NAHA alumnae excel academically and on the ice. The prestigious NCAA Elite 90 Award has been won in consecutive years by NAHA Alumnae, Annie Pankowski this year, and Jenny Ryan last year!

The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships.

This year Wisconsin sophomore Annie Pankowskireceived the Elite 90 Award for having the highest cumulative grade-point average at the 2016 NCAA Women's Hockey Frozen Four on Thursday.

A zoology major with a 3.85 cumulative grade point average, Pankowski received the award during a banquet at the Portsmouth Harbor Event Center.

Last year Jenny Ryan, a kinesiology major also at Wisconsin, captured the award with a cumulative average of 3.90.

"This is certainly an award that I wasn't expecting," Pankowski said. "It's an honor to receive an award outside of hockey and to have my teammates there with me made it that much more special."

"We are all very excited," UW head coach Mark Johnson said. "I know all of our academic advisors back in Madison will be excited that Annie won this award after Jenny (Ryan) won it last year. It shows the commitment that some of our student-athletes have not only on the ice, but in the classroom.

Pankowski, a Laguna Hills, California native, was named a WCHA Scholar Athlete last month, as well as earning a spot on the WCHA All-Academic team.

The sophomore leads the Badgers in points for the second year in a row, registering 22 goals and 36 assists to become the first Wisconsin player to tally over 50 points in a season since Brianna Decker in the 2012-13 season.

A top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, Pankowski's 1.49 points per game ranks seventh in the nation, while her three short-handed goals this season are tied for the most in the WCHA.