UW-Eau Claire women’s hockey forward and Austin grad Kristin Faber has been named the 2011 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Scholar-Athlete NCHA Commissioner Bill Kronschnabel announced today.

Faber, who made the All-NCHA team for the second straight season, also earned the 2011 NCHA Player of the Year Award — the first time a student-athlete has earned Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete in the same year. She earned NCHA Player of the Week honors three times during her career. This is the second straight season Faber has made the NCHA All-Academic Team, while it is the second straight year a Blugold was named the NCHA Scholar-Athlete as Beth Dittrich won the award last season.

A physical education major with a 3.50 grade point average, Faber led the Blugolds with 32 points this season (22 goals, 10 assists). In the Blugolds’ season records, her 32 points ranks second only behind her mark of 34 that she achieved last season. Her 22 goals is a school record for most in a season. Faber also holds a number of career school records, including 113 points and 67 goals.