Women's Hockey | 3/30/2017 11:28:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – Former RIT women's hockey standout forward Kourtney Kunichika helped the Buffalo Beauts win the Isobel Cup as 2017 National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) Champions. She is the first RIT women's hockey alumna to win a NWHL title.
 
Kunichika recorded 14 points on four goals and 10 assists in 21 NWHL regular season games in 2016-17. She played in both Isobel Cup playoff games, a 4-2 win over the New York Riveters on March 17 and the 3-2 championship game victory over the Boston Pride two days later.
 
Kunichika was a member of the Tigers from 2010-2014 as they made the transition from Division III to Division I. She made an immediate impact in 2010-2011, leading all Division III first-year players in points with 43 (15-28-43). She set an NCAA Championship record with 10 points (5-5-10) in one tournament as RIT advanced to the NCAA Championship game.

As a sophomore, Kunichika led the team in scoring and was fifth nationally with 45 points (20-25-45), earning CCM/Old Time Hockey Second Team All-American honors, while leading RIT to its first and only Division III NCAA Championship in school history.
 
Making the transition to Division I did not slow down Kunichika, as she helped lead RIT to consecutive College Hockey America (CHA) tournament appearances, including its first CHA Championship in 2013-14. She finished her career as RIT's all-time leader in postseason scoring with 24 points in 17 playoff games.  Kunichika also is fourth in program history with 136 points (54-82-136), and second with 24 power-play goals.