Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey

Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
Current season
University	University of Minnesota
Conference	WCHA
Head coach	Brad Frost 18th season, 499–109–41 [1]
Arena	Ridder Arena Minneapolis
Colors	Maroon and gold [2]
Fight song	Minnesota Rouser
AWCHA Tournament championships
2000
NCAA Tournament championships
2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
NCAA Tournament Runner-up
2006, 2014, 2019
NCAA Tournament Frozen Four
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023
NCAA Tournament appearances
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2023
Conference regular season championships
2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022
Current uniform

The Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey team plays for the University of Minnesota at the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. The team is one of the members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in Division I. The Golden Gophers have won six NCAA Championships as well as the final American Women's College Hockey Alliance Championship. In the WCHA, they have also been regular season champions 11 times ^[3] and tournament champions 8 times. ^[4] In addition to their overall success as a competitive team, the Gophers have also been ranked in the nation's top two teams for attendance since becoming a varsity sport, and the team holds the second largest single-game attendance record for women's collegiate hockey, drawing 6,854 fans for the first Minnesota women's hockey game on November 2, 1997. ^[5] The team also holds the distinction of having the longest winning streak in women's or men's college hockey at 62 games from February 17, 2012, to November 17, 2013, winning back-to-back NCAA titles during the stretch. ^[6]

In 2004–2005, Minnesota also won back-to-back NCAA Championships. Natalie Darwitz was a three-time All American, and three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier award. Darwitz left the program with the career scoring mark at Minnesota in three years and set two NCAA single-season record with 114 points (42 Goals, 72 Assists) and most assists in 40 games in her final season. ^[7] Minnesota Gophers women's hockey players have won the Patty Kazmaier Award three times (Krissy Wendell [2005], Amanda Kessel [2013], and Taylor Heise [2022]), as well as having all three finalists in 2013. ^[8]

Coaches

The Gophers have had two head coaches to date: Laura Halldorson and Brad Frost. Halldorson was the head coach for eleven years, from the 1997–1998 season to the 2006–2007 season. Her overall coaching record was 278–67–22 with the Gophers, a winning percentage of .787. During that time, the Gophers won four of their WCHA championships and three of their national championships. They averaged 28 wins per season and appeared in eight out of ten national tournaments, reaching seven finals. The Gophers' experienced their best season under Halldorson in 2004–2005 with a 36–2–2 record. ^[9]

In the 2007–08 season, Brad Frost became the temporary head coach. He had previously been an assistant coach. In his first year as head coach, Frost led the Gophers to a 21-game winning streak, with the season's record ending with 27 wins, 7 losses, and 4 ties but also ended with a conference record of 21–5–2, which ranked second in the WCHA. The Gophers made another NCAA regional appearance and post-season Frost was awarded WCHA Coach of the Year. In the 2008–2009 season, his temporary coaching status was lifted and he was named permanent head coach of the Gophers. That same season he led the Gophers to a record of 32–5–3 and to another WCHA championship. Frost then coached the Gophers into back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four championships in 2012 and 2013, which were encompassed in their 62-game winning streak, including a 41–0–0 record in 2012–13. ^[10] The Golden Gophers have had a cross-state rivalry with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The Gophers handed the Bulldogs their first ever conference loss 4–3 in a sold-out game at Pioneer Hall on February 11, 2000. ^[11]

Team history

Minnesota put its first women's team on the ice in 1997–98. Nadine Muzerall, a Canadian who graduated from Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire, was among its initial recruits. ^[12]

During the 2004–05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record (since tied) for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7. ^[13] After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16. Both marks have since been tied by Meghan Agosta.

