2024-25 CSC Academic All-District At-Large Teams

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Women's At-Large Teams were released on Tuesday, as junior Taya Balfour (Moorestown, N.J./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers), sophomore Sydnee Francis (Canton, N.Y./Nepean Jr. Wildcats), senior Mattie Norton (Glen Carbon, Ill./St. Louis Lady Blues), and fifth-year Ciara Wall (Somerville, Mass./New Hampshire) of the Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team each earned CSC recognition. Balfour, Norton, and Wall all repeated as selections, while Francis earns her first Academic All-District distinction. Norton advanced to the Academic All-America ballot, where teams will be announced on July 8. 

The Academic All-District At-Large teams recognize NCAA sports that do not currently have a designated program in the Academic All-America catalog. To be eligible for the ballot as an ice hockey student-athlete, nominees must have competed in 90% of the team's total games and be at least a sophomore academically, and carry a cumulative 3.50 GPA.

The Cardinals captured their 13th conference championship and first State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title with a 2-0 victory over fifth-ranked and top-seeded Oswego State in the SUNYAC Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 8.

Balfour, a junior business administration/international business major, appeared in all 28 games on defense in 2024-25, helping what was an exceptional defensive unit this past season. She tallied eight points on the year, recording one goal and seven assists, while ranking second on the team with 34 blocked shots. She was also tied for fourth on the team with a +11 plus-minus. Balfour had two two-assist games on the season, first against Morrisville on Dec. 6 and then again exactly one month later against Norwich on Jan. 6. Her lone goal of the season was a game-winner, as she tallied the score against Morrisville on Jan. 18.

Francis, a sophomore nursing major, appeared in all 28 games for the Cardinals at forward, totaling nine points. She recorded two goals and seven assists, posting a +16 plus-minus which was second-best on the team. She scored her first career goal on Jan. 6 against Norwich, sealing a win in the East-West Classic Championship game, and also scored against Morrisville on Jan. 18.

Norton, a senior defender majoring in accounting/ business administration, wrapped up a fantastic career that saw her earn CCM Hockey /AHCA Division III Women's East Second Team All-American, DIIIHockeyNews.com East First Team, SUNY & SUNYAC Women's Ice Hockey Scholar Athlete of the Year, and SUNYAC All-Conference First Team honors all while serving as team captain. As the leader of a stout Cardinal defense and power-play, the Illinois-native led the Cards and the SUNYAC with five power-play goals, totaling six goals and six assists this season over 28 games. She finished the season with a +11 plus-minus, had three game-winning goals, and finished third on the team with 33 blocked shots. Norton also had zero penalties over the entirety of the season.  She picked up the game-winner in the team's season-opening win over then No. 14 Norwich and had the game-winner over No. 6 Oswego on Jan. 10. On senior day, she scored the game-winning goal and added an assist for her lone multi-point game of the season. She was also named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament team as the Cardinals captured the SUNYAC title behind two shutouts.

Wall, a fifth-year forward majoring in communications, served as an assistant captain in 2024-25, concluding her collegiate career with a second straight selection to the SUNYAC All-Conference Second team. She played in all 28 games, tallying a team-high 17 points and 11 assists, while also adding six goals. Wall also added a plus-minus of +7 and had two game-winning goals and two power-play goals. She tallied two assists in a 2-2 tie against Oswego State on Nov. 16 and had the game-winning goal against Canton on Nov. 22. She added multi-point games to her ledger against Morrisville twice, first on Dec. 6 with two assists and then on Jan. 18 with a goal and an assist. From Jan. 17 to Jan. 28, she recorded at least one point in five straight games and had her biggest goal of the season against Cortland on Mar. 1, as she posted the game-winner in the SUNYAC Semifinal matchup against Cortland.

The Cardinals finished the year at 20-7-1 (14-3-1 SUNYAC), falling in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Elmira.