Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
Introduction 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 and tournament champions 7 times. 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.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.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. 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.
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 five 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. In addition, the Gophers experienced their best season in 2004–2005 with a 36–2–2 record.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 & 2013, which were encompassed in their 62-game winning streak. 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.
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.During the 2004–05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record (since tied) for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7.After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16.Ironically, both marks were 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.===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.
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.
Year to Year '''Won Championship''''''Lost Championship''''''Conference Champions''''''League Leader'''2022–23Brad Frost2753WCHA22332nd WCHA '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Wisconsin '''Won''' Championship vs. Ohio State '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' Frozen Four vs. Wisconsin 2021–22Brad Frost2991WCHA2161 1st WCHA '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Ohio State '''Lost''' Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth 2020–21Brad Frost1181WCHA11714th WCHA'''Lost''' Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (3–5)Did not qualify2019–20Brad Frost2763WCHA17522nd WCHA'''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''' 2018–19  Brad Frost  32  6  1  WCHA  19  4  1  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' First Round vs. Princeton   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Cornell   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   2017–18  Brad Frost  24  11  3  WCHA  13  8  3  3rd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' First Round vs. Wisconsin   2016–17  Brad Frost  26  8  5  WCHA  19  4  5  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State   '''Lost''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota Duluth   '''Won''' First Round vs. Minnesota Duluth   '''Lost''' Frozen Four vs. Clarkson   2015–16  Brad Frost  33  4  1  WCHA  24  3  1  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. North Dakota   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' First Round vs. Princeton   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' Championship vs. Boston College  2014–15  Brad Frost  34  3  4  WCHA  22  2  4  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State   '''Lost''' Semifinals vs. Bemidji State   '''Won''' First Round vs. RIT   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' Championship vs. Harvard   2013–14  Brad Frost  38  2  1  WCHA  26  1  1  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Won''' Championship vs. North Dakota   '''Won''' First Round vs. Boston University   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Clarkson   2012–13  Brad Frost  41  0  0  WCHA  28  0  0  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Championship vs. North Dakota   '''Won''' First Round vs. North Dakota   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Boston College   '''Won''' Championship vs. Boston University   2011–12  Brad Frost  34  5  2  WCHA  21  5  2  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. St. Cloud State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. North Dakota   '''Won''' Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Won''' First Round vs. North Dakota   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Cornell   '''Won''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   2010–11  Brad Frost  26  10  2  WCHA  18  8  2  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' First Round vs. Boston College   2009–10  Brad Frost  26  9  5  WCHA  18  6  4  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Won''' First Round vs. Clarkson   '''Lost''' Frozen Four vs. Minnesota-Duluth   2008–09  Brad Frost  32  5  3  WCHA  23  2  3  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota State   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' First Round vs. Boston College   '''Lost''' Frozen Four vs. Mercyhurst  2007–08  Brad Frost  27  7  4  WCHA  21  5  2  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. North Dakota   '''Lost''' Semifinals vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' First Round vs. Wisconsin  2006–07  Laura Halldorson  23  12  1  WCHA  17  10  1  3rd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   Did not qualify 2005–06  Laura Halldorson  29  11  1  WCHA  19  8  1  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' First Round vs. Princeton   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. New Hampshire   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Wisconsin  2004–05  Laura Halldorson  36  2  2  WCHA  25  1  2  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Won''' First Round vs. Providence   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Dartmouth   '''Won''' Championship vs. Harvard  2003–04  Laura Halldorson  30  4  2  WCHA  19  3  2  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Dartmouth   '''Won''' Championship vs. Harvard  2002–03  Laura Halldorson  27  8  1  WCHA  19  4  1  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Lost''' First Round vs. Harvard  2001–02  Laura Halldorson  28  4  6  WCHA  19  2  3  1st WCHA  '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   '''Won''' Championship vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' First Round vs. Brown  2000–01  Laura Halldorson  23  9  2  WCHA  18  4  2  1st WCHA  '''Lost''' Semifinals vs. Ohio State   Did not qualify 1999–00  Laura Halldorson  32  6  1  WCHA  21  2  1  2nd WCHA  '''Won''' Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State   '''Won''' Semifinals vs. Wisconsin   '''Lost''' Championship vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Won''' Frozen Four vs. Minnesota-Duluth   '''Won''' Championship vs. Brown  1998–99  Laura Halldorson  18  3  3  WCHA
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, 2022Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Tournament Champions::*2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018
Current roster As of November 8, 2023.
