The NCHA women’s conference has announced its 2022-23 season award winners, including player of the year, coach of the year, freshman of the year, the all-conference team, and the all-freshman team.
The 2022-23 player of the year is Darci Matson, a sophomore forward at Aurora. The Wasilla, Alaska, native not only paced the conference in scoring from start to finish, but also leads the NCAA Division III level in total points (31 goals, 32 assists, 63 points), points-per-game (2.42; second is 1.81), and assists (32), while sitting second in goals (31; leader has 32) and tied for second in game-winning goals (seven; leader has eight).
“Darci is truly a one-of-a-kind player,” Aurora coach Jackie Kooistra said. “She can play in any position and in any situation. Her work ethic and compete level is contagious. Darci is also a team-first kind of athlete. Everything she does is for the betterment and advancement of this team. With her older sister being on the inaugural AU team, Darci strives to continue the legacy they have built.”
One year after earning NCHA freshman of the year accolades, Matson becomes the first sophomore to claim player of the year status in the NCHA since the 2018-19 season.
“The creativity she demonstrates, it’s absolutely amazing,” Kooistra said. “It would be a disservice of me to stifle that, so I encourage her and also give her and her teammates platforms to come up with plays. This really keeps the creativity flowing and keeps the game fun.”
Matson really left an impression in NCHA-only action, ending the regular season at the top of all of the offensive leaderboards. In league play, Matson put together an 19-20-39 statline that gave her the top point, goal, and assist numbers league-wide this winter.
“Darci is not the first Matson to skate in the AU blue,” Kooistra said. “Following in her big sister Olivia’s (17-59-76 in 109 games from 2017 to 2022 at Aurora) footsteps, Darci is continuing a legacy of creativity, playmaking, and scoring. When you think of the name Matson here at AU, you think of family first and then extreme talent. Coming from a big family, Darci is always crediting all of her achievements and success to her mom, dad, and brothers and sisters.”
Matson is the first Spartan to earn league player of the year honors since the program joined the NCHA for the 2017-18 campaign.
“As a person, Darci is extremely humble,” Kooistra said. “While topping the leaderboard in all of NCAA she still doubles as our team’s equipment manager and does the team laundry. You will not find a more deserving athlete for this amazing honor. Hockey is in her blood, and this young woman is an amazing athlete and an even better person. I cannot say enough good things about this extraordinary athlete. We are lucky to call her family.”
The league coaches also voted for freshman of the year, seeing Makayla Spejcher of Concordia Wisconsin earn the distinction. The newcomer put together an impressive campaign, finishing tied for eighth in overall points (15-12-27 in 27 games), while compiling 21 points (10-11-21) in league play to rank fifth in scoring in NCHA-only action. She was also named to the all-league squad – the only freshman to make that cut this season.
The 2022-23 coach of the year is St. Norbert’s A.J. Aitken, the first of his career. One year after leading his team to a school-record 20 victories, Aitken is one win away from tying that mark again, sitting at 19-5-3 overall including a 13-2-1 ledger in NCHA play that saw the team finish second and playing for the regular-season title until the final weekend. The team has been ranked for numerous weeks in the USCHO.com Division III Women’s Poll and currently sits at No. 14.
2022-23 Women’s NCHA All-Conference Team (alphabetical)
Forward: Une Bjelland, Sr., Adrian
Forward: Natalie Hogan, So., St. Norbert
Forward: Darci Matson, So., Aurora
Forward: Emily Reimche, Sr., Concordia Wisconsin
Forward: Kelsey Ross, So., St. Norbert
Forward: Makayla Spejcher, Fr., Concordia Wisconsin
Forward: Jessica VonRuden, Gr., Adrian
Defense: Ava Eid, Jr., Aurora
Defense: Ava Jaschke, Sr., St. Norbert
Defense: Maya Roy, Jr., Adrian
Defense: Kathryn Truban, Jr., Adrian
Goalie: Sophie Goldberg, Sr., Adrian
Goalie: Kayla Kolpitcke, Jr., Marian
Goalie: Hannah Turnage, Sr., Lake Forest
All-Freshman Team
F: Bailey Brunnhoelzl, St. Norbert
F: Tia Lascelle, Adrian
F: Makayla Spejcher, Concordia Wisconsin
D: Willow Poppleton, Lake Forest
D: Grace Wittkopf, St. Norbert
G: Casey Frank, Trine
