2001-02 WCHA Women's Preview
Minnesota-Duluth begins defense of its NCAA title on Oct. 12. |
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Oct. 1, 2001
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MADISON, Wis. -The Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs made history last season when they won the first NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship. After claiming the WCHA Tournament Championship, the Bulldogs completed their season with wins over Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference schools en route to the title. The team celebrated its victory with a trip to the White House.
UMD finished its season at 28-5-4 and a perfect 13-0-0 against non-conference foes. National champions, but second during WCHA play behind Minnesota, the Bulldogs fell to four different league teams during the season. Such result proved that league depth made a large jump from the inaugural 1999-00 campaign.
Five of the seven league teams were better than .500 and the spread between those five teams in the standings shrunk from 29 points to 13 points. Now teams besides Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota can legitimately hope to compete for a league crown.
The Bulldogs, because of their title of defending national champions and what appears to be a complete roster, must still be considered the league favorites. Leading scorer and All-American junior Maria Rooth leads the returning group. Named most outstanding player at the NCAA Frozen Four, Rooth ranked third in the nation with 41 goals and 72 points. Support comes from fellow Europeans Hanne Sikio (34-34=68) and Erika Holst (25-27=52), who helped give the Bulldogs three of the league's top six overall scorers last year.
Junior Navada Russell and sophomore Satu Kiipeli lead the defensive returners. Junior Jessica Smith is the only other returner on defense, so expect first-year players Julianne Vasichek and Larissa Luther to make an impact.
Senior Tuula Puputti gives the Bulldogs confidence in goal after leading the WCHA with a 2.11 goals against average and ranking second with a .912 save percentage last year. Patricia Sautter, the Swiss National Team goaltender and Meghan Grahn, a goaltender with the Roseau (Minn.) High School boys' team, provide great depth.
Minnesota must make up for the loss of 10 key players if it hopes to repeat as regular-season champions. The Gophers will look to a high-powered offense and an inexperienced defense and goaltender in that quest.
Included in the returners on offense is sophomore LaToya Clarke, the Gophers' leading scorer last year. A pair of seniors, Laura Slominski and Tracey Engstrom, will also help score, as will junior Ronda Curtin. Curtin's sister Renee is one of the potentially explosive newcomers that should make the U of M a dangerous offensive squad. New forwards Kelly Stephens, Kristy Oonincx and Noelle Sutton will also aid in that end.
The Gophers have three inexperienced netminders who will vie for the starting goaltender job. Sophomore Stephanie Johnson, who saw action in six games last year, will compete with newcomers Jody Horak and Brenda Reinen for playing time.
The Gophers return just two defenders from last year's squad. Sophomores Melissa Coulombe and Cecilia Retelle will skate in the back. The Gophers may also get help from returning senior Sarma Pone and sophomore Kelsey Bills and will look for aid from their frosh.
With two returning All-Americans, more than any team in the conference, Wisconsin looks to make progress towards the conference title. The Badgers return sophomore Meghan Hunter, who shared the national scoring lead with 42 goals and 78 points. The UW's other All-American, junior Kerry Weiland, returns as the nation's leading scorer among defenders after registering 49 points in 2000-01.
Weiland anchors what should be one of the most talented defensive corps in the nation with junior captain Sis Paulsen, a WCHA all-Tournament Team selection and newcomers Molly Engstrom and Carla MacLeod joining the action.
In addition to Hunter's scoring prowess, junior Kendra Antony provides touch around the net, sitting five points shy of becoming the first Badger to reach 100 career points. Junior Kelly Kegley, sophomores Karen Rickard and Steph Millar, and other new faces up front in Jackie Friesen, transfer Kathy Devereaux, Badger soccer star Amy Vermeulen and Joccie Cookson should provide the Badgers with added scoring depth.
Goaltending is where the Badgers will earn their victories and junior Jackie MacMillan is one of the top netminders in a league of game-breaking goaltenders. The First-Team all-WCHA goaltender as a frosh, MacMillan lowered her goals against average by almost a third and ranked third in the country with 18 wins.
St. Cloud State was one of three teams in the league to earn wins over all other league squads during the regular season. The Huskies claimed fourth in the standings, riding the offense of four returning players.
