WHKY: Grace Elliott named CW Player of the Year

March 4, 2025 - After a historic campaign that rewrote the UBC Thunderbirds record book, forward Grace Elliott has been named the 2025 Canada West Women's Hockey Player of the Year.

The fourth-year product of White Rock, B.C. led the conference with 22 goals and 42 points, setting UBC program records in both categories. She becomes just the second Thunderbird to earn the prestigious honour, following in the footsteps of Tatiana Rafter, who was named CW Player of the Year in 2014.

The conference has unveiled its full list of 2024-25 women's hockey major award winners, including:

Alberta was also recognized for having the best team goals against average. For the second year in a row, the Pandas conceded just 29 goals over 28 games of regular season play. Panda goaltenders Grace Glover, Mackenzie Dojahn and Misty Rey combined for a remarkable team 1.02 goals against average, including 11 shutouts.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR and TOP SCORER: Grace Elliott, UBC Thunderbirds

It's been a season to remember for Grace Elliott who exploded out of the gate and never looked back, driving UBC’s conference leading offence with record-setting numbers.

The fourth-year forward from White Rock, B.C. led the Thunderbirds with 22 goals and 42 total points while setting program records in both categories previously set by Tatiana Rafter in the 2014-15 season.

Finishing the 2024-25 campaign with a ten-point lead atop the conference scoring race, Elliott’s remarkable season was also one of consistent production. She was never held off the scoresheet for consecutive games, put up multiple points on 12 different occasions with a season-long point streak of 11 games.

Elliott also led the conference in plus/minus with a +28 rating, power play points with 15, and tied for the lead with seven power play goals and six game winning tallies.

It’s the second straight season a Thunderbird has led the regular season in points and the third time in the last four years with Mackenzie Kordic accomplishing the feat last year and Chanreet Bassi doing so in 2021-22. Elliott’s 42 points also stand as the highest single season total in the conference since Calgary's Iya Gavrilova put up 43 in 2015-16.

Elliott is just the second Thunderbird to be named Canada West Women’s Hockey Player of the Year, following Rafter’s award in 2013-14.

“What she’s done right from training camp, you just saw there was a spark and a fire and she had just elevated her game in the off-season. To set an all-time program record and just the second player of the year for us, she just left no doubt and kept getting better and better. She’s consistent, she scores in big games and creates offence every game. Her impact game in and game out, I’m so impressed with her and so proud of her and the fact she still has one more year left is also really exciting.” – UBC Head Coach Graham Thomas

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR: Grace Glover, Alberta Pandas

For the second time in three seasons, the best goalie in Canada West is an Alberta Panda. Leading the conference in goals against, save percentage and shutouts, sophomore Grace Glover was justifiably named the best netminder in the conference.

Not only were Glover’s 0.79 GAA and .962 save percentage the best in Canada West in 2024/25, they ranked first among all goalies in U SPORTS. Glover went 12-1-1 across 15 games for the first-place Pandas, adding seven shutouts, the fourth most in a single season by a Panda.

Remarkably consistent, Glover allowed more than one goal against just twice in 15 games, stopping 277 of the 288 shots she faced all season. In the month of January, Glover’s 288:55 shutout streak over five games became the fourth-longest streak in Canada West history.

The Boissevain, Man. product is 15-1-1 across two seasons for the Pandas, with 10 of her 18 games resulting in a shutout.

“Grace is a fighter. She has a high hockey IQ which helps her anticipate the play well and she displays a complimentary degree of athleticism game in and game out. Most of all, despite all her success this year, you never get the sense that she’s playing for stats, shutouts or for herself — she is a consummate team player. Put all these qualities together and you’ve got an outstanding performer that has earned this recognition.” - Alberta Head Coach Howie Draper

TOP DEFENCEMAN: Jaylyn Morris, UBC Thunderbirds ​

A year removed from receiving the Canada West Women’s Hockey Rookie of the Year award, Jaylyn Morris has only continued to develop her game to establish herself as one of the top blue liners in the country.

Finishing the regular season tied for scoring by defenders with seven goals and 10 assists, the Maple Ridge, B.C. product led all Canada West blue liners with 10 power play points, five of them goals. Aside from her offensive prowess, Morris was just as effective in her own zone, finishing the season with a +26 rating, by far the best plus/minus of any defenders and just two off the overall lead.

Playing top pairing minutes and in all situations, Morris also accumulated just four minor penalties all season making her a reliable and responsible leader in just her second year of Canada West play.

Morris is the second Thunderbird to win the conference Top Defenceman Award, following in the footsteps of her former teammate and current PWHL Toronto Sceptres defenceman, Rylind MacKinnon, who was honoured in 2021-22.