In 2009–10, Noora Räty was just the second freshman to be a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Räty led the NCAA in several goaltending categories. She led the NCAA in goals-against average (1.24), save percentage (.951) and shutouts (7), while ranking third in winning percentage (.792). Her won loss record for the year was 17–3–4. In addition, Räty was the WCHA goaltending champion and earned numerous honours including All-WCHA First Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team. During the season, she was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week four times and WCHA Rookie of the Week on two occasions. She set a school record for most assists in one season by a goaltender (3). Räty played on national championship teams in 2011–12 and 2012–13. The 2012–13 team finished 41–0–0, and the team won the last 49 games of Räty's career. Räty finished with both the career and single-season record for shutouts. ^[14]

Minnesota Duluth rivalry

Minnesota Duluth, had been a traditional rival to the Gophers in men's hockey. In 1998, Minnesota Duluth announced that it was going to assemble a women's team for the 1999–2000 season. Duluth gave a three-year, $210,000 contract to Shannon Miller, who coached Canada to the 1998 Olympic final in Nagano. Miller recruited players from Canada, Finland and Sweden, including four Olympians. The rivalry was fuelled when Miller took two players from Minnesota: star forward Jenny Schmidgall, whose 93 points led the nation, and defenseman Brittny Ralph, who would serve as the Bulldogs' captain. In the 1999–2000 season, Duluth would lose just once to the Gophers in their first five meetings, which included a 2–0 Bulldogs victory in the final of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament. ^[12]

Arenas

The Golden Gophers have called two ice rinks home. From their 1997–1998 season to their 2001–2002 season the Golden Gophers shared their home ice with the men's team at Mariucci Arena. The Golden Gophers moved into Ridder Arena in the 2002–2003 season, a facility dedicated solely to a women's hockey team, and named for team benefactors Robert Ridder and Kathleen Ridder. ^[15]

Year to Year

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Gophers. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey seasons.

Table key

Key of colors and symbols

Color/symbol	Explanation
†	National champions
‡	Conference tournament champions
↑	Conference regular season champions

Key of terms and abbreviations

Term or abbreviation	Definition
W	Number of wins
L	Number of losses
T	Number of ties
OT	Number of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)
Finish	Final position in conference standings
Tournament	Results in conference tournament

Yearly results

Last five year's list of Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey seasons

Season	Coach	Overall			Conference						Season Result
		W	L	T		W	L	T	Finish	Tournament
2019–20	Brad Frost	27	6	3	WCHA	17	5	2	2nd	Won Quarterfinals vs. St Cloud State (4–2, 7–3) Lost Semifinals vs Ohio State (4–3 OT)	2020 Tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic [16]
2020–21 [a]	Brad Frost	11	8	1	WCHA	11	7	1	4th	Lost Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (3–5)	Did not qualify [17]
2021–22	Brad Frost	29	9	1	WCHA	21	6	1	1st↑	Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas (4–0, 5–1) Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth (5–1) Lost Championship vs. Ohio State (2–3 OT)	Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth (1–2) [18]
2022–23	Brad Frost	30	6	3	WCHA‡	22	3	3	2nd	Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas (7–0, 6–2) Won Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (4–2) Won Championship vs. Ohio State (3–1)‡	Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth (3–0) Lost Frozen Four vs. Wisconsin (3–2 OT) [19]
2023–24	Brad Frost	27	10	2	WCHA	19	7	2	3rd	Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State (4–5, 7–1, 3–0) Lost Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (4–3 OT)	Lost Quarterfinals vs. Clarkson (2–3 4OT) [20]

Notes

• ^a Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was shortened to 19 regular season games, all within the WCHA conference.

Championships

National

• 2000 – American Women's College Hockey Alliance championship
• 2004 – NCAA championship
• 2005 – NCAA championship
• 2012 – NCAA championship
• 2013 – NCAA championship
• 2015 – NCAA championship
• 2016 – NCAA championship

Conference

Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Regular Season Champions

• 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022

Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Tournament Champions

• 2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2023

Current roster

As of July 29, 2024. ^[21]

