Jessie-Gerelli, Pope Earn Major Awards in CCC Women’s Ice Hockey End of Season Honors
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 7, 2023) – The Western New England women's ice hockey team saw two of their own earn major accolades from the Commonwealth Coast Conference in the end of season awards, as announced by the conference office this afternoon. Junior Rieley Jessie-Gerelli was tabbed CCC Goaltender of the Year while Maddie Pope was named CCC Rookie of the Year. WNE women's ice hockey earn their first ever end of season conference awards in program history.
Rieley Jessie-Gerelli led Western New England to ten wins on the season, making 18 starts between the pipes for the blue and gold. The junior collected a 1.58 GAA while picking up a .956 save percentage between the pipes, which ranks first in the CCC. Jessie-Gerelli collected 632 total saves on the season while earning five clean sheets for Western New England. Jessie-Gerelli ranks in the top 20 in the nation in goalie win percentage (20th, .639), goals against average (1.58, 18th), shutouts (4, 16th), and save percentage (.956, 3rd). The Croton-on-Hudson, New York native has played in 34 career games for the Golden Bears, making 33 starts, playing in over 2000:00 between the pipes. Over her two-year career, Jessie-Gerelli has given up just 64 goals and dotted a 1.86 GAA while making 1,219 saves and collecting a career .950 save percentage, which sits second in the nation. With the designation, Jessie-Gerelli was also placed on the All-CCC First Team.
First Year Maddie Pope collected CCC Rookie of the Year after collecting 24 points in 26 games during her first season with the Golden Bears. Pope scored 15 goals, to lead all players in the CCC while collecting the third most points in the league during the year. Pope dotted a +17 on the season, scoring one shorthanded goal, one game-tying goal, four game winning goals and a hat trick over Nichols College, including the game winner in overtime to lift WNE to victory.. Pope had at least one point in 15 of her 26 games played in this year. The Plantation, Florida native ranks 14th in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey in game winning goals while her 0.58 goals per game sits first in the conference and 27th overall in the nation. Pope led Western New England in goals, points, plus-minus, shorthanded goals, game winning goals and hat tricks during the season. Pope was also named to the All-CCC First Team to go along with CCC Rookie of the Year.
Western New England women's ice hockey finished the season with a 15-8-3 record in their second season of collegiate play, going 10-6-2 in CCC play while making it to the CCC Semifinals for the first time in program history.
