March 12, 2018- The North American Hockey Academy (NAHA- Stowe Vermont) captured the Junior Women's Hockey League U19 Division Playoff Championship over the weekend at the season ending JWHL weekend hosted by Detroit Little Caesars and the Detroit Red Wings. The JWHL is the most competitive league in North America, placing more female hockey players in NCAA D1 and D3 colleges per capita than any other league over the past 11 seasons.

The NAHA White team came into the JWHL playoffs as the #1 seed after winning the league's Regular Season banner with a record of 22-2-3. In Playoff round robin play, NAHA went 3-0 with wins over Ridley College (St. Catherine's ON), host Detroit Little Caesars and the Boston Shamrocks. That set up a semi final match-up with the regular season #2 team, the Ottawa 67's. Backstopped by Arielle DeSmet (Charlotte VT), and on goals by Kaleigh Donnelly (Wellesley MA) and Marah Wagner (Woodinville WA), NAHA moved into the finals with a 2-1 win to take on the Pacific Steelers (Richmond BC). In an incredibly well played game by both teams fitting of a great final game, NAHA captured the JWHL Playoff Championship with a 2-1 victory, on goals by Leah Marino (So. Lake Tahoe CA), and the game winner by Kaleigh Donnelly. NAHA goaltending was outstanding in the final game, lead by University of Wisconsin-bound Cami Kronish (NY NY).

At the JWHL Awards Banquet, several NAHA players were recognized with JWHL Awards:

JWHL 'Liz Turgeon Memorial' Player of the Year: Emma Wuthrich (Castle Rock CO)

JWHL Offensive Player of the Year: Emma Wuthrich

JWHL Goaltender of the Year: Cami Kronish

JWHL 1st Team All-Stars:

            Emma Wuthrich

            Cami Kronish

            Sophie Holden (Byron Center MI)

JWHL 2nd Team All Stars:

            Kaleigh Donnelly

            Sidney Fess (Clifton Park NY)