2017-18 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE Week One (Games of Sept

2017-18 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE Week One (Games of Sept. 20-26, 2017) / wcha.com

@wcha_whockey @wcha_whockey /WCHAWomensHockey Matt Hodson ● o: 952-681-7668 ● c: 612-801-2808 ● [email protected]

WESTERN COLLEGIATE Opening Faceoff HOCKEY ASSOCIATION • Leaders and Champions: The Women's League of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), home to a record 16 • Founded 1999 • national championships (including 15 of a possible 17 Frozen Four crowns), seven Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winners, 2950 Metro Drive, Suite 102 95 All-American and many Olympic, national team and professional players, officially drops the puck on its 19th campaign this Bloomington, MN 55425 weekend with the regular season opener. 952-681-7947 • Polling Place: The WCHA is well-represented in the preseason USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine opinion polls, with No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 3 Minnesota and No. 5 Minnesota Duluth holding the same spot in both. Ohio State is also MEMBER TEAMS receiving votes in both ledgers. Bemidji State University • A New, Old Look for the WCHA: For the first time since the 2003-04 campaign, the WCHA's seven founding members will play University of Minnesota a 24-game league schedule in 2017-18. University of Minnesota Duluth • In addition to the 84-game gauntlet of the WCHA league schedule, member institutions will play a handful of Minnesota State University, Mankato nonconference games against each other. Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth will face off in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Ohio State University Fame Game (Nov. 6 in Cambridge, Minn.), Minnesota will host St. Cloud State (Jan. 9), while the Huskies will welcome St. Cloud State University Bemidji State (Nov. 22) and Minnesota Duluth (Jan. 20 on Hockey Day Minnesota 2018). University of Wisconsin • Postseason Tournament Changes: As a reward for winning college hockey's premier conference, the WCHA regular season champion will earn a quarterfinal-round bye and advance directly to the 2018 WCHA Final Faceoff, March 3 and 4 at Ridder 16 National Championships Arena in Minneapolis. The other six teams will play in the best-of-three quarterfinals. 95 All-Americans • WCHA and the Winter Olympics: The WCHA is honored to have six current and incoming student-athletes training in national 100+ Olympians and team camps for an opportunity to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Since the league's inception in 1999, WCHA teams National Team Members have produced a combined 66 Olympians for the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 Games. • The 2017-18 U.S. Women's National Team Roster includes forwards Annie Pankowski (Wisconsin) and Kelly Pannek (Minnesota), along with goaltender Maddie Rooney (Minnesota Duluth). Pankowski and Pannek, both All-Americans 2017-18 Important Dates and All-WCHA performers, will return as seniors in 2017-18. Rooney, an All-WCHA selection and Most Outstanding Player of the 2017 WCHA Final Faceoff, will have two years of eligibility remaining. Date Event Oct. 6-8 First WCHA league series • The 2017-18 Olympic centralization roster for Canada's National Women's Team features Emily Clark (Wisconsin) and Nov. 6 U.S. HOF Game the Potomak sisters, Sarah and Amy (Minnesota). All-WCHA forward Clark will return in 2017-18 for her senior season BSU v. UMD with the Badgers, fellow all-league performer Sarah Potomak will be back for her junior campaign, while Amy Potomak Nov. 24-26 Windjammer Classic and will skate collegiately for the first time next season. D.C. Tournament Dec. 18-Jan. 1 Holiday Break By the Numbers Jan. 2-4 Play resumes • 6: Straight seasons that WCHA teams have ranked 1-4 nationally in attendance. Last season, Wisconsin drew 55,315 fans Jan. 20 Hockey Day Minnesota (2,911 per game) for 18 dates at LaBahn Arena and one game at the Kohl Center, Minnesota welcomed 39,059 (1,953) over 19 UMD at SCSU Feb. 16-18 Final weekend of the dates at Ridder Arena and one game at Braemar Arena; 22,342 fans (1,176) saw games at Minnesota Duluth’s AMSOIL Arena regular season and the final season of North Dakota women's hockey saw the program host 15,344 (808) at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. Feb. 23-25 2018 WCHA Quarterfinals • 1,135: Saves in 2016-17 by second-team All-American Kassidy Sauve, the Ohