March 3, 2006

BOSTON, MASS. -- Four Providence College women's ice hockey players were awarded HOCKEY EAST honors on Friday, March 3 at the league banquet held at the Copley Marriott Hotel in Boston, Mass.

Senior Karen Thatcher (Douglas, Mass.) was honored with her third consecutive HOCKEY EAST Sportsmanship Award. Thatcher earned TPS Hockey Player of the Year runner-up honors and was named to the First Team All-Star for the second straight season. Juniors Kristin Gigliotti (Sauquoit, N.Y.) and Sonny Watrous (Albuquerque, N.M.) were named Second Team All-Stars. Freshman Erin Normore (Cambridge, Ontario) earned ITECH All-Rookie honors.

Thatcher leads the team and is fourth in the nation with 47 points on 18 goals and 29 assists. She is second in the nation with four short-handed goals and third with 29 assists. Thatcher's third straight Sportsmanship Award marks PC's fourth straight honor as former Friar Darlene Stephenson (Virden, Manitoba) earned the honor in 2003.

Earning Second Team All-Star honors was Gigliotti who leads the nation amongst defenders with 33 points on 15 goals and 18 assists, while Watrous is second on the team in scoring with a career-high 40 points on 19 goals and 21 assists.

Normore earned All-Rookie honors as she led the Friar freshman class with 21 points on six goals and 15 assists. Normore had two power play goals and the pivotal game-winner in the 5-2 decision over Connecticut that propelled the Friars into the third seed of the league tournament.

Providence College's next game is on Saturday, March 4 at 3:00 p.m. against No. 2 Boston College at Northeastern's Matthews Arena in the semifinal round of the fourth annual Women's HOCKEY EAST Tournament.