Norwich senior forward Amanda Conway is the recipient of the 2020 Laura Hurd Award.
The award, voted on by the nation’s Division III head coaches, is presented to the best D-III women’s player.
Conway, a three-time CCM/AHCA First Team All-American, led the nation in scoring with 32 goals and 59 points in 29 games, topping all Division III players in goals, points and points per game (2.03.)
With her leadership, Norwich forged a 23-4-2 record before its season was cut short when the NCAA tournament was cancelled following the Cadets’ 3-1 win over Amherst in the NCAA opening round.
“Her resume shows and fortifies her standing as one of the greatest players in Division III women’s hockey history,” Norwich coach Sophie Leclerc said in a news release. “These numbers do not justify who and what Amanda is. ‘Conway,’ as she is called by teammates, has never lost the essence of who she is despite of all the individual notoriety she has gained. Amanda remains one of the hardest workers day in and day out, both on and off the ice. She has devoted herself to her craft. She has an incomprehensible intrinsic motivation. She wants to be the best she can be for her team, coaches, family, and school.
“Amanda has entrenched herself as an integral member of our team. Being called upon for any and every situation in the game, she has never hesitated and has consistently approached each challenge with vigor. Amanda has been regularly asked to kill penalties, act on the power play, score crucial goals, and prevent crucial goals. She has been able to fill all roles with perfection and commitment.”
Conway is the second player from Norwich to win the Hurd Award, following Julie Fortier in 2012.
The runner-up for this year’s award is UW-Eau Claire senior goaltender Erin Connolly.
The award is named in honor of former Elmira star Laura Hurd who died in a car accident shortly after graduation. Hurd was a four-time All-American who led Elmira to the first NCAA Division III women’s national championship.
