PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State senior defender Taya Balfour (Moorestown, N.J./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers) has been named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Defensive Player of the Year, while first-year forward Bailey MacKellar (Hamburg, N.Y./Nichols School) earned SUNYAC Rookie of the Year honors.

Balfour was a dominant presence on the blue line for Plattsburgh State, appearing in all 25 contests. She finished the season with 20 points, tied for second on the team, recording seven goals and 13 assists, both totals leading all Cardinal defenders. She also posted a team-best +23 plus/minus rating. Defensively, Balfour led the team with 29 blocked shots and anchored a Cardinals unit that allowed just 1.4 goals per game while limiting opponents to only 18.2 shots per contest.

MacKellar made an immediate impact in her first season with the Cardinals, appearing in all 25 games. The Hamburg, N.Y., native totaled 20 points, tied for second on the team, while leading the squad with 12 goals. She added eight assists on the year. In conference play, MacKellar elevated her game even further, scoring a team-best seven goals and 13 points against SUNYAC opponents.

Thirteenth-ranked and top-seeded Plattsburgh State (18-6-1, 12-1-1 SUNYAC) will take on fourth-seeded William Smith (12-14, 7-7 SUNYAC) in the SUNYAC Semifinals tomorrow, February 28, at 3 p.m. at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.