Wisconsin-River Falls senior forward Maddie McCollins is the recipient of the 2024 Laura Hurd Award.
The award, voted on by the nation’s Division III head coaches, is presented to the best player at the NCAA women’s Division III level. McCollins is the third player from UWRF to be so honored.
A fifth-year senior forward from Maple Grove, Minn., McCollins is the Division III leading scorer with 62 points in 29 games played and has tallied eight power-play goals (1st/DIII) and five game-winning goals. McCollins was also named the WIAC player of the year for the second consecutive season, and an All-WIAC first team honoree.
A Laura Hurd Player of the Year finalist last season and the 2022-23 USCHO.com Player of the Year, she also received AHCA First Team All-America laurels for the second year in a row this season. She became UWRF’s all-time games played leader this season and broke a single-season record with her 29th goal of the season on Feb. 23.
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 victory in the first NCAA Division III women’s hockey championship.
The runner-up for this year’s Hurd Award is Une Bjelland, a senior forward at Adrian College.