“She’s continuing to get better and better and has really impressed us with her consistency. To win this award as this stage in her career is really impressive but she puts the work in, she’s dedicated, she’s focused. She responds to challenges and pressure and just plays her game. We’re really proud of her. She’s answered the bell and is fully deserving.” – UBC Head Coach Graham Thomas

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jules Stokes, Regina Cougars

It's not easy for rookie defenders to step into the league and become impact makers, but that's exactly what Jules Stokes did for the Regina Cougars this season.

The product of Terrace, B.C. led a young Cougars blue line, rising to every challenge entrusted to her by interim head coach Brandy West-McMaster. She led all Canada West rookies in scoring with eleven points in 28 games, including nine assists. Those 11 points tied her for seventh in overall defencemen scoring.

She also was counted on for her strong two-way play, as the Cougars made a drastic improvement defensively this season. Stokes helped the Cougars surrender 21 fewer goals than they did a year ago, a big factor in the team return to the Canada West postseason for the first time since 2022.

"We didn't have a ton of experience returning to the blue line this year, but Jules stepped in and played a huge role for us right from day one. We put her in all sorts of situations and she rose to the challenge. Jules has great speed and a great willingness to compete, and her vision and shot from the point makes her such a well-rounded player. I can't wait to see how she continues to develop over her time at the U of R." - Regina Interim Head Coach Brandy West-McMaster

COACH OF THE YEAR: Brandy West-McMaster, Regina Cougars

Taking over as interim head coach at the start of the 2024-25 season, Brandy West-McMaster guided the Cougars back to the Canada West playoffs for the first time since 2022.

The Cougars were one of the feel good stories of the Canada West women's hockey season, compiling an 11-12-5 record and clinching a playoff spot by finishing third in the East Division. Under West-McMaster's leadership, Regina improved their win total by four and their point total by 11 compared to last season. A key factor in the turnaround was their commitment to team defence. The Cougars surrendered 21 fewer goals against compared to a season ago, improving their total goal differential by 26.

"We were so happy that Brandy was willing to step up and lead this team this season and I'm absolutely thrilled that she's has been named the Canada West Coach of the Year. Her team displayed so much heart this season, and to guide the Cougars back to the playoffs this year was truly impressive. Brandy is also a perfect role model for the team off the ice, inspiring her players to commit to excellence in the classroom and in the community as well." - Lisa Robertson, University of Regina Director of Sport, Community Engagement & Athlete Development

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Elise Hugens, UBC Thunderbirds

On the ice, Hugens has been the backbone of the three-time defending conference champion T-Birds, holding program records for most wins in a season (18), career wins (58) and most career shutouts (21). But her extensive volunteer and community work off the ice has been just as impactful as her performance in the UBC net.

Hugens has made a significant impact through her volunteer work, particularly with SuperHEROS Hockey. This program provides children with cognitive and physical disabilities the opportunity to learn how to skate and play hockey. Elise has been a dedicated volunteer with the program for four years, accumulating over 150 volunteering hours while helping the program double in size through her ability to get her teammates and other UBC athletic teams involved in the program.

Beyond hockey, Elise has contributed to the community in numerous ways. She has volunteered with Canuck Place Children's Hospice, providing support and peer mentorship to sick children and their families. She is also an active member of the Thunderbird Athletic Council (TAC) and serves as UBC’s representative on the Canada West Student Engagement Council. Her passion for giving back extends to the coaching realm, where she has been mentoring aspiring young hockey players since she was 12 years old. This season, she was the goalie coach for the U15 A2 Angels and a coach for the U9 Angels.

Elise's dedication also extends into research and nonprofit work. She is involved in a kinesiology research lab studying physiological responses to aerobic training. She has also worked with the Paralympic Sports Association in Edmonton, leading inclusive sports summer programs for adults with disabilities. Her leadership efforts include organizing a toy drive for the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau during a recent Thunderbirds home game that collected over 120 toys. Elise will move forward as the Canada West nominee for the U SPORTS women's hockey student-athlete community service award.

"Elise is an incredible competitor both on the ice and in the classroom. She is a leader on the team and a tremendous teammate. She cares so much about her teammates, the program, and the community. Elise has such a positive attitude and infectious personality, and is always smiling and looking for ways to help others. This is evident with all the volunteer work she does every year. She continues to inspire young athletes in our community and give back to the community and those who need support and care." - UBC Head Coach Graham Thomas

SPORTSMANSHIP AND ATHLETIC ABILITY: Norah Collins, Manitoba Bisons

A role model and a difference-maker, third-year forward Norah Collins had a career year on the ice for Bisons hockey.

Individually, her 12 goals were tied for fourth in Canada West, and were also a career high. Along the way, she became just the tenth player in program history to score at least 12 goals in a conference season.

A consistent offensive threat, Collins’ 90 shots on goal were also fourth in Canada West, and she scored in ten different games overall.

A team-first player, Collins has zero penalty minutes in her three seasons for the Bisons, providing stability and consistency on both ends of the ice.