MHM 2018 Oct-digital

COLLEGE HOCKEY PRIMER
WCHA WOMENS PRIMER:
BADGERS DIG IN
WISCONSIN WON LAST YEAR’S REGULAR SEASON TITLE — CAN THE BADGERS REPEAT?
Above, Minnesota goaltender Sydney Scobee is back to
help lead the Gophers into a new WCHA season.
Photo courtesy of Jim Rosvold, Gopher Athletics
At left, St. Cloud State
goaltender Janine Alder.
Photo by Maddie MacFarlane
Above, Bemidji State University’s Emily Bergland tangles
with a Clarkson player.
Photo courtesy of BSU Photo Services
by Dustin Nelson
Minnesota Hockey
Magazine presents
capsules on the
WCHA women’s programs for the 2018-
19 season.
Bemidji State
uuCOACH: Jim Scanlan, 5th season
uuLAST SEASON: 16-19-3, 5th in the WCHA (9-13-2-1,
30 points)
uuKEY LOSSES: Six seniors graduated, including
goaltender Erin Deters (12 starts, .916 save
percentage) and Alexis Joyce and Emma Teres, who
ranked fourth and fifth on the team in scoring last
year.
uuKEY RETURNEES: Haley Mack and Emily Bergland,
who tied Terres for the team lead at 11 goals, return.
As do veteran defenders Melissa Hunt and Briana
Jorde. However, one of the biggest impacts is
expected from sophomore Clair DeGeorge, who
spent part of the summer playing with the U.S.
Women’s U22 team, where she made her presence
felt against Canada with the opening goal in the
final game of the three-game series
uuTOP NEWCOMERS: Five freshmen step onto the
team, including Lexi Cheveldayoff and Ellie Moser,
who have both previously received camp invites
from USA Hockey.
uuOUTLOOK: It’s a young team and a program that
continues to be on the verge of making noise in
the conference. They’re easily the favorite among
the bottom tier in the conference, which includes
Minnesota State and St. Cloud. It’ll be an uphill
battle for the Beavers, but there’s no doubt there’s
talent on this team. The top of their lineup will be
sturdy defensively and has offensive threats that
could turn a game.
Minnesota
uuCOACH: Brad Frost, 12th season
uuLAST SEASON: 24-11-3, 3rd in the WCHA (13-8-3-0,
42 points), won the WCHA Final Face-Off, earning a
berth in the national tournament where they were
shutout by Wisconsin in the first round.
uuKEY LOSSES: The Gophers lost four seniors,
but they were significant losses. Captain Sydney
Baldwin and starting goaltender Sidney Peters both
graduated. Add in seniors Cara Piazza, and Caitlin
Reilly, the team lost 30 goals and 50 assists between
the three graduating skaters.
uuKEY RETURNEES: The big story isn’t the return of
impact forwards like Grace Zumwinkle and Nicole
Schammel, who led the team with 17 goals each
last year. It’s the return of Olympic gold medalist
Kelly Pannek, as well as Sarah and Amy Potomak
who spent part of last season centralized with the
Canadian national team. Those are three major
offensive threats. In her junior season, Pannek led
the nation in points.
uuTOP NEWCOMERS: As ever, the Gopher rookies
are impressive. Seven freshmen join the program,
including Amy Potomak; Taylor Heise, who led the
U.S. U22 team over the summer with two goals
and three points; and Grace Ostertag and Catie
Skaja, who have both spent time with the national
team. Another big add is junior goaltender Sydney
Scobee, who transferred from the University of
Vermont where she faced plenty of stiff competition
in Hockey East.
uuOUTLOOK: It should surprise no one that the
Gophers are one of the nation’s most formidable
rosters. The defense might not be as strong as
past years, but it should be solid. The only real
question mark is in net. Sophomore Alex Gulstene
Continued on next page
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