Cornell Trio Garners All-America Honors

Lauriane Rougeau (l), Catherine White (c) and Laura Fortino

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Led by the program's first first-team All-American Laura Fortino, Cornell placed three players on the 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-American teams. Fortino grabbed a spot on the first team, while Lauriane Rougeau and Catherine White both garnered second-team honors.

Cornell led the way among all teams in placing three players to the 12 spots on the two All-American teams. Eight players who will be competing at this weekend's Frozen Four were named to the All-American teams, with both Minnesota and Mercyhurst having two players honored and Minnesota-Duluth placing one.

Fortino became the first Cornell player ever to earn a spot on the first team, chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association. She leads all freshmen defensemen in the country in scoring, ranking second overall among all defensemen, and is tied for fourth among all rookies. Fortino earned a spot on both the ECAC Hockey First Team and the ECAC Hockey All-Newcomer Team.

Her defensive partner, Rougeau, took home a spot on the second team after finishing just behind Fortino in the scoring race among defensemen. Rougeau also stands sixth in the nation in scoring among all rookies. She was joined on the second team by sophomore Catherine White, the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year. White ranks 15th in the nation in scoring and is sixth in the country in assists per game, averaging just a shade under one per contest.

Cornell will play its first-ever national semifinal on Friday evening when it takes on top-ranked Mercyhurst in a 6 p.m. contest at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. The game can be heard live for free on CornellBigRed.com through the Cornell Redcast system.

2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America Teams
First Team
Goalie: Noora Raty, FR, Minnesota
Defense: Laura Fortino, FR, Cornell
Defense: Anne Schleper, SO, Minnesota
Forward: Vicki Bendus, JR, Mercyhurst
Forward: Emmanuele Blais, SR, Minnesota-Duluth
Forward: Kelly Paton, SR, New Hampshire

Second Team
Goalie: Florence Schelling, SO, Northeastern
Defense: Courtney Birchard, JR, New Hampshire
Defense: Lauriane Rougeau, FR, Cornell
Forward: Felicia Nelson, SR, St. Cloud State
Forward: Jesse Scanzano, JR, Mercyhurst
Forward: Catherine White, SO, Cornell