SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Head Coach Josh Sciba and the Union College women's hockey team have announced its annual team awards. Despite not being able to gather together as a team, the Dutchwomen still had an opportunity to recognize the hard work and achievements of their student-athletes on and off the ice this year.
 
Senior Katelynn Russ was recognized as the George Morrison Team Most Valuable Player. The award, selected by her teammates, is given to the player who had a significant role in all of our success, was looked at to be a leader in the face of adversity, and was someone that the team highly valued as the most consistent contributor on/off the ice.
 
Russ had another excellent season for the Dutchwomen in 2019-20, leading the team in goals for the third straight season with eight markers and four assists for 12 points. The senior finished her stellar four-year career with 33 goals and 23 assists for 56 points. She leaves Schenectady third in goals and fourth in points in program history, while her totals also rank her second all-time among the program's Division I players. Russ was also recognized with Union's Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award as well this season.
 
This year's recipient of the "Ancora Imparo" Process Award is first-year Olivia Groulx. This award, named for the Italian phrase "I am still learning," is given to the player who has shown the most improvement over the course of this season or from last year to this year, whose development process has fueled growth on and off the ice.
 
Groulx appeared in 28 games during her first collegiate season, scoring two goals with an assist for three points as a key member of the team's blue line corps. The first-year had a big offensive weekend in October against Lindenwood University, playing a role in all three Union goals with a pair of tallies – the first two of her collegiate career – as well as an assist.
 
Junior Makayla Mori earned the team's Garnet Glue Award this season. Voted by her teammates and coaches, this award goes to the student-athlete who best exemplifies servant leadership and who goes above and beyond to validate and empower her teammates. The team is excited to celebrate her genuine passion and commitment to others.
 
Mori played in 29 games during her third season with the Dutchwomen, scoring one goal and remaining one of the team's highest-rated players in plus-minus. She has scored five goals with five assists during her first three years in Schenectady.
 
Junior Megan Ryan earned the team's Hana Yamashita '97 Award, which is given to the player that shows a supreme competitiveness, consistently gives 100 percent effort in both practice and games, and is extraordinarily conditioned with an unmatched work ethic. The award is named in honor of Hana Yamashita '97, who started the women's ice hockey club team in 1994 and helped elevate it to varsity status.
 
Ryan had the best season of her career in 2019-20, providing a consistent presence on the blue line for Union with a team-leading 80 blocked shots while also netting a career-high seven goals with four assists for 11 points. She registered her first career multi-goal game with a pair of tallies in the team's win over Brown University on January 17.
 
Seniors Amelia Murray and Rachel de Perio are co-winners of the Ashley Kilstein '08 Award, given to the player(s) who has given her time to volunteer in the community and help raise money for various charities and non-profit organizations throughout the season. The award is named after former Dutchwoman Ashley Kilstein '08, who headed the team's community service projects during her career at Union. 
 
Murray continued to make an impact in all areas for Union during her senior season. In addition to serving as a team leader on the ice and in the locker room, Murray maintained her role as one of the team's top community advocates, helping to lead multiple on- and off-campus initiatives, including her Shutouts for Seizures campaign. De Perio overcame personal adversity to succeed both on the ice and in the community for Union this season, finishing with a career-high six goals and 12 points while playing a key role in many of Union's game-day community initiatives.