2009-10 Season Outlook
Head coach Brad Frost enters his third season at the helm of the University of Minnesota women's hockey team. Last year, Frost led the team to a WCHA regular season championship and a NCAA Frozen Four berth, the team's first since the 2005-06 season.
Leading the team to a 32-5-3 overall record and a 23-2-3 mark in the conference, Frost was also voted by his peers as the co-WCHA Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
Tom Osiecki returns to the coaching staff after a one-year hiatus.Osiecki will serve as an assistant coach for the 2009-10 season as assistant coach Natalie Darwitz is training with the United States National Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Jamie Wood also returns for his second year as assistant coach.
Minnesota has four captains this season in seniors Brittany Francis and Michelle Maunu and juniors Terra Rasmussen and Emily West. It is the first year for all as a team captain.
Although the Golden Gophers lost some of their top scorers from a year ago, Minnesota returns 10 forwards for the 2009-10 campaign.
Francis enters her senior year with 92 career points under her belt. Playing in 40 games as a junior, she ranked sixth on the team with 34 points, a season high. She was fourth on the team with 26 assists and scored four power-play goals and two game-winners. A member of the Gopher power-play, Francis tallied 15 points with the extra attacker and finished the season with four multiple-assist games and nine multiple-point games. She was also an All-WCHA Academic selection, her first honor.
West, who was one of three UM players named to the WCHA All-Star Team this fall, is the Gophers' returning leading scorer, tallying 40 points while playing in all 40 games during her sophomore campaign. During the '08-09 season, West held the Gophers' longest scoring streak, tallying a goal in 19-straight games from Nov. 28-Feb. 20. She was also a member of the Gopher power-play and penalty-kill units, notching eight power-play goals and one shorthanded goal. West was the team's 2009 receipient of the Bonnie Olein Unsung Hero Award.
Rasmussen, a junior forward, saw dramatic improvement from her freshman to sophomore season. As a freshman, she had one point and limited action. As a sophomore, Rasmussen improved to 10 points and saw consistent action in 39 games. Named the team's most improved player, she held a +18 rating.
Also returning to the forward corps are Sarah Erickson (10-13-23) and Kelli Blankenship (6-10-16).
Minnesota graduated three defensemen from the 2008-09 squad, including All-American and WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, Melanie Gagnon. The Gophers return four defensemen in Michelle Maunu, Alexandra Zebro, Anne Schleper and Kelly Seeler.
Maunu, a senior blueliner, saw action in 39 of 40 games last season.
Throughout her collegiate career, Maunu has been steady on the blue line, seeing action in 113 career games. As a junior, she held a plus/minus rating of +37, which tied for third overall on the team and second among defensemen. She tallied 18 assists last season, increasing her point production by five from the previous year. A stellar student as well, Maunu was a WCHA Scholar-Athlete (grade point average above a 3.5) and an All-WCHA Academic Team honoree.
Schleper, a member of the WCHA All-Star Team, had an outstanding rookie season in 2008-09 while earning both All-WCHA Second Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team honors. She played in all 40 games and produced seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points. She ranked eighth on the team in scoring and third in scoring among WCHA defensemen as well as holding a plus/minus rating of +27.
Minnesota has three potential starting goaltenders this season. The Gophers return 2008-09 WCHA Goaltending Champion and WCHA All-Star Team member Alyssa Grogan. As a rookie, Grogan led the league with a 1.37 goals-against average in league play and held a 1.67 goals-against average and a 16-2-2 record overall. She ranked sixth in the nation in GAA (1.67) and fifth in winning percentage at .850. In her first career start, she earned a win over then No. 1-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 10, 2008.
Along with Grogan, Jenny Lura returns to the mix, while bringing on freshman Noora Râty.
The Gophers have six newcomers entering into the fold. The incoming freshmen include Ms. Hockey award winner Becky Kortum (Minnetonka, MN), U.S. Under-18 Team member Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, IL), two members of the Finland National Team in Noora Râty (Espoo, Finland) and Mira Jalosuo (Lieksa, Finland) and Minnesota natives Samantha Downey (Hermantown, MN) and Katie Frischmann (Rochester, MN).
The Golden Gophers will host 18 regular season games at Ridder Arena as well as both the 2010 WCHA FINAL FACEOFF, March 6-7, and the 2010 NCAA Women's Frozen Four, March 19 and 21at Ridder Arena. Minnesota will also host the U.S. National Team on Jan. 12 as they prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC.
