Center Lauren Bellefontaine is the College Hockey America Best Defensive Forward for the second year in a row. The Kemptville, Ontario native led the Orange in scoring with 28 points, including a team-high 19 assists, had 29 blocked shots and won 57 percent of her faceoffs (282-of-495). She ranks 10th in scoring and eighth in assists in the CHA this season. The 2022-23 Orange team captain is the second player in CHA history to win the honor twice, joining former Orange standout Margot Scharfe who shared the honor in 2011-12 and won it in 2012-13.
Bellefontaine etched her name throughout the Syracuse record book. In January she became the fourth member of the Orange 100 Point Club. She closes her career ranked third on the Syracuse career points record list (108), seventh on the goals record ledger (37) and second on the career assists list (70). On the defensive end of the ice, Bellefontaine registered 185 blocks, the most by any forward in program history and second on the career record list. Bellefontaine’s faceoff numbers rank among the best in Syracuse history. She set the single-season faceoff wins record with 408 in 2021-22 and holds the career record with 1,718 wins in the circle.
A standout in the league throughout her career, Bellefontaine earned the 2018-19 CHA Rookie of the Year and was named to the 2019 CHA All-Tournament team when the Orange won the championship for the first time in program history. In 2021-22 Bellefontaine earned All-CHA Second Team honors and Best Defensive Forward as an assistant captain.
Bellefontaine earned her undergraduate degree in communication and rhetorical studies and is currently working toward a graduate certificate in intercollegiate athletic advising and support.
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