Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College Women's Hockey team completed a tremendous season in 2012-13 culminating in the program's third national championship. The Soaring Eagles now tie Middlebury as having the most women's championships of any NCAA Division III women's program with three. EC also won titles in its first two years as a program in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns.

First year head coach Dean Jackson '03 became just the third coach in both the men's and women's game to lead a program to a national championship in his first season at the helm. The Purple and Gold finished the season 24-5-1 overall and 14-2-0 in ECAC West play, which was good for a second place finish in regular season conference play as well as the conference tournament.

Elmira was led by six different players who earned ECAC West All-Conference accolades. Brooke Wilgosh '15 earned a place on the All-Conference First Team after having another phenomenal season for the Soaring Eagles. She was EC's highest point scoring defensemen with seven goals, 14 assists and 21 points. She ranked fifth in conference for defensemen scoring averaging 0.79 points per game, while registering two goals, nine assists and 11 points in conference play this season.

Ashley Ryan '15, Ashton Hogan '15 and Madison Johnston '13 were all awarded places on the conference's second team.  Ryan and Hogan led EC offensively this season combining for a total of 36 goals, 21 assists and 57 points. In conference action Hogan led the team with 19 points and finished second in conference for goals scored with 13. Ryan ranked seventh in conference for points scored with 16, and fifth for goals scored with 10. Johnston was the second leading defensemen scorer for EC this season registering a total of 21 points on six goals and 15 assists, while finishing her four year career with 22 goals, 48 assists and 70 points. She finished third in conference for defensive scoring this season averaging 0.81 points per game with four goals, nine assists and 13 points coming in conference competition.

Mary-Kate Gellerman '13 received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors after leading the team in defensive points during conference play with two goals, 12 assists and 14 points. She ranked second in conference play assists and defensive scoring. Olivia Nystrom '16 was honored with a spot on the ECAC All-Rookie team as she finished the season with six goals, 13 assists and 19 points. She led the conference in freshman scoring, averaging 0.93 points a game and finishing with four goals, nine assists and 13 points in conference play.

Lauren Sullivan '13 was a fortress in net all season but took her play to a completely different level in postseason play. The senior played in 20 contests recording a 1.17 goals against average and .942 save percentage en route to 11 shutouts. Sullivan finished the season with the best goals against average and most shutouts of any player in Division III. She also finished the NCAA Tournament with the second-best save total of any player in tournament history making 105 stops in three contests. Sullivan finishes her decorated career holding the all-time Elmira College single season shutout record with 11 and is tied for most career shutouts with 22. 

Sullivan, Ryan, and freshman Taylor Steadman '16, who scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Middlebury in the national championship game, were named to the NCAA Division III Championship All-Tournament team. 

Adding to its national recognition, Wilgosh was named to the D3Hockey.com All East Region Second Team, while Ryan earned a spot on the All-East Region Honorable Mention team. Jackson earned both East Region and National Coach of the Year accolades from D3Hockey.com. He was also recognized by CaptainU as the National Coach of the Year.

With a strong, young nucleus in place and a head coach entering his second season already having a national championship under his belt the future for Soaring Eagle Women's Hockey is brighter than ever.