By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — When it comes to post-season honors, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Natalie Ryan (Village of Lakewood, Ill.) is no stranger to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference spotlight.
 
As a freshman, Ryan was named to the MIAC All-Rookie Team, and a year ago, the Cardinal defenseman "upped" her game, landing a spot on the All-MIAC honorable-mention squad.
 
And for the third year in a row, Ryan was once again on the conference's center stage when the league office announced its women's hockey post-season awards Monday — this time as an All-MIAC First-Teamer.
 
Ryan wasn't the only Cardinal honored, either, as Bailey Wendt (Coon Rapids, Minn.) — one of five seniors on this year's Saint Mary's squad — was named honorable-mention All-MIAC.
 
Ryan, who played in all 18 conference games, was the offensive leader in the Cardinals' drive to their first MIAC Tournament appearance since the 2015-16 season — scoring seven goals and adding six assists for 13 points. The junior's seven goals and 13 points — both team-highs — ranked her among the top four defensemen in the conference.
 
Overall, Ryan set single-season career-highs in both goals (8) and points (15) during the Cardinals' 25-game regular-season schedule. Here eight goals were a team-best, while sharing the team lead in points with Courtney Moser (Blaine, Minn.). Ryan owned five multiple-point games — including two-goal contests against both Augsburg and Saint Benedict.
 
Wendt closed out her fourth and final season as a Cardinal appearing in all 18 MIAC contests. She finished second to Ryan in both goals (5) and points (10), and was second to Moser with five assists. Overall, Wendt played in all 25 contests, scoring six goals and adding eight assists for 14 points — including one point in five of the team's last seven games.
 
St. Thomas goalie Kenzie Torpy was named the MIAC Player of the Year, while Augsburg's Megan Johnson took home the Sheila Brown Award and St. Thomas head coach Tom Palkowski — who led the Tommies to the MIAC regular-season title and a No. 1 national ranking — was tabbed the MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
The MIAC also announced the 12th annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for women's hockey, which included the Cardinals' Ashley Corcoran (Red Wing, Minn.)