BEMIDJI STATE • MINNESOTA MINNESOTA DULUTH • MINNESOTA STATE NORTH DAKOTA • OHIO STATE ST. CLOUD STATE • WISCONSIN 2014-15 WOMEN’S DIRECTORY 14-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 WCHA DIRECTORY WCHA.COM & WCHA.COM/MOBILE Western Collegiate Hockey Association Suite C • Minnesota State University, Mankato at Edina 7700 France Avene South, Suite 360 • Edina, MN 55435 Women’s Commissioner • Aaron Kemp o 952 818-8869 • m 814 464-5177 • [email protected] Associate Commissioner • Alyssa Bennett o 952 818-8871 • m 651 261-3867 • [email protected] Associate Commissioner for Public Relations • Matt Hodson o 952 818-8872 • m 612 801-2808 • [email protected] Supervisor of Officials • Greg Shepherd 651 330-5131 • m 303 478-3696 • [email protected] AARON Women’s Public Relations Director • Bill Brophy KEMP m 303 330-5468 • [email protected] Assistant to the Commissioner • Jeff Sauer m 720 480-2451 • [email protected] WCHA ON-ICE OFFICIALS SUPERVISOR OF OFFICIALS Greg Shepherd 651 330-5131 • m 303 478-3696 • [email protected] REFEREES Kevin Capocasa, Ray Doocy, Mike Forys, Ross Gibbs, Jenilyn Glenn, Mike Gulenchyn, Alicia Hanrahan, Kristine Langley, Robert Ludwig, Tom Lund, CeCi Morris, Joe Oberg, Shane Paskey, David Spivey, Ron Storey. LINESMEN Gui Bradshaw, Josh Brown, William Conybear, Mike Diebold, Casey Enge, Jamie Fentesmauer, Daniel Fitzsimons, Andy Hasbargen, Craig Hedlund, Candy Kirchner, Ron Laituri, Sarma Ozmen, Shane Paskey, Brenda Reinen, Scott Roth, Duncan Ryhorchuk, Glendon Seal, Benjamin Smith, Clayton Smith, Matt Spivey, Aaron Storey, Ryan Yetzer. 2014-15 WOMEN’S DIRECTORY THIS IS THE WCHA TRADITION STARTS HERE THE CONFERENCE Home of a record 14 national championship teams since its founding in 1999, the women’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association is clearly second to none. The eight quality institutions that make up the league – Bemidji State University, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State University, University of North Dakota, Ohio State University, St. Cloud State University and University of Wisconsin – are committed to achieving success, both on and off the ice. Under the guidance and leadership of new Commissioner Aaron Kemp, the WCHA will again be a force to reckon with on the national scene in 2014-15 as the league marks its 16th season of competition. Among the many highlights of the new campaign are the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF playoff championship being contested at North Dakota’s Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8 and the 2015 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four being played at Minnesota’s Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22. Along with league commissioner Kemp, the conference family is also pleased to welcome two new head coaches for 2014-15 in Jim Scanlan at Bemidji State and Eric Rud at St. Cloud State. OUR HISTORY The women’s WCHA was founded in 1999 with seven original members in Bemidji State, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, Ohio State, St. Cloud State and Wisconsin. For the 2004-05 season, the league added North Dakota to bring membership to its current eight institutions. FIRST-CLASS EDUCATIONS The eight universities that make up the WCHA women’s family are among the finest institutions of higher learning in the country. They offer the very best in both educational and athletic environments for the more than 200 student-athletes who compete annually in the league. The members, with enrollments, are: Bemidji State University (5,360), the Uni- versity of Minnesota (50,883), University of Minnesota Duluth (11,806), Minnesota State University, Mankato (15,709), University of North Dakota (14,326), Ohio State University (59,091), St. Cloud State University (16,245) and University of Wisconsin (42,595). WINNING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS No women’s Division 1 collegiate conference – in any sport – can top the list of national scale accomplishments of the WCHA. Including the first season of 1999- 2000, teams representing the women’s WCHA have captured a record 14 national championships (13 NCAA Women’s Frozen Fours and 1 AWCHA title) in 15 seasons. 2014-15 WOMEN’S DIRECTORY INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS The WCHA also owns an enviable reputation for producing hundreds of players and coaches who have enjoyed successes in international competitions such as the Olym- pic Winter Games, the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and the 4 Nations’ Cup. In the 2014 Olympic Winter Games held in Sochi, Russia in February, five Former WCHA skaters on Team Canada won Olympic gold medals, silver medalist USA had 11 former and current WCHA Stars and one former league player earned bronze with Switzerland. Winning gold medals were forward Natalie Spooner of Ohio State, defenseman Meghan Mikkelson of Wisconsin and Jocelyne Larocque of Minnesota Duluth and ex-UMD forwards Haley Irwin and Caroline Ouelette, who was team captain. In all, 34 current and former WCHA players competed in the Olympic Winter Games, with North Dakota’s