NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Senior forward Amanda Conway (Methuen, Mass.) of the Norwich University women's ice hockey team has been named the 2020 Laura Hurd Award winner, given annually to the nation's best Division III women's ice hockey player.

The award is presented by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) and is named in honor of former Elmira College star and four-time All-American Laura Hurd, who died in a car accident shortly after graduation.

Conway is the second Norwich women's ice hockey player to win the Hurd Award in its 21-year history. Julie Fortier '12 was the only other recipient in 2012 after she concluded her career as Norwich's all-time leading scorer at the time.

Conway has gone on to break nearly all of Fortier's scoring records in her remarkable four-year career in the Maroon & Gold.

Conway was the first three-time New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Player of the Year in the league's history. She ranks third all-time in NCAA Division III goals scored with 116 goals in 111 career games. Only Laura Hurd and Plattsburgh State's Elizabeth Gibson, each with 120 goals, have scored more in NCAA Division III women's hockey history.

Conway also tallied 72 assists for a total of 188 career points, which ties her for fourth all-time in NCAA Division III history with Plattsburgh State's Kayla Menegin '18.

"It's an honor to have even been nominated for the Laura Hurd Award," Conway said. "Winning the Hurd Award wouldn't have been possible without my teammates and I can't thank them enough for pushing me every day. Coach Leclerc, Fitzpatrick and Bolding have all helped me make tremendous progress and have been a huge force on helping me achieve everything I have during my college career at Norwich.

I also can't thank my mom and dad enough for their support during my hockey career. They never missed a game and were my biggest supporters from day one I'm so fortunate to have such amazing parents."

This season Conway tied her own Norwich single-season points record, tallying 32 goals and 27 assists for 59 points to help lead the Cadets to their fourth straight NEHC Tournament title and a NCAA Tournament First Round win over Amherst.

Conway was named the MVP of the NEHC Tournament for the second time in her career after scoring six goals and tallying six assists for 12 points during the Cadets' three-game run in the NEHC Tournament. She tallied her sixth and final career hat trick in Norwich's 9-2 win over Suffolk in the championship.

Norwich was scheduled to play Plattsburgh State on March 14 in a quarterfinal matchup featuring the last two national champions, but the game was canceled after the NCAA called off every remaining winter and spring championship due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns.

Conway helped fuel the Cadets' 14-game unbeaten streak heading into the canceled NCAA quarterfinal matchup. She had an incredible 37 points over that stretch, including 21 goals and 16 assists to help lead Norwich to a 13-0-1 record.

Conway finishes her career as Norwich's all-time leader in goals (116), points (188), power play goals (27) and game-winning goals (20). She also holds the Norwich single-season record for goals (34) and points (59 – twice).

Conway became Norwich's first three-time All-American on Thursday after she was named to the CCM First Team East Region All-American squad for the third straight season.

"It would be hard to find a member of the hockey community surprised that Amanda Conway is this year's winner of the Laura Hurd Player of the Year award," Norwich first-year head coach Sophie Leclerc said. "Her passion for the game, dedication to her team, and natural scoring ability are among a long list of incredible characteristics that have been foundations in her journey to earn this prestigious award. I am honored to have had the chance to work with and learn from Amanda this year, and cannot thank her enough for what she has done as a person and player for the Norwich women's hockey program and community."

Conway led Norwich to a 23-4-2 record, including its 10th NEHC Tournament title, ninth NEHC regular season title and 11th NCAA Tournament appearance.

The six other finalists for the Laura Hurd award were all named their respective conference's Player of the Year. The other finalists were Endicott's Jade Meier (Colonial), Adrian's Kelly O'Sullivan (NCHA), Middlebury's Madie Leidt (NESCAC), Plattsburgh State's Annie Katonka (NEWHL), UW-Eau Claire's Erin Connolly (WIAC) and Elmira's Emma Crocker (UCHC).

Laura Hurd Award Winners

2000 - Sylvia Ryan, Middlebury College

2001 - Michelle Labbe, Middlebury College

2002 - Sarah Moe, Gustavus Adolphus

2003 - Angela Kapus, Middlebury College

2004 - Molly Wasserman, Williams College

2005 - Laura Hurd, Elmira College

2006 - Emily Quizon, Middlebury College

2007 - Andrea Peterson, Gustavus Adolphus

2008 - Danielle Blanchard, Plattsburgh State

2009 - Kayla Coady, Elmira College

2010 - Isabel Iwachiw, Trinity College

2011 - Sarah Dagg, Rochester Inst. of Tech.

2012 - Julie Fortier, Norwich University

2013 - Teal Gove, Plattsburgh State

2014 - Sydney Aveson, Plattsburgh State

2015 - Ashley Ryan, Elmira College

2016 - Michelle Greeneway, Lake Forest College

2017 - Dani Sibley, UW-River Falls

2018 - Melissa Sheeran, Plattsburgh State

2019 - Bre Simon, Hamline University

2020 - Amanda Conway, Norwich University