MARSHFIELD, Mass. (Thursday, February 20, 2025)-- The NEHC has named four Salve Regina University women's ice hockey athletes to 2024-25 All-Conference teams and titled head coach David Lun as Coach of the Year.

Junior captain Riley Esposito (Enfield, Conn.) joins the Second Team All-Conference, senior captain Emma Pereira (Easton, Mass.) is on the Third Team All-Conference and freshman Sarah Bush (Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia) and Taylor Hannafan (Winnetka, Ill.) have been named to the All-Rookie team. 

"Congratulations to Coach Lun on an honor that is certainly well deserved," said director of athletics Sean Sullivan. "He, and his staff, have pushed so many of the right buttons thus far this season. The team's performance has been a pleasure to watch and has generated a great deal of excitement within our department and campus community. And while there is always some degree of uncertainty when you jump into something new, Coach Lun's steady hand and strong strategic eye have helped make our transition into the NEHC this year a tremendous success. We are truly proud of David and the entire program. Riley, Emma, Sarah and Taylor must also receive our compliments for performing at such a high level on the ice day in and day out. They have led by example and have shown us the way both on game day, and I imagine at practice as well. They, too, deserve our praise and congratulations. Earning conference honors is their just reward."

Lun is in his fifth season as head coach of the Salve Regina women's ice hockey team. Under his guidance the Seahawks completed the regular season with an overall record of 16-9-0 and a conference record of 14-4-0. Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lun completed his bachelor's degree at UMass-Boston in 2011 after four years as a standout forward for the Beacons. In his professional ice hockey career he spent time playing for the Cape Cod Bluefins and the Danville Dashers of the FHL. He was a two-year captain for the Danbury Whalers, formerly of the FHL, from the 2013-15 seasons.

"It's an honor and it's humbling," said Lun. "I wasn't quite expecting this, I was just focusing on the season. It's not necessarily Coach of the Year I think it's a staff award and frankly it's a team award. I wouldn't get this if the team didn't perform. There's a lot more that goes into it. Leo Lake and Erika Martin are equally recipient of this and deserve recognition for the energy and time that they put in. Our success coincides with their involvement. The leadership with Emma and Riley as captains is a big part of our team dynamic. There have been a number of people who have stepped up to the plate this year without letters on their shoulders that have had a very big impact in the locker room and have helped drive success on the ice." 

Espostio, a forward, leads the team in scoring this season with 11 goals scored and seven assists for 18 points. Pereira, at defense, has scored four goals and provided seven assists for 11 points.

"From day one Riley's athletic ability has been prevalent and she's steadily been rewarded with accolades," remarked Lun. "Her leadership has been developing and is now very prominent. A lot of the success that we're having now in the wins and losses columns is coming from the leadership. Riley and Emma being named All-Conference Second and Third Team is a direct result of their abilities on and off the ice and in the locker room. Emma has had a good year. She's a leader and it's been a career year for her. She's being rewarded and recognized for her work."

Joining Esposito and Pereira, Bush and Hannafan have achieved All-Rookie team recognition. Bush, a defender, appeared in 22 games over the course of the regular season and had a combined nine points. In goal Hannafan played in 12 games and has a season record of 9-3-0. She recorded three shutouts this year, posted a save percentage of .953 and holds a 1.26 goals against average. 

"Both Taylor and Sarah have been big contributors this year," stated Lun. "Sarah scored her first collegiate goal and had a number of assists. Taylor saw some of the best numbers in the conference and you could argue some of the top tier numbers in the country in terms of goalie statistics. Both have had solid, very consistent years and have been impact players from the start. Sarah is a dynamic player with an edge. She has skill, ability and awareness which has benefited us. Taylor is a rock in the goal. All of our goalies have been very consistent this year."

The team finished third in the conference and earned the right to host an NEHC Quarterfinal game at home on Saturday, February 22. The Seahawks will host the University of Southern Maine Huskies at 2 p.m. at Howard Rink in Middletown, Rhode Island. Salve Regina comes off a 2-0 series against the Huskies, who placed sixth in the conference standings. The NEHC post season consists of an eight team Quarterfinal round, a four team Semifinal Round, on March 1, and a two team Final on Saturday, March 8. 

Find the full NEHC postseason awards release here. Tune into Saturday's Quarterfinal on FloSports or follow live stats.