Michelle Karvinen being named the top forward in the tournament while Minnesota’s Amanda Kessel and Megan Bozek and Wisconsin’s Hilary Knight were All-Stars. ALL-AMERICANS AND SCHOLAR-ATHLETES Since it’s founding in 1999, some 70 WCHA member-team skaters have earned recognition as All-Americans. Most recently, in 2013-14, four WCHA member-team players were honored as CCM Hockey Div. 1 Ice Hockey All-Americans. Named to the First Team were goaltender Alex Rigsby of Wisconsin, defenseman Rachel Ram- sey of Minnesota, and forward Hannah Brandt of Minnesota while Second Team All-American acclaim was bestowed upon Gophers’ defenseman Milica McMillen. Off the ice, 52 players, representing all eight institutions, earned prestigious WCHA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2013-14 while 91 players – again representing all eight league-member teams, earned WCHA All-Academic Team honors. Minnesota forward Kelly Terry was honored as the WCHA Outstanding Stu- dent-Athlete of the Year for 2013-14. She produced over 30 points in each of her four seasons at UM, had a grade-point average of 3.42 majoring in Biology, and intended to go to medical school in hopes of becoming a doctor. She was a WCHA Scholar-Athlete in both 2013 and 2014 and was a three-time member of the WCHA All-Academic Team. PATTY KAZMAIER MEMORIAL AWARD The WCHA has had six of its players earn the highly-coveted Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award since the league’s founding in 1999. Those recipients have been Minnesota forward Krissy Wendell in 2005, Wisconsin forward Sara Bauer in 2006, Wisconsin goaltender Jessie Vetter in 2009, Wisconsin forward Meghan Duggan in 2011, Wisconsin forward Brianna Decker in 2012, and Minnesota forward Amanda Kessel in 2013. An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recognizes the accomplishments of the most outstanding player in NCAA Div. 1 women’s hockey each season. Selection criteria includes outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship, performance in the clutch, personal character, competitiveness and a love of hockey. Consideration is also given to academic achievement and civic involvement. The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, a four-year letterwinner and All-Ivy League defenseman for Princeton University from 1981-86. Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died on Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease. 2014-15 WOMEN’S DIRECTORY NATIONAL CHAMPIONS NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS 2000 2001 2002 MINNESOTA MINN DULUTH MINN DULUTH NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS 2003 2004 2005 MINN DULUTH MINNESOTA MINNESOTA NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS 2006 2007 2008 WISCONSIN WISCONSIN MINN DULUTH NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS 2009 2010 2011 WISCONSIN MINN DULUTH WISCONSIN NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS 2012 2013 MINNESOTA MINNESOTA 2014-15 WOMEN’S DIRECTORY 2014-15 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS 2015 WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF TO BE HELD AT RALPH ENGELSTAD ARENA IN GRAND FORKS MARCH 7-8; THREE NON-CONFERENCE SERIES OPEN SEASON SEPTEMBER 26-27; 112-GAME CONFERENCE SLATE SET TO LAUNCH OCTOBER 3-4 AS MINNESOTA DULUTH HOSTS WISCONSIN; MINNESOTA REIGNS AS DEFENDING WCHA REGULAR SEASON AND PLAYOFF CHAMPION; GOPHERS TO HOST NCAA WOMEN’S FROZEN FOUR AT RIDDER ARENA MARCH 20-22 The Western Collegiate Hockey Association opens its 16th season of women’s hockey with two new coaches, a new commissioner, the return of a couple of former Olym- pians and the usual anticipation of a competitive battle for the league championship. For the second time, the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF playoff championship will be held in Grand Forks, N.D. The March event is the spotlight event that highlights the 2014-15 women’s composite schedule announced by Commissioner Aaron Kemp today. With a record 14 national championships under its collective belt, the WCHA will look for an exciting and wide-open league race with new head coaches at Bemidji State in Jim Scanlan and at St. Cloud State in Eric Rud and the return of two players from the U.S. Olympic team in forward Amanda Kessel, the 2013 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, and defenseman Lee Stecklein at defending league champion Minnesota. Teams open play with three non-conference series on September 26-27 when Minnesota Duluth visits Connecticut, Bemidji State travels to Robert Morris and Wisconsin plays at Lindenwood. That same weekend St. Cloud States hosts an exhibition game against the Toronto Junior Aeros September 26 and North Dakota faces the Toronto Junior Aeros September 27 in Grand Forks. On September 28, Ohio State faces Western Ontario in Columbus, Ohio in an exhibition game. The 112-game conference slate, comprised of 28 games per each of the WCHA’s eight-member teams (four games – two home and two away – against each of other seven members), gets underway during the weekend of October 3-4 when Minnesota State visits Wisconsin.