No.	S/P/C	Player	Class	Pos	Height	DoB	Hometown	Previous team
4		Audrey Wethington	Graduate	F	5' 7" (1.7 m)	2002-04-01	Edina, Minnesota	Blake School
5		Kate Kosobud	Freshman	D	5' 8" (1.73 m)	2006-06-12	Moorhead, Minnesota	Moorhead High School
6		Ayla Puppe	Freshman	F	5' 8" (1.73 m)	2006-03-29	Northfield, Minnesota	Northfield High School
7		Nelli Laitinen  ( C )	Junior	D	5' 7" (1.7 m)	2002-04-29	Lohja, Finland	Kiekko-Espoo
8		Chloe Primerano	Freshman	D	5' 8" (1.73 m)	2007-01-02	North Vancouver, British Columbia	RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna
9		Ava Lindsay	Sophomore	F	5' 6" (1.68 m)	2005-02-20	Minnetonka, Minnesota	Minnetonka High School
11		Josefin Bouveng	Junior	F	5' 9" (1.75 m)	2001-05-15	Vassunda, Sweden	Brynäs IF
13		Emma Kreisz	Sophomore	F	5' 9" (1.75 m)	2003-09-02	Budapest, Hungary	Stanstead College
14		Maggie Nicholson	Graduate	D	5' 9" (1.75 m)	2002-03-21	Minnetonka, Minnesota	Minnetonka High School
15		Peyton Hemp  ( C )	Senior	F	5' 5" (1.65 m)	2003-05-15	Andover, Minnesota	Andover High School
16		Allie Franco	Junior	D	5' 7" (1.7 m)	2004-01-27	Oakdale, Minnesota	Hill-Murray School
17		Kendra Distad	Freshman	F	5' 6" (1.68 m)	2006-02-25	Burnsville, Minnesota	Minnetonka High School
18		Abbey Murphy  ( C )	Senior (RS)	F	5' 5" (1.65 m)	2002-04-14	Evergreen Park, Illinois	Chicago Mission
20		Emma Conner	Junior (RS)	F	5' 8" (1.73 m)	2002-10-01	Edina, Minnesota	Edina High School
21		Lauren O'Hara	Sophomore	F	5' 11" (1.8 m)	2005-03-02	Blaine, Minnesota	Centennial High School
22		Elly Klepinger	Sophomore	D	5' 9" (1.75 m)	2005-02-08	Corcoran, Minnesota	Minnetonka High School
24		Carly Humphrey	Freshman	D	5' 7" (1.7 m)	2006-03-03	Elk River, Minnesota	Elk River High School
26		Ella Huber ( C )	Senior	F	5' 6" (1.68 m)	2002-12-18	Northfield, Illinois	Chicago Mission
29		Madison Kaiser	Junior	F	5' 7" (1.7 m)	2004-07-10	Andover, Minnesota	Holy Family Catholic High School
31		Skylar Vetter	Senior	G	5' 8" (1.73 m)	2003-05-14	Lakeville, Minnesota	Lakeville North High School
32		Sydney Morrow	Junior	D	5' 7" (1.7 m)	2004-02-12	Darien, Connecticut	Colgate University
35		Sophia Johnson	Junior	G	5' 8" (1.73 m)	2004-04-16	Minnetonka, Minnesota	Minnetonka High School
47		Gracie Graham	Freshman	D	5' 10" (1.78 m)	2006-01-09	Kelowna, British Columbia	RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna
56		Hannah Clark	Freshman	G	5' 9" (1.75 m)	2006-05-12	Oshawa, Ontario	Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
64		Krista Parkkonen	Junior	D	5' 6" (1.68 m)	2002-06-25	Lappeenranta, Finland	University of Vermont
96		Natálie Mlýnková	Graduate	F	5' 3" (1.6 m)	2001-05-24	Zlín, Czech Republic	University of Vermont

Captains

Season	Captains
1997–98	Julie Otto, Kris Scholz
1998–99	Amber Hegland, Kris Scholz
1999–00	Shannon Kennedy, Kris Scholz
2000–01	Tracy Engstrom, Kris Scholz
2001–02	Tracy Engstrom, Laura Slominski
2002–03	Ronda Curtin, Kelsey Bills, Winny Brodt
2003–04	Kelsey Bills, La Toya Clarke
2004–05	Kelly Stephens, Krissy Wendell
2005–06	Andrea Nichols, Chelsey Brodt, Bobbi Ross
2006–07	Andrea Nichols, Bobbi Ross
2007–08	Bobbi Ross, Whitney Graft
2008–09	Melanie Gagnon, Gigi Marvin
2009–10	Michelle Maunu, Brittany Francis, Emily West, Terra Rasmussen
2010–11	Emily West, Terra Rasmussen, Sarah Erickson, Jen Schoullis, Anne Schleper
2011–12	Sarah Erickson, Jen Schoullis
2012–13	Megan Bozek, Bethany Brausen
2013–14	Bethany Brausen, Sarah Davis, Baylee Gillanders, Kelly Terry
2014–15	Rachel Ramsey, Rachael Bona, Meghan Lorence, Lee Stecklein
2015–16	Hannah Brandt, Lee Stecklein
2016–17	Lee Stecklein, Dani Cameranesi, Kate Schipper
2017–18	Sydney Baldwin, Cara Piazza
2018–19	Kelly Pannek
2019–20	Patti Marshall
2020–21	Emily Brown, Grace Zumwinkle
2021–22	Emily Brown, Olivia Knowles
2022–23	Abigail Boreen, Taylor Heise, Gracie Ostertag, Grace Zumwinkle
2023–24	Peyton Hemp
2024–25	Peyton Hemp, Abbey Murphy, Ella Huber, Nelli Laitinen [22]

