UW’s Abby Roque named Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year

MADISON — Wisconsin women’s hockey senior Abby Roque joined hockey royalty on Wednesday afternoon as the forward became the fifth Badger to be named the Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year, given to the top American-born women’s player by USA Hockey.

Roque joins Brianna Decker (2015, 2017), Hilary Knight (2014), Meghan Duggan (2011) and Jessie Vetter (2009) as past winners of the award. The Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, native is the second collegian in the last three years to receive the award, joining UMD’s Maddie Rooney, who received the award in 2018.

“Winning this award is truly an honor,” Roque said. “There have been so many amazing players who have won this award, and even being considered in their category is so special to me.”

The 2020 WCHA Player of the Year, Roque enjoyed a sensational senior campaign for UW, as she scored a career-high 26 goals to go along with a career-best 58 points. Her 32 assists this year tied her season-best mark set last year and her goal, assist and point totals all ranked in the top 10 in the country and in the top five in the WCHA.

She also had five game-winning goals this year, tied for ninth in the country, while she had the game-winning assist in four contests. In addition, Roque, a first-team All-American, had 18 power-play points as she led UW to an NCAA-best power-play percentage of 35.2, which also happens to be a program record.

The senior center led Wisconsin to its eighth WCHA regular-season title and to the No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament before the season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, Roque made her senior team debut with USA Hockey in December when she scored a pair of goals during Team USA’s Rivalry Series against Hockey Canada.

Roque ends her Badger career in the top-10 in points (170, 9th), assists (114, 7th), plus/minus (+136, 7th), power-play goals (21, 7th) and game-winning goals (15, 8th).