Gendreau Becomes First Cobber MIAC MVP
MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/26/15)—Senior Maddy Gendreau set program history as she became the first Concordia player to be named the MIAC Most Valuable Player. Gendreau was also one of six Cobber players to receive conference postseason honors.
Gendreau, Libby Fransdal and Kelsey Vandegrift were named to the MIAC All-Conference Team while freshman Emily Goff was placed on the MIAC All-Rookie Team and Andrea Klug earned MIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. Senior Erin McNeill was the team's representative on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.
Complete MIAC Postseason Awards List
Gendreau had a career year and was a big part of Concordia's program-record 10-game unbeaten streak late in the season. The unbeaten streak was a part of a huge turnaround for the Cobbers which saw them go from the bottom of the MIAC standings to the No.3 seed, and a bye into the semifinals, for the upcoming conference tournament.
Gendreau led the MIAC in scoring in conference games with 24 total points in the team's 18 league games. She had at least one point in 14 of the 18 conference games and finished the regular season by notching at least one point in 10 straight games. Gendreau finished with nine goals and 15 assists in the MIAC and had at least one goal in eight league games. Her 15 assists was also a league best. Gendreau also led the conference in points on the power play (12).
It is the third straight season that Gendreau has earned MIAC All-Conference honors.
Fransdal garners her second consecutive All-MIAC award while Klug earns her second straight all-conference honorable mention award after also being placed on the MIAC All-Rookie Team last year. Vandegrift comes away with her very first conference postseason honor.
Fransdal was once again one of the top defenseman in the league. She had a pair of assists in conference play and was consistently on the ice for most Cobber power play and penalty kill opportunities. She was one of the main reasons Concordia held teams to under three goals in 13 of the 15 league games.
Vandegrift was the other main scoring threat for the Cobbers down the stretch. She had a seven-game scoring streak stopped in the final game of the regular season. That streak tied a program record for most consecutive games with at least one goal. Vandegrift had 11 goals in conference play which was second best in the MIAC. She finished ninth in total points with 14 and tied for the MIAC lead in game-winning goals (4).
Klug was the team's goalie of record in 10 of the 18 conference games. She finished MIAC play with a 1.84 goals against average and a 93.0% save percentage. Klug was 5-3-2 in the conference. She finished sixth in both goals against average and save percentage.
Goff is an heir apparent to Fransdal's prowess on the blue line. The freshman played in 16 league games and came away with two goals and three assists for five points in her first collegiate season in the MIAC.
Concordia opens MIAC tournament play on Saturday, Feb. 28 when they play at No.2-seed St. Thomas at 2 p.m.