Olympians

Gopher players who have participated in the women's ice hockey tournament at the Winter Olympic Games

Year	Country	Player	Result
2002	United States	Natalie Darwitz	Silver
		Courtney Kennedy
		Lyndsay Wall
		Krissy Wendell
2006	United States	Natalie Darwitz	Bronze
		Courtney Kennedy
		Kelly Stephens
		Lyndsay Wall
		Krissy Wendell (Captain)
	Finland	Noora Räty	4th
2010	United States	Natalie Darwitz	Silver
		Gigi Marvin
	Finland	Noora Räty	Bronze
2014	United States	Megan Bozek	Silver
		Amanda Kessel
		Gigi Marvin
		Anne Schleper
		Lee Stecklein
	Finland	Mira Jalosuo	5th
		Noora Räty
2018	United States	Hannah Brandt	Gold
		Dani Cameranesi
		Amanda Kessel
		Gigi Marvin
		Kelly Pannek
		Lee Stecklein
	Finland	Mira Jalosuo	Bronze
		Noora Räty
2022	United States	Megan Bozek	Silver
		Hannah Brandt
		Dani Cameranesi
		Amanda Kessel
		Abbey Murphy
		Kelly Pannek
		Lee Stecklein
		Grace Zumwinkle
	Finland	Nelli Laitinen	Bronze
	Sweden	Josefin Bouveng	–

Source: ^[23]

Awards and honors

Main article: List of Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey records and awards

