The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Conference announced the 2022-2023 season award winners today with Aurora University Spartan sophomore forward Darci Matson garnering all the attention with being named the NCHA Player of the Year. Matson was also named to the All-Conference and junior Ava Eid was named All-Conference on defense.

Matson becomes the first Aurora University women's hockey player to receive the top NCHA honor with the NCHA Player of the Year award. She not only paced the conference in scoring from start to finish, but also leads the NCAA Division III level in total points (31G/32A-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 (7; leader has 8). 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.

Matson really left an impression in NCHA-only action, ending the regular season at the top of all of the offensive leader boards. In league play, Matson put together an 19-20-39 stat line that gave her the top point, goal, and assist numbers league-wide this winter.

Eid joined Matson on the All-Conference team after posting five goals and 14 assists from her blueline position. She then helped anchor an AU defensive copr that is allowing 1.11 goals against per game and has posted nine shutouts in the 21 AU victories.

View the full NCHA all-conference release - click here

The AU women are currently 21-4-1 overall on the 2022-2023 season and finished 12-3-1 and in third place in the NCHA regular season. 

Next action for the Spartan women's hockey team comes on Friday, March 4 when they travel to the semi-final round of the NCHA Slaats Cup playoffs. AU will travel to Adrian College (the final weekend hosts) and play St. Norbert College with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. (est) / 6:00 p.m. (cst) in Adrian, Michigan.