Senior Fiona McLeod, junior Abby Cooper and sophomores Kobi Kawamoto and Roxy Stang each had at least 25 points. Also returning is the only hold over from the Huskies inaugural 1998-99 season, senior defender Tara McNamara. She will serve as team captain.
The Huskies did lose top scorer Ricki-Lee Doyle to transfer, but bring new faces to aid their cause.Top prospects on defense include Canadian Under-22 National Team player Dana Pretty and Tina Ciraulo. Also joining SCSU will be Melanie Pudsey and Maine transfer Andrea Keller.
SCSU may have the most experienced goaltender in the league in Laura Gieselman. The junior made over 1,000 saves last year and over 800 the year before. Gieselman and the Huskies hope she sees much less rubber in the upcoming season.
Ohio State finished strong last season, making a run at the league tournament title. The Buckeyes have been one of the top defensive teams in the league during the first two years and that should continue. OSU boasts defensive stalwarts in junior Emily Hudak and sophomore Emma Laaksonen. Laaksonen is the team's leading scorer after posting 38 points and a league-leading 17 power-play goals. A talented group that also includes juniors Katie Frohreich, Christine Patno and Lindsey Steblen, will welcome newcomers Jaclyn Haines and Monica Kolb.
On offense, returners Erin O'Grady and Jeanne Chapple, both sophomores, and junior Shana Frost will look to make up for the loss of leader Corinne Rosen. Helping the trio will be former WCHA all-Tournament player Lindsay Ogren and newcomers Jeni Creary, Jennifer Desson and Meaghan Mulvaney. The Buckeyes more than doubled their offensive output last season from the one before, scoring 119 times.
Goaltending is a strength for OSU with junior April Stojak returning after playing every minute of last season. Stojak recorded six shutouts in the last nine games of the season. Sophomore Melissa Glaser returns to the ice after sitting out last season because of injury. Natalie Lamme joins the group to make OSU three deep in goal.
Bemidji State welcomes new head coach Jason Lesteberg and hopes to improve on its sixth-place league finish in 2000-01. Lesteberg will look to a corps of players in his quest to bring the Beavers into the conference race. Junior Amber Fryklund leads the group after recording 27 goals and 49 points in her debut season last year. Sophomore teammate Caesare Stimson and junior Alicia Kinsman gave BSU scorers with at least 20 points with Stimson at 27 and Kinsman at 20.
Junior Lisa Peters anchors the defense after recording 19 points last year. Other returning defenders include sophomore Beth Brown and senior Kristie Hoefer.
Junior Bre Dedrickson, last year's WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year, is solid in goal for the Beavers. She played the majority of the time for Bemidji State. Junior Anik Cote also saw time in goal, playing almost a third of the Beavers games.
Minnesota State begins anew after finishing seventh last year. Former Badger assistant Jeff Vizenor assumes the reigns of the Mavericks and brings a new attitude to the squad.
MSU returns a solid nucleus of players including the Mavericks' WCHA All-Star goaltender Shari Vogt. Last season's team mvp recorded a team record 792 saves as a frosh. She will be challenged by junior Katie Beauduy, who had a solid season during her frosh campaign.
Sophomore Sheri Maisonneuve returns as MSU's leading scorer, recording 14 points during her first year. Junior Tristin Stephenson ranks fourth on Mankato's all-time scoring list and holds the school mark with nine power-play goals. Also expected to help score are sophomore Amanda Osborn, as well as seniors Ashleigh Miller, Ryann Geldner and Cara Samuelson.
Senior blue-liner Jody Rankin led the attack from the back the last two years and will look for help from junior Anne Rickbeil and three returning sophomores.
Five frosh will also aid in what should be an improved Mavericks squad.
Minnesota State opens the regular season for the league when it plays host to Mercyhurst on Oct. 6 and 7. Conference play begins when Ohio State travels to Bemidji State on Oct. 12. All seven league teams will be in action that weekend with Wisconsin at St. Cloud State, Minnesota State at Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth playing host to Providence.
The league season will crescendo at Fogerty Arena in Blaine, Minn. on March 7-9 when the 2002 WCHA Championship takes place. Then its off to Durham, N.H. for a deserving few for the second NCAA Women's Frozen Four, March 22 and 24.
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