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 Schipper2017-18   Sydney Baldwin, Cara Piazza2018-19    Kelly Pannek2019-20    Patti Marshall2020-21    Emily Brown, Grace Zumwinkle2021-22    Emily Brown, Olivia Knowles2022-23Abigail Boreen, Taylor Heise, Gracie Ostertag, Grace Zumwinkle2023-24Peyton Hemp
Olympians *The following Gophers players have participated in the women's ice hockey tournament at the Winter Olympic Games.===2002 Winter Olympics==='''United States national team'''*Natalie Darwitz- Silver*Courtney Kennedy- Silver*Lyndsay Wall- Silver*Krissy Wendell- Silver=== 2006 Winter Olympics ==='''Finland national team'''* Noora Räty- 4th Place'''United States national team'''*Natalie Darwitz- Bronze*Courtney Kennedy- Bronze*Kelly Stephens- Bronze*Lyndsay Wall- Bronze*Krissy Wendell (Captain)- Bronze=== 2010 Winter Olympics ==='''Finland national team'''* Noora Räty- Bronze'''United States national team'''*Natalie Darwitz- Silver*Gigi Marvin- Silver=== 2014 Winter Olympics ==='''Finland national team'''* Mira Jalosuo- 5th place* Noora Räty- 5th place'''United States national team'''*Megan Bozek- Silver*Amanda Kessel- Silver*Gigi Marvin- Silver*Anne Schleper- Silver*Lee Stecklein- Silver=== 2018 Winter Olympics ==='''Finland national team'''*Noora Räty- Bronze*Mira Jalosuo- Bronze'''United States national team'''*Hannah Brandt- Gold*Dani Cameranesi- Gold*Amanda Kessel- Gold*Gigi Marvin- Gold*Kelly Pannek - Gold*Lee Stecklein- Gold=== 2022 Winter Olympics ==='''United States national team'''*Megan Bozek- Silver*Hannah Brandt- Silver*Dani Cameranesi- Silver*Amanda Kessel- Silver*Abbey Murphy- Silver*Kelly Pannek- Silver*Lee Stecklein- Silver*Grace Zumwinkle- Silver'''Finland national team'''* Nelli Laitinen- Bronze'''Sweden national team'''* Josefin Bouveng
Awards and honors
Golden Gophers in elite hockey leagues = CWHL All-Star  = NWHL All-Star= Clarkson Cup Champion= Isobel Cup Champion Player Pos. Team(s) League(s) Clarkson Cup Isobel Cup   D  EHV Sabres WienMinnesota Whitecaps  EWHLPHF     D  Toronto FuriesBuffalo BeautsMarkham ThunderDream Gap TourKRS Vanke Rays  CWHLPHFCWHLPWHPAZhHL  1 (2018)  1 (2017)   F  Minnesota Whitecaps Dream Gap Tour  PHFPWHPA   1 (2019)   D  Minnesota Whitecaps  WWHL, PHF  1 (2010)  1 (2019)   D  Minnesota Whitecaps  WWHL, PHF  1 (2010)  1 (2019)   D  Buffalo Beauts  PHF   1 (2017)   F  Buffalo BeautsDream Gap Tour  PHFPWHPA     F/D  Minnesota Whitecaps  PHF     F  Calgary Inferno  CWHL  1 (2016)    F  Metropolitan RivetersDream Gap Tour  PHFPWHPA     D  Minnesota Whitecaps  PHF     F  Boston BladesDream Gap Tour  CWHLPWHPA  1 (2015)    G  Buffalo BeautsMinnesota Whitecaps  PHFPHF   2 (2017, 2019)   F  Minnesota Whitecaps  PHF     D  Brynas IFMinnesota Whitecaps  SDHLPHF     D  Boston BladesBoston PrideDream Gap Tour  CWHLPHFPWHPA  2 (2013, 2015)  1 (2016)   D  Metropolitan Riveters  PHF     F  Minnesota Whitecaps  WWHL     F  Dream Gap Tour  PWHPA     F  Dream Gap Tour  PWHPA     G  Kiekko-VantaaKunlun Red Star WIHKRS Vanke Rays  MestisCWHLCWHL, ZhHL     F  EHV Sabres Wien  EWHL     F  TPS  Liiga     F  Minnesota Whitecaps  WWHL     F  Minnesota WhitecapsDream Gap Tour  PHFPWHPA     F  Minnesota Whitecaps  PHF   1 (2019)   D  Buffalo Beauts  PHF  1 (2017)   G  Dream Gap Tour  PWHPA     D  Minnesota WhitecapsDream Gap Tour  PHFPWHPA   1 (2019)   F  Toronto Furies  CWHL     F  Mad Dogs MannheimMinnesota Whitecaps  BundesligaPHF
See also * List of college women's ice hockey coaches with 250 wins (Laura Halldorson ranks third on all-time list)
References
External links