After each turned in incredible seasons, it was impossible to choose between Penn State’s Tessa Janecke and Wisconsin’s Caroline Harvey and the only thing to do was name them USCHO Co-Rookies of the Year.
Both players entered their rookie seasons with expectations on them due to their performances on the international stage and both exceeded them, handling the pressure and attention with aplomb and showing up for their teams on the biggest stage.
Janecke entered Penn State after a standout performance at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championships held in Madison. In her very first game as a Nittany Lion, she scored twice and added an assist to help her team to a surprise 4-1 win over Wisconsin. That set the tone for her season, where she blew past the program’s previous points records. Her 22 goals, 25 assists and 47 points are all new benchmarks for first-year players and would have set new program records for goals and points from any skater if teammate Kiara Zanon, Penn State’s only other Rookie of the Year winner, hadn’t also had a stellar year (26 goals, 49 points) to reset the standard.
In addition to sharing the national lead in freshman scoring with 47 points and placing second among rookies with 22 goals, Janecke was also 10th in the country among all skaters with 464 faceoff wins and a 62.4 faceoff percentage. She was also tied for second on the Nittany Lions with 45 blocks. Far from only an offensive threat, Janecke is a 200 foot player that uses her body to claim space on the ice and create room for her teammates to make plays. She makes her presence known in every aspect of the game and like any great player, makes those around her better. By the end of the season, she was centering Penn State’s top line between a senior and graduate student, both of whom put of career scoring numbers while playing on her line.
Big time players play their best in the more important situations. Janecke tied a CHA rookie record for points in the post season with three goals and seven assists. She had a hat trick in the Nittany Lions’ CHA opening round win over Lindenwood. In a season where anything less than an NCAA berth would be a disappointment, Janecke provided the lone assist on the game-winning overtime goal by winning a clean draw and feeding the puck to linemate Julia Gough, who won the game. It was Penn State’s first-ever CHA conference tournament championship and gave them their first NCAA berth.
Janecke was a game changer for Penn State and was named CHA Rookie of the Year and Hockey Commissioners Association Rookie of the Year for her efforts. She’s a dynamic player who starts the team’s offense by blocking shots, keeps it going with faceoff wins and has a wicked shot and sense for the goal that is going to keep defenses on their heels for years to come.
Caroline “KK” Harvey delayed entering Wisconsin for a year to play with Team USA in the 2022 Olympics, where she earned a silver medal. She was a household name in women’s hockey circles before she’d put on the Badgers jersey, but has continued to show a maturity in her game and off the ice that show exactly why USA Hockey thought she would be an asset at such a young age.
She was the only freshman among the 12 players awarded All-American status this season as she earned Second Team honors. She’s the second-ever Wisconsin rookie to do so. She was also named WCHA Rookie of the Year and a finalist for conference Defender of the Year. She was runner up to Janecke for National Rookie of the Year.
Even with international experience, she was initially surprised by the physicality of the college game, but eventually found her way, playing bigger than her 5’6″ frame and using her high hockey IQ and smooth skating to anticipate plays, keep up with opponents in transition and carve out space for herself when the Badgers are on offense.
Her ability to read plays is an asset on both ends of the ice. She plays a calm and collected defense, not getting flustered into making bad decisions and often coming away with the puck to start Wisconsin’s quick break down the ice. Unafraid to get in front of pucks, she’s also thinking ahead to starting a rush or find an outlet pass.
In the offensive zone, Harvey’s skating skills are on display with quick changes of direction and her ability to get herself open for a pass and square to the net at the same time. She finds space where there didn’t seem to be any and is moving herself into position before the puck is even heading in her direction.
Her 38 points (13g, 26a) led all WCHA rookies, all freshman defenders nationally and was fourth-best among first-year players in the country. They were also good for second in the country by a defender, behind only Patty Kazmaier winner Sophie Jaques.
Harvey’s ability to place shots and pick her spot through traffic is just one reason she’s such an offensive threat. She isn’t overpowering defenses with her shot from distance, but using incredible accuracy and vision to place the puck in the back of the net. She was tied for second on the Badgers with three game-winning goals and three first goals of the game. She was also third on the team with 146 shots.
In the national semifinal, her 14 shots were twice as many as any other player on the ice and her final one of the game was the overtime game-winner over rival Minnesota to send the Badgers to the national championship game.
Wisconsin potted just two goals all season in overtime. Harvey scored them both.
For all those reasons and more, we congratulate Penn State forward Tessa Janecke and Wisconsin defender KK Harvey on being named USCHO’s Co-Rookies of the Year.
