March 17, 2011

• AHCA Hockey

ERIE, Pa. – Three Badgers have been honored as 2011 Division I REEBOK Women’s Hockey All-Americans, the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) announced Thursday.

Senior Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass.), junior Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) and sophomore Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) were honored at a championship reception in conjunction with the 2011 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four in Erie, Pa.

Duggan and Knight were selected as first team All-Americans, while Decker was a second team honoree. The award marks the first All-American award for both Duggan and Decker; Knight picked up her second award after also being chosen as a first team honoree in 2009.

Wisconsin’s three All-Americans this season marks the most since 2007 when Sara Bauer, Meaghan Mikkelson and Bobbi-Jo Slusar were honored. The Badgers have had 11 players earn 18 All-American awards since 2001. Most recently, the Badgers had two All-Americans in Knight and Jessie Vetter in 2009.

Earlier this season, the trio of Decker, Duggan and Knight swept the All-WCHA First Team forward honors. Duggan was also named the WCHA Player of the Year. All three received looks for the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, and Duggan is a top-three finalist for NCAA Division I college women’s hockey’s top individual honor.

Wisconsin and Cornell led the way with three All-American honorees each. Five selections came from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, three each from the ECAC and Hockey East, and one from the CHA.

Action at the 2011 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four begins Friday at 4 p.m. CT when Wisconsin takes on Boston College in the first semifinal game at Tullio Arena in Erie, Pa. Cornell and Boston University take the ice at 7 p.m. CT, and the winners will meet in Sunday’s national championship game at 1 p.m. CT.