Golden Gophers in elite hockey leagues

= CWHL All-Star

= NWHL All-Star

= Clarkson Cup Champion

= Isobel Cup Champion

= Walter Cup Champion

Player	Pos.	Team(s)	League(s)	Clarkson Cup	Isobel Cup	Walter Cup
Sydney Baldwin	D	EHV Sabres Wien Minnesota Whitecaps	EWHL PHF
Lauren Bench	G	PWHL Minnesota	PWHL			1 (2024)
Abigail Boreen	F	PWHL Minnesota Montreal Victoire	PWHL			1 (2024)
Megan Bozek	D	Toronto Furies Buffalo Beauts Markham Thunder Dream Gap Tour KRS Vanke Rays	CWHL PHF CWHL PWHPA ZhHL	1 (2018)	1 (2017)
Hannah Brandt	F	Minnesota Whitecaps Dream Gap Tour PWHL Boston	PHF PWHPA PWHL		1 (2019)
Winny Brodt-Brown	D	Minnesota Whitecaps	WWHL, PHF	1 (2010)	1 (2019)
Chelsey Brodt-Rosenthal	D	Minnesota Whitecaps	WWHL, PHF	1 (2010)	1 (2019)
Emily Brown	D	PWHL Boston	PWHL
Jordyn Burns	D	Buffalo Beauts	PHF		1 (2017)
Dani Cameranesi	F	Buffalo Beauts Dream Gap Tour	PHF PWHPA
Kelsey Cline	F/D	Minnesota Whitecaps	PHF
Sarah Davis	F	Calgary Inferno	CWHL	1 (2016)
Taylor Heise	F	PWHL Minnesota	PWHL			1 (2024)
Amanda Kessel	F	Metropolitan Riveters Dream Gap Tour	PHF PWHPA
Olivia Knowles	D	Minnesota Whitecaps PWHL Toronto	PHF PWHL
Monique Lamoureux	F	Boston Blades Dream Gap Tour	CWHL PWHPA	1 (2015)
Amanda Leveille	G	Buffalo Beauts Minnesota Whitecaps PWHL Minnesota	PHF PHF PWHL		2 (2017, 2019)	1 (2024)
Meghan Lorence	F	Minnesota Whitecaps	PHF
Patti Marshall	D	Brynäs IF Minnesota Whitecaps	SDHL PHF
Gigi Marvin	D	Boston Blades Boston Pride Dream Gap Tour PWHL Boston	CWHL PHF PWHPA PWHL	2 (2013, 2015)	1 (2016)
Milica McMillen	D	Metropolitan Riveters	PHF
Andrea Nichols	F	Minnesota Whitecaps	WWHL
Savannah Norcross	F	PWHL New York	PWHL
Kelly Pannek	F	Dream Gap Tour PWHL Minnesota	PWHPA PWHL
Sarah Potomak	F	Dream Gap Tour	PWHPA
Noora Räty	G	Kiekko-Vantaa Kunlun Red Star WIH KRS Vanke Rays	Mestis CWHL CWHL, ZhHL
Caitlin Reilly	F	EHV Sabres Wien	EWHL
Katie Robinson	F	TPS	Liiga
Allie Sanchez	F	Minnesota Whitecaps	WWHL
Nicole Schammel	F	Minnesota Whitecaps Dream Gap Tour	PHF PWHPA
Kate Schipper	F	Minnesota Whitecaps	PHF		1 (2019)
Anne Schleper	D	Buffalo Beauts	PHF		1 (2017)
Sydney Scobee	G	Dream Gap Tour	PWHPA
Lee Stecklein	D	Minnesota Whitecaps Dream Gap Tour PWHL Minnesota	PHF PWHPA PWHL		1 (2019)	1 (2024)
Kelly Terry	F	Toronto Furies	CWHL
Alex Woken	F	Mad Dogs Mannheim Minnesota Whitecaps	Bundesliga PHF
Grace Zumwinkle	F	PWHL Minnesota	PWHL			1 (2024)

See also

• List of college women's ice hockey career coaching wins leaders (Brad Frost and Laura Halldorson both rank in the top 20 all-time)

References

1. "Brad Frost, Women's Hockey Head Coach". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
2. "Colors and Type | University Relations" . Retrieved December 20, 2022.
3. "Gophers Win WCHA Regular-Season Title". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved February 22, 2022. Minnesota defeats St. Thomas, 7-1 to clinch the program's 11th regular-season conference title.
4. "WCHA Playoff Champions" (PDF). WCHA.com. WCHA. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
5. "Box Score, Augsburg at Minnesota". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. November 2, 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
6. Naila-Jean Meyers (March 25, 2013). "Minnesota Women's Hockey Wins 49 in a Row to Win Title". Thequad.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
7. "Natalie Darwitz | Easton Hockey". eastonhockey.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
8. Christensen, Joe (March 7, 2013). "All three finalists for hockey's Patty Kazmaier Award are Gophers". StarTribune.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
9. "2004–05 Women's Ice Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
10. Women's Hockey (November 17, 2013). "Historic Winning Streak Ends at 62". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
11. "UMD Bulldogs - View Memorable Moments". www.umdbulldogs.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
12. "Minnesota's upstart women battled back twice to win the - 04.03.00 - SI Vault". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
13. "2010 NCAA Ice Hockey Division I Women's Records" (PDF). NCAA.
14. "Räty sets two records as Gophers advance in playoffs". Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
15. "Minnesota Mourns Loss of Kathleen Ridder". University of Minnesota Athletics. April 5, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
16. "2019–20 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
17. "2020–21 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
18. "2021–22 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
19. "2022–23 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
20. "2023–24 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
21. "2024–25 Women's Hockey Roster". University of Minnesota Athletics. July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
22. Women's Hockey (September 20, 2024). "Gophers Name Women's Hockey Captains for 2024-25 Season". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
23. "Golden Gophers in the Olympics". University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved October 3, 2022.

External links

Media related to Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by Baylor Lady Bears basketball	Last NCAA team to finish the year undefeated or unbeaten in any sport March 24, 2013	Succeeded by Connecticut Huskies women's basketball