After a record-breaking season in goal for the Wisconsin women’s hockey team, junior Ann-Renee Desbiens was named the USCHO Player of the Year.
A Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-three finalist, Desbiens rewrote the NCAA record books this season. She ended the season with a .960 save percentage, a 0.76 goals-against average and 21 shutouts, all NCAA Division-one single-season records for both men’s and women’s hockey.
Last fall, Desbiens set an NCAA record with a scoreless streak of 543:33 over a span of 10 games, which included eight shutouts.
In the postseason, Desbiens posted five shutouts in six games for the Cardinal and White while recording a .978 save percentage and a 0.48 goals-against average. She helped UW win the WCHA Final Face-Off while being named the WCHA Final Face-Off Most Outstanding Player.
In 38 games for the Badgers this season, Desbiens held the Badgers’ opponents to one goal or less in 32 appearances, helping UW set the NCAA record for fewest goals allowed, fewest goals allowed per game, and lowest goals-against average in a single season.
In her career, Desbiens has 38 shutouts, one away from matching Jessie Vetter’s school record for most blank slates in a career. She is five shutouts away from matching Minnesota’s Noora Raty’s NCAA record of 43 shutouts in a career.
Desbiens is the third Badger to receive USCHO Player of the Year accolades, as Sara Bauer earned the honor in 2006 and 2007, while Brianna Decker took home the award in 2012.