BOSTON - Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) announced its first Players of the Month of the 2025-26 season on Monday for regular season contests played in September and October.
This is the first time that Penn State has swept the monthly conference awards, with all four winners being Nittany Lions.
Forward: Tessa Janecke, SR, Penn State (Orangeville, Ill.)
Defenseman: Danica Maynard, FR, Penn State (Lake Country, British Columbia)
Goaltender: Katie DeSa, SR, Penn State (Pawcatuck, Conn.)
Rookie: Matilde Fantin (F), FR, Penn State (Como, Italy)
September/October 2025 marks Janecke's seventh AHA Forward of the Month honor, the third time she has won the award in October. The Nittany Lions' captain was also named the conference's Rookie of the Month four times during the 2022-23 campaign.
The Orangeville, Ill. native had a nine-game point streak from the start of 2025-26 through Oct. 31, the second-longest streak in that span this season. Janecke tallied 16 points (8G-8A) in that time, the sixth-most in Division I.
Janekce's 16 points are also the most that the senior has had in her collegiate career from the season's first game through Oct. 31.
Maynard tallied 14 points (3G-11A) in 11 games between Sept. 25 and Oct. 31, the most among freshman blueliners, second-most among all defensemen nationally and the third most among all Division I freshmen.
The Lake Country, British Columbia, native's plus-18 rating was also tied for fourth-highest among all skaters and led AHA.
Since 2018, only one freshman defenseman (Caroline Harvey, 19 PTS in 2022) had recorded more than Maynard's 14 points between September and October.
DeSa earned her fourth-ever Goaltender of the Month honor and first for September/October after an outstanding start to the season.
Among all Division I goaltenders (min. 4 GP) with the second-best goals-against average (0.89), the 11th-highest save percentage (.940) and tied for the second-most shutouts (four).
Both her goals-against average and save percentage are the best of the Pawcatuck, Conn. native's career between September and October.
Among all freshmen forwards nationally, Fantin's 12 points (5G-7A) are tied for the fourth-most and lead AHA.
Only three AHA freshmen since 2018, including teammates Janecke and Maynard, have recorded more than Fantin's 12 points between September and October.
The Como, Italy native was one of seven AHA freshmen to net a game-winner through Oct. 31 this season.
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