Meghan Agosta (Contributed/Mercyhurst College)

Senior forward Meghan Agosta was the Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team’s only player on the Reebok Hockey/ACHA All-America Team. The honorees were announced at the NCAA Women’s Division I Frozen Four’s Welcome Banquet on Thursday at Ambassador Banquet & Conference Center.

Agosta, who leads the nation in scoring with 86 points, earned the honor for the fourth straight year.

She was joined on the first team by four players participating in this weekend’s NCAA Women’s Division I Frozen Four – senior goaltender Molly Schaus (Boston College), sophomore defenseman Laura Fortino (Cornell) and senior forward Meghan Duggan and junior forward Hilary Knight of Wisconsin. Senior defenseman Jocelyne Larocque (Minnesota Duluth) also was named to the first team.

The second team included sophomore goaltender Noora Raty (Minnesota), senior defenseman Catherine Ward (Boston University), sophomore forward Brianna Decker (Wisconsin), senior forward Kelli Stack (BC) and sophomore defenseman Lauriane Rougeau and junior forward Rebecca Johnston from Cornell.

In other news, Mercyhurst freshmen forward Taylor Holstrom was named Atlantic Hockey Association’s rookie of the year. Holstrom, who had nine goals and 33 points in 36 games this season, also was named to the all-rookie team. Senior goaltender Ryan Zapolski, an Erie native, earned a spot on the second team. Seniors Jeff Terminesi, a defenseman, and Scott Pitt, a forward, were on the third team.

Mercyhurst College senior forwards Meghan Agosta and Vicki Bendus are among the top 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, USA Hockey announced today.

Agosta, the nation’s leading scorer with 79 points, set NCAA career records for goals, power-play goals and points this season. Bendus, the reigning Kazmaier Award winner, ranks fifth nationally with 1.85 points per game (50 points in 27 games).

The other finalists are senior forward Meghan Duggan (Wisconsin), sophomore defenseman Laura Fortino (Cornell), junior forward Haley Irwin (Minnesota Duluth), junior forward Rebecca Johnston (Cornell), junior forward Hillary Knight (Wisconsin), sophomore goaltender Noora Raty (Minnesota), senior goaltender Molly Schaus (Boston College) and senior forward Kelli Stack (Boston College).

A 13-member selection committee comprised of NCAA Division I women’s hockey coaches, print and broadcast media representatives, a USA Hockey representative and an at-large member, will trim the list to three finalists. Those players will be announced March 10. The winner will be unveiled during the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony and Brunch on March 19 at Bayfront Convention Center.

Check out USA Hockey’s news release by clicking here.

What: No. 4 Mercyhurst College (6-1-0) at Cornell (4-0-0)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Lynah Rink – Ithaca, N.Y.

On the air: www.cornellbigred.com (Internet video)

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Sr. F Meghan Agosta (10 goals, 9 assists, 19 points), Jr. G Hillary Pattenden (6-1-0 record, 1.81 goals-against average, .915 save percentage, 1 shutout), Sr. F Vicki Bendus (6-9-15), Sr. F Jesse Scanzano (2-8-10), Jr. F Bailey Bram (4-9-13)

Cornell – Jr. G Amanda Mazzotta (4-0-0, 1.25, .924), So. D Laura Fortino (1-2-3), Fr. F Brianne Jenner (3-5-8), Jr. F Rebecca Johnston (3-4-7), Fr. F Jessica Campbell (6-0-6)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers meet Cornell for the first time since a 3-2 overtime loss in the NCAA Division I Women’s Frozen Four semifinals in March – the Lakers’ only loss in the all-time series (11-1-1). … The Lakers last faced higher-ranked teams in the 2008-09 season. They beat St. Lawrence in the regular season and again in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals and Minnesota in the Frozen Four semifinals. They lost to Wisconsin in the 2009 national championship game. … The Lakers continue a six-week stretch in which they play eight of nine games on the road. … They face their first road game since a 5-3 loss to Bemidji State on Oct. 16, which snapped a 36-game road unbeaten streak in the regular season. … Agosta, Bendus and Bram have seven-game point streaks. … Bendus needs three assists to reach 100 in her career. … Agosta and Bendus, which rank first and third nationally in scoring, will leave the team Wednesday to join their native Canada at the 2010 Women’s Four Nations Cup, set for Nov. 9-13 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. They will miss Saturday’s game against Niagara. … Freshman F Christie Cicero remains out with a leg injury. … Coach Michael Sisti needs 12 wins to reach 300 in his career. … Agosta and Johnston were teammates on Canada’s gold-medal team at the Vancouver Olympics last winter. … The Lakers, which have the nation’s highest-scoring offense (5.7 goals per game) face one of the nation’s stingiest defenses (1.25 goals against per game).

Cornell – The Big Red returned 14-of-18 letter winners from the 2009-10 team, which lost in three overtimes to Minnesota Duluth in the national title game. … The Big Red topped Robert Morris, Quinnipiac and Princeton by a combined 22-5 in their first four games. … They have started a season 4-0-0 for the first time since 1978-79. … They trailed for a total of 1 minute, 36 seconds in those games. … Jenner and Campbell, a pair of freshmen, lead the team in points and goals. … Johnston and Jenner will play for Canada in the Four Nations Cup.

Up next: at Niagara (Saturday, 2 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes