BOSTON - Atlantic Hockey America announced its Players of the Week on Tuesday for games played between Dec. 29, 2025-Jan. 4, 2026.

Two programs were represented, with one first-time honoree.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Forward: Sofia Nuutinen, JR, Mercyhurst (Vantaa, Finland)
Defenseman: Sofia Ljung, JR, Mercyhurst (Hudiksvall, Sweden)
Goaltender: Tara Bach, FR, Mercyhurst (Oakville, Ontario)
Rookie: Ava Drabyk, G, Syracuse (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Nuutinen earned her first weekly honor of 2025-26 after she led AHA in points last week with four (2G-2A) in two games played.

The Vantaa, Finland native tallied back-to-back two-point (1G-1A) performances in a weekend sweep of Lindenwood. On Friday, Jan. 2, the junior forward netted the eventual game-winner in a 5-1 victory at Lindenwood.

In a 2-1 overtime victory on Saturday, Jan. 3, Nuutinen tied the game with a goal 11:45 into the opening period to even the score 1-1.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Ljung claimed her second weekly AHA honor (first of the season) after leading all blueliners in the conference with three points (1G-2A) in two games played.

The Husiksvall, Sweden native tallied all three points she recorded last week in the Lakers’ 5-1 win over Lindenwood on Friday, Jan. 2.  

On Saturday, Jan. 3, Ljung skated in her 100th collegiate game with Mercyhurst.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Bach’s first career AHA weekly honor comes after she posted a 2-0-0 record in two games played, helping Mercyhurst sweep conference foe Lindenwood.

The Oakville, Ontario native finished second in AHA with a 0.96 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage. Additionally, Bach’s 41 saves were good for the fourth-most in the conference. The freshman stopped 41 of 43 shots on net from Lindenwood’s offense.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Drabyk collected her fourth AHA weekly honor of the season after aiding Syracuse to a sweep of Delaware on its home ice.

The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native led AHA with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage in two games played. The freshman netminder also recorded her third collegiate shutout (third of the season), making 16 saves in a 4-0 Orange win to solidify the sweep of the Blue Hens.

On the weekend, Drabyk made 29 saves between the pipes.  

2025-26 HONORS
Dec. 1-7
Forward: Julia Schalin, SO, Mercyhurst (Espoo, Finland)
Defenseman: Emma Pickering, JR, RIT (Fishers, Ind.)
Goaltender: Maggie Hatch, R-JR, Robert Morris (Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
Rookie: Julia Perjus, R-FR, Mercyhurst (Stockholm, Sweden)

Nov. 24-30
Forward: Zsofia Pazmandi, JR, Lindenwood (Kaposvar, Hungary)
Defenseman: Emma Pickering, JR, RIT (Fishers, Ind.)
Goaltender: Ava Drabyk, FR, Syracuse (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
Rookie: Linnea Misner (D), Robert Morris (Springfield, Manitoba)

Nov. 17-23
Forward: Tessa Janecke, SR, Penn State
Defenseman: Danica Maynard, FR, Penn State
Goaltender: Maggie Hatch, R-JR, Robert Morris
Rookie: Tilli Keranen (F), RIT

Nov. 10-16
Forward: Katelyn Roberts, SR, Penn State (Chanhassen, Minn.)
Defenseman: Kendall Butze, SR, Penn State (Cleveland, Ohio)
Goaltender: Sophia Bellina, SR, RIT (Cleveland, Ohio)
Rookie: Riley Gramlich (D), RIT (Burstall, Saskatchewan)

Nov. 3-9
Forward: Julia Schalin, SO, Mercyhurst (Espoo, Finland)
Defenseman: Emma Pickering, JR, RIT (Fishers, Ind.)
Goaltender: Magdalena Luggin, SO, Mercyhurst (Vienna, Austria)
Rookie: Michaela Paulinyova (F), FR, Lindenwood (Bratislava, Slovakia)

Oct. 27-Nov. 2
Forward: Addie Alvarez, JR, RIT (Rochester, N.Y.)
Defenseman: Holly VanNetten, FR, Mercyhurst (Simcoe, Ontario)
Goaltender: Katie DeSa, SR, Penn State (Pawcatuck, Conn.)
Rookie: Lexie Lonask (D), FR, Delaware (Chandler, Ariz.)

Oct. 20-26
Forward: Jessica MacKinnon, SO, Robert Morris (Clark's Harbour, Nova Scotia)
Defenseman: Kaitlyn Schooley, JR, Robert Morris (Moon Township, Pa.)
Goaltender: Ava Drabyk, FR, Syracuse (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
Rookie: Matilde Fantin, F, FR, Penn State (Como, Italy)

Oct. 13-19
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: Ava Drabyk, FR, Syracuse (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

Oct. 6-12
Forward: Matilde Fantin, FR, Penn State (Como, Italy)
Defenseman: Danica Maynard, FR, Penn State (Lake Country, British Columbia)
Goaltender: Sophia Bellina, SR, RIT (Cleveland, Ohio)
Rookie: Tatiana Blichova (F), FR, Lindenwood (Presov, Slovakia)

Sept. 29-Oct. 5
Forward: Peyton Armstrong, SO, Syracuse (Bancroft, Ontario)
Defenseman: Leah Stecker, SR, Penn State (Randolph, N.J.)
Goaltender: Magdalena Luggin, SO, Mercyhurst (Vienna, Austria)
Rookie: Katelynn Charlton (F), FR, Delaware (Brampton, Ontario)

Sept. 22-28
Forward: Jessica MacKinnon, SO, Robert Morris (Clark Harbour, Nova Scotia)
Defenseman: Makayla Javier, SR, Mercyhurst (Abingdon, Md.)
Goaltender: Katie DeSa, SR, Penn State (Pawcatuck, Conn.)
Rookie: Linnea Misner (D), FR, Robert Morris (Springfield, Manitoba)

ABOUT ATLANTIC HOCKEY AMERICA
Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is in its second season following the merger between the Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America. The conference fields 10 Division I men's teams and seven women's teams. For more information, visit atlantichockeyamerica.com.

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