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Girls All-Independent Teams for 2023-2024, Tristan Wicklund Independent Player of the Year

By Girls Independent Coaches, 02/14/24, 8:30AM CST

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Success represents so much more than just goals, collegiate playing time and great statistics. The Ms. All-Independent Award aims to call attention to an individual that represents the total package: a great teammate, community service, academic success and contributes positively to the team in ways that are not always measurable. There are no age, team, statistic, or GPA requirements.

The Ms. All-Independent Award is a measurement of a person’s worth of someone who embodies all that is right with sports and a person who will have a positive influence on future generations.

Ms. All-Independent 2024: Tristan Wicklund

Tristan Wicklund, Central Wisconsin StormTristan has had an exceptional senior season. Aside from being a great, great hockey player, she has become a fearless leader. While her stats may not jump off the page, she shows up every day, works hard and sets the standard for the team. First and foremost she holds herself accountable and then holds her teammates accountable. There has not been one game this year when she has not been the hardest working player on the ice, for either team. She's brought her play to a new level and has been instrumental in the success we have seen as a team this year, but if you ask her, she's just doing her job.

-Jana Wimmer, Central Wisconsin Storm Head Coach

Ms. All-Independent 2024 Runner-Up: Kenlyn Thimm

I am writing to you to formally nominate Kenlyn Thimm for the 2023-2024 All Miss Independent Award. When I think of a nominee for an award such as this, Kenlyn Thimm is the very first person who comes to mind. She wholeheartedly cares more for this team than playing time or personal awards. Kenlyn is a third line player and not at any point in time does she complain about when/if she is going into the game. This amazing student athlete is a model teammate and a model player to coach. This is one player who absolutely makes her team better by work ethic, determination, and willingness to make everybody better. She constantly builds team chemistry and will go out of her way to make sure things are running smoothly on behalf of the team. Kenlyn leads by example and is a steady voice of reason within our locker room. Her teammates look up to her and ask her for advice. She acts with integrity, honor, and is 100% bought into the Spartan Columbia blue! Kenlyn carries herself in this way on and off the ice. Here is the most fascinating part and hammers home what she means to this club... Her teammates voted her Assistant Captain as a Sophomore based on her quiet, drama-free, dedication to the team first vision, and her innate ability to lead! She is now a Junior and wears that A with honor, even with decreased playing time at times. She is not a player who is fully entrenched and personal accolades and stats. But she continues to lead as only Kenlyn knows how and that’s with hard work and team-centered approach.

Youth hockey players in our community view her as a significant role model and a person they can all look up to. When volunteer opportunities arise, Kenlyn is the very first to sign up. We often run clinics for our youth program here in Superior, and Kenlyn helps design the practices. She also helps organize our Learn To Skate Program. She's a true mentor to so many.

Most important, is Kenlyn's stance on education and learning! She is a very high academic achiever and volunteers her time and effort in this setting as well. She’s a 4.0 GPA student who aspires to study Law at the Universtiy Wisconsin Madison. Kenlyn is part of the National Honor Society. Kenlyn was selected by the teachers at Superior High School to participate on the Hope Squad, which is a suicide prevention
organization. Kenlyn was selected to participate on the Spartan Athelete Sportsmanship Council to raise awareness of good sportsmanship at athletic events by our Athletic Director. Kenlyn also serves on Pledge Makers. Kenlyn was also chosen to participate on the Scott Anderson Leadership Forum, which allows students to explore their own assets and leadership potential with the objectives of training in servant-leadership foundational principles and values that can be applied across a variety of leadership opportunities in their school and community.

As stated above, Kenlyn leads by example and is the first one in the building and the last one out of the building. She constantly tries to inspire and motivate her teammates and makes everyone around her better.

-Doug Trentor, Superior Spartans Head Coach

All Independent First Team

Forwards:

  • Autumn Cooper, Senior, Superior
  • Zowie Hunter, Senior, Black River Falls
  • Reese Sheehan, Junior, Hayward

Defense:

  • Michaela Geissler, Sophomore, Superior
  • Ava Rode, Junior, Central Wisconsin

Goalie:

  • Claire Calmes, Junior, Central Wisconsin

Second Team

Forwards:

  • Taylor Heleniak, Senior, Northland Pines
  • Makaela Reinke, Junior, Superior
  • Tristan Wicklund, Senior, Central Wisconsin

Defense: 

  • Madi DePuydt, Senior, Central Wisconsin
  • Katie Stamper, Junior, Superior

Goalie:

  • Sydney Magnuson, Senior, Black River Falls

Honorable Mention

Forwards:

  • Adalyn Benson, Sophomore, Superior
  • Summer Hammann, Senior, Hayward
  • Mallory Schmidt, Senior, Northland Pines

Defense:

  • Brooke Brennan, Senior, Hayward
  • Avery Renkes, Freshman, Northland Pines
  • Colby Sprenger, Sophomore, Hayward

Goalies:

  • Kaylie Nault, Junior, Superior
  • Greta Woelber, Junior, Hayward