No player on the Oswego State women’s ice hockey team has received recognition from the newly formed Northeast Women’s Hockey League since the first week of the season, when Kate Randazzo took player of the week. Emma Morisette changed that on Jan. 21, when she was named rookie of the week by the conference.

During that week prior, Morisette had three goals in two games against Plymouth State University, including a two-goal performance during the second game in a 7-1 rout of the Panthers.

“It was cool,” Morisette said. “I didn’t expect it.”

This season, Morisette has become a top performer for the Lakers as a freshman, leading all rookies in scoring and is fourth overall on the team in points. Like all of the freshmen in recent years, Morisette and the rest of her class have received a lot of playing time due to the fact that head coach Diane Dillon does not over recruit for her team.

“Our freshmen are going to play. They’re going to play through their mistakes and that’s how they learn,” Dillon said. “I think that’s why you see someone like Kate Randazzo, who is an extremely seasoned sophomore. She played all freshman year, so as a sophomore, she’s already got so many minutes under her belt. So, I think Emma is going to benefit from that.”

However, before Morisette stepped onto the ice at Oswego State, she was a part of HoneyBaked Hockey Club, based in Michigan. Dillon has had a lot of success recruiting not only in Michigan, but out of HoneyBaked in recent years.

Some players did have influence in her choosing Oswego State, according to Morisette. Both Julieann White and Madison Byrne played for the same club a year prior. Dillon has five players total from Michigan.

“HoneyBaked is a strong program, and hockey has gotten very strong [in Michigan],” Dillon said. “We saw Emma, a big, strong kid, and she could cover a lot of ice. We followed her and expressed interest in her attending Oswego State.”

While Dillon has seen drastic improvement in Morisette on the ice, she has also seen them off the ice as a college student. She is a “very unique individual,” according to Dillon. Unlike most players, she chose to live in Hart Hall to meet people from other countries.

“Watching her start to grow and really become part of the environment here and excel has been great,” Dillon said.

During the week that Morisette was named rookie of the week, Dillon claimed that she had not played any better, but she was able to finish during the games against Plymouth State. She has grown a lot in her freshman season, and Dillon is hoping to see her go through the charts as she continues her career at Oswego State for the next three years.

“She has the potential to be an outstanding hockey player,” Dillon said. “She is kind of like a deer on ice. She’s growing into her body. She’s starting to become comfortable on the ice. We’ve identified some areas where she can really excel.”

Dillon mentioned Carly Henderson, a freshman during the 2010-2011 season, who had a similar skillset as Morisette does now. Henderson played two seasons at Oswego State before transferring to St. Lawrence College.

Now, as the team prepares for the end of the regular season, and the inaugural NEWHL playoffs, Dillon is hoping this award will not only boost the Lakers’ confidence, but also send a message to conference rivals as they head into post-season play and future seasons.

“To have a rookie [get recognized], it sends a message that says, ‘hey, these kids can play,’” Dillon said. “I look at Emma to be an offensive force and step into some big skates next year. We anticipate she’ll have a great career here.”

Photo: Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian