Austin grad and University of Wisconsin hockey forward Kristin Faber has been named the 2011 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year, conference sports information director Brian Monahan announced recently.

This season, Faber, a senior who was also named one of six All-NCHA forwards, recorded 23 points in 20 conference games while being a focal point in opponents strategy to beat the Blugolds.

“Kristin has been a dominant player in this league since she started four years ago,” UW-Eau Claire head coach Mike Collins said. “She has been a great team leader and she makes everyone around her a better hockey player.”

Faber put together a remarkable season as a goal scorer in the NCHA, posting 16 goals in conference play. That total ranks among the best all-time, and it was accomplished while her team ranked seventh in goals for. A significant player in the NCHA points race all year long, her point total of 23 ended up as the third best. Faber had five multi-point games on the season, four of which were multigoal games.

On the national level, Faber was among the highest ranks in goals per game and game-winning goals. Her 20 total goals in 25 games played ranked third in the country through the end of the regular season, and her four game-winners were good for 11th.

In school archives, Faber leads with 109 points in her career. The next closest person has 76. She also ranks first in goals (65), first in power-play goals (17), first in short-handed goals (5), tied for first in assists (44), first in penalties (70), second in game-winning goals (10) and third in games played (101).

On Saturday, the Blugolds beat Concordia during the first quarterfinal game of the NCHA playoffs.