Fortino Leads Three All-America Selections for Big Red

ERIE, Pa. -- Sophomore Laura Fortino was a repeat selection to the Reebok Hockey/ACHA All-America First Team, and was joined by a pair of Big Red teammates on the second team when the squads were announced on Thursday night in Erie, Pa., the site of this weekend's NCAA Frozen Four. Joining Fortino in garnering All-America honors were fellow sophomore Lauriane Rougeau and junior Rebecca Johnston, with both players garnering the second All-America award of their careers.

Fortino, the only defenseman to be named a top 10 finalist for the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award, led all defensemen in the nation in scoring this season, entering this weekend's Frozen Four with 41 points on nine goals and 32 assists in 32 games. Her average of 1.00 assists per game ranks tied for fifth in the nation among all players, and she is tied for 16th in the country in game-winning goals with four. Additionally, she plays a key role on the Big Red defense that has allowed a national-low 35 goals this season, while also anchoring the power-play and penalty-killing units that have ranked among the top three in the nation all season.

Her defense partner, Rougeau, earns her second straight second-team All-American award after leading all defensemen in the country in +/- with a +52 rating on the season. Rougeau has also pitched in on the offensive end, scoring 30 points in 32 games on four goals and 26 assists, while also being a key member of the defensive, power-play and penalty-killing units.

Joining Rougeau on the second team is Johnston, who was previously a second-team All-American in 2008-09 before taking last season off to compete with her native Canada in the Olympics, where she helped the team to a gold medal. Johnston ranks second on the team and 14th in the nation in points per game with 26 goals and 23 assists in 32 contests. She is 11th in goals per game and 25th in assists per contest among the national leaders. Johnston also has a pair of short-handed goals to her credit this season and has five game-winners, tied for the most on the team and tied for 10th in the nation.

Each of the four teams competing at this year's NCAA Frozen Four have at least one All-American, with Cornell and Wisconsin both placing three members on the two teams. Boston College has a pair and Boston University one, with Mercyhurst, Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth each placing one player on the teams.

Cornell will take on Boston University in the second of two national semifinals at 8 p.m. on Friday at Tullio Arena in Erie, Pa. The first semifinal pits Wisconsin against Boston College at 5 p.m., with the two semifinal winners meeting in the national championship at 2 p.m. on Sunday.