https://x.com/unhwhockey
Listed below is the full breakdown of each award and their respective recipient:
Sue Merz Award
Also known as the "7th Player Award", the Sue Merz Award is presented to the player who performs above and beyond all expectations.
Winner: Kelly Harty
Harty posted a career-year with the Wildcats, notching a team-leading 17 goals alongside six assists for 23 points, tied for fourth-most across the roster. Additionally, the senior captain led the team in both shot percentage (.210) and first goals (5), finished second in shorthanded goals (2), tied for second in game-winning goals (2), tied for fourth in power-play goals (3), and finished fifth in blocked shots (30).
Within the conference, Harty finished the season fifth across Hockey East in goals scored and third in shorthanded goals.
Appearing in all 35 games, Harty posted a plus-five rating and logged a point in 20 different games, highlighted by her first-career three-point performance at Assumption (Oct. 4). In total, Harty finished the season with two multipoint appearances and logged four different point streaks of three games or more.
Colleen Coyne Award
Presented to the best defensive player, regardless of position.
Winner: Noemi Martinez
Martinez had a stellar year between the pipes, making a career-high 16 starts in net while guiding the 'Cats to a 9-6-0 record. Posting a team-leading .927 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average, Martinez finished the season with six games of 30+ saves, including three games with 40+ saves, and 10 games having allowed two goals or fewer.
Within the conference, Martinez was tied for the sixth-best save percentage among Hockey East goaltenders with 500+ minutes played. In conference action, she closed out with a 5-4-0 record to the tune of a .926 save percentage and a 2.62 goals against average.
Additionally, Martinez's year was highlighted by a season-best 49-save performance in the Wildcats' 3-2 overtime win at No. 7 UConn (Jan. 31) and shutouts against Assumption (Oct. 4) and Maine (Feb. 14).
Tricia Dunn Award
Presented to the player who improved the most throughout the 2025-26 season.
Winner: Ireland Fredrickson
After appearing in just seven of the team's first 20 games, Fredrickson saw more time in the second half of the year, skating in eight of the final 15 outings.
Highlighted by her first-career points with an assist in each matchup against Long Island University (Jan. 3-4), Fredrickson closed out her rookie campaign with two points, 17 shots on net, five blocks, and a plus-one rating.
Blue Line Club Award
Presented to the player who best embodies what it means to represent the past, present, and future of UNH Women's Hockey through dedication and commitment to the program.
Winner: Hannah Rodgers
Rodgers was a mainstay in the Wildcats' lineup last season, skating in 32-of-35 games, including 22-straight games from Oct. 13 to Jan. 17. Headlined by her second period goal against Merrimack (Oct. 31), Rodgers closed out the year with one point, eight shots on net, and four blocks.
Additionally, Rodgers was a leader in the locker room and on the ice, serving as an alternate captain during the 2025-26 season.
Karyn Bye Award
Presented to the Most Valuable Player.
Winners: Kelly Harty, Nina Rossi
Rossi was a key piece of the Wildcats' offense during the 2025-26 regular season, notching 14 goals alongside a team-leading 20 assists, pacing New Hampshire with 34 points while averaging just under a point per game. Across the conference, Rossi's 34 points were sixth-most across the league, while her 14 goals were tied for ninth-most and her 20 assists were seventh-most.
Additionally, Rossi closed out her rookie campaign with a team-leading three shorthanded goals, tied for second in power-play goals (4), tied for second in game-winning goals (2), second in shots on goal (110), tied for third in plus/minus rating (+8), and tied for fourth in first goals (2).
With her 34-point season, Rossi became the first Wildcat to register a 30+ point season since Jonna Curtis (21g, 21a; 42 points) in the 2016-17 season and marks the highest point total by a New Hampshire freshman since the 2007-08 season, when Jenn Wakefield finished with 46 points (27g, 19a).
During the season, Rossi was named Hockey East Player of the Week (Oct. 6), before taking home two Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors (Nov. 10, Dec. 8), and both Hockey East Rookie of the Month and Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Month honors for December. Following the end of the season, Rossi was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and the Hockey East All-Star Second Team.
Follow the UNH Women's Hockey Team
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unhwhockey
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/unhwhockey
X - https://x.com/unhwhockey
Players Mentioned
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