UW’s Ammerman still Angie Keseley, center Team USA at the Xcel center stage Erika Lawler, winger Energy Center in St. Paul, Hilary Knight and Minn. MadisonSports.com goaltender Jessie Vetter -- are among eight players Three other current UW Andy Baggot with UW ties who were players -- junior center chosen for the American Mallory Deluce, senior September 22, 2009 team during the training winger Jasmine Giles and camp in Blaine, Minn. sophomore defenseman When the bad news was Brittany Haverstock -- also delivered late last month, But once Ammerman have been chosen for the Brooke Ammerman spent broke the news to her all-star squad. some time wallowing in family via a phone call to disappointment before her older sister Christine, it Ammerman said there mood changed for the didn't take long for won't be any feelings of better. optimism to set in about what-if. She believes she her sophomore year at gave it her best shot and Ammerman was among 41 UW. believes she forced the candidates invited to try coaching staff to make a out for a spot on the U.S. "I think she was tough decision. She also women's hockey team that disappointed for a couple believes she enhanced her will play in the 2010 hours,'' Brooke's mother chances of making the U.S. Winter Olympics in Babette said, "but then, team in 2014. Vancouver, British you know what, she flew Columbia. When roster right into (Madison) and "I think I really moved past cuts were announced Aug. they were thrilled to see that,'' she said. 24, the standout center at her. the University of There's good reason why Wisconsin wasn't among "She was in a pretty good Ammerman was greeted the surviving 23. frame of mind in terms of with open arms when she whether she made it or not. returned to campus. With That stung a bit for a She was more than happy Duggan, who would be a couple of reasons. to be able to go back to senior, and Knight, who Wisconsin. She really would be a junior, now One is Team USA is loves it there. She was set living the Olympic dream, coached by Mark Johnson, either way. She was pretty Ammerman is the top who's taking a one-year realistic on her chances of returning scorer for the sabbatical from his role as making the team." defending NCAA UW coach. It was his call champion Badgers. who made the team and Ammerman will renew who did not. those old acquaintances In addition, Tracey Friday night when she (Cornell) DeKeyser takes Another is five of skates for a team of over as acting coach with Ammerman's one-time Western Collegiate two new assistants. Peter UW teammates -- winger Hockey Association All- Johnson, Mark's younger Meghan Duggan, winger Stars that will take on brother, has temporarily replaced Dan Koch, who "Hopefully we should be at left to coach at the prep the top of the pack,'' level. Jackie Friesen, a Ammerman said. former UW winger, is the other limited-term assistant. "It's very different,'' said Ammerman, who accounted for 27 goals and 27 assists in 40 games as a freshman. "It's going to be an exciting year, but probably more challenging.'' Circumstances dictate Ammerman take on more of a leadership role when the Badgers open a new season by hosting North Dakota Oct. 2 and 3 at the Kohl Center. She seems prepared to help the eight freshmen make a quick transition. "I'll try to do what I did last year, (only) hopefully better,'' she said. "It will be a really good experience because we have a bunch of new freshmen that are very talented and really excited to be here. We'll have other players that have to step up and take on different roles.'' UW has been to the last four NCAA title games, claiming titles in 2006, '07 and '09. The view of that task won't change despite new faces on staff and on the ice. Blog: So much is new, underclassmen: wingers but expectations remain Meghan Duggan, who the same for women’s would have been a senior, hockey and winger Hilary Knight, who would have been a MadisonSports.com junior. Andy Baggot Despite those personnel losses, the Badgers were September 24, 2009 tabbed to win the Western Collegiate Hockey Two of the toughest jobs in Association title, according the University of to a poll of the eight league Wisconsin Athletic coaches. Department in 2009-10 involve the women's UW received six first- hockey team. place votes, while Minnesota received the The Badgers are defending other two. NCAA champions and are working on a streak of four Sophomore Brooke consecutive appearances in Ammerman, the top the national title game. returning scorer for the Badgers, was the preseason Maintaining that pace puts choice of player of the year a lot of pressure on acting with five votes. head coach Tracey DeKeyser and whomever Brianna Decker, a UW is tabbed to replace record- freshman from Dousman, setting goaltender Jessie was chosen the preseason Vetter. rookie of the year with six votes. DeKeyser is running the show because Mark Coaches couldn't vote for Johnson has taken a one- their own team or players. year sabbatical to coach Team USA in the 2010 The Badgers open defense Winter Olympics in of their national title -- the Vancouver, British third in program history -- Columbia. Oct. 2 and 3 when they host North Dakota at the Johnson tabbed five Kohl Center at 7 p.m. both members of last season's nights. UW juggernaut to play for the U.S. entry. Among them were two UW women’s hockey a in as interim head coach, unanimous No. 1 to start while Johnson serves as season the coach for Team USA in the 2010 Winter MadisonSports.com Olympics. September 29, 2009 UW graduated six seniors off last year's team. The The University of Badgers will also be Wisconsin women's without junior Hilary hockey team will start the Knight and senior Meghan season Friday night in a Duggan, who are spending familiar position: Atop the this season with the 2010 college hockey rankings. Olympic Team. The defending NCAA Meanwhile, freshman champion Badgers were Brianna Decker had five ranked No. 1 in the USA goals as Wisconsin held its Today/USA Hockey annual Red/White Magazine Women's Scrimmage Monday night. College Preseason Hockey Poll that was released UW opens the season Tuesday. Friday with a two-game WCHA series against Wisconsin, one of three North Dakota at the Kohl Western Collegiate Center. The Badgers also Hockey Association teams will unveil the 2009 in the top four, received all national championship 19 first-place votes in the banner before the start of poll. Mercyhurst, which Friday's game. lost to UW in the NCAA championship game, was second, while Minnesota was third. UW finished last season with a 34-2-5 record and won its third NCAA title in four years. UW finished second to Minnesota- Duluth two years ago. The Badgers will be without head coach Mark Johnson this season. Tracey DeKeyser will fill Women’s hockey team “I think UND gets better “I think we will see a lot of begins season vs. UND every year — every team parity. Over the years, the just keeps getting better,” WCHA has seen the Badger Herald Sanders said of the amount of parity and each nation’s elite conference. team’s depth improve,” Bobby Donohue “The WCHA is just such a DeKeyser said. “So, I think competitive league, so I it is going to be an exciting Friday, October 2, 2009 think every team is going year, I think there’s going to just keep getting better.” to be a lot of close games The Wisconsin women’s and a lot of overtimes hockey team, who enter In a move that changed the probably. Hopefully, not the new season with a power structure of WCHA this weekend, but I’m myriad of new faces, will and reaffirmed Sanders’ excited for what should be open its 2009-10 campaign belief of an ever-narrowing a great year for the in a home series against gap between the WCHA’s league.” the Fighting Sioux with perennial powerhouses and great expectations bottom-dwellers, twin The catalyst for the following last year’s sisters and star sophomore Badgers’ offseason championship team. forwards Monique and remodeling project was the Despite many changes Jocelyne Lamoureux departure of a prodigious both on the ice and behind transferred from the senior class and the one- the bench, the Badgers University of Minnesota year hiatus of Johnson and return a team that appears back home to North forwards Hilary Knight fit to once again compete Dakota. Fortunately for the and Meggan Duggan to the for WCHA and national Badgers, however, the 2010 Olympics in distinction. Lamoureux sisters will not Vancouver. Johnson will be playing for the Sioux be head coach for Team North Dakota comes to the this season but instead for USA this February, while Kohl Center following a legendary former UW Knight and Duggan join 13-19-4 season in 2008-09. women’s hockey coach 2009 Wisconsin teammates Sophomore forward Alyssa Mark Johnson and Team Jessie Vetter, Angie Wiebe is the Fighting USA during the Olympics. Keseley and Erika Lawler Sioux’s top returning in the quest for a gold scorer after posting 28 Nonetheless, Wisconsin medal. points a year ago. Kyla head coach Tracey Sanders sees North Dakota DeKeyser sees North Substantial losses in as an emerging force in the Dakota as an embodiment leadership, scoring and WCHA and, like many of the WCHA’s move goaltending shouldn’t other conference foes, a toward becoming less top- create any lesser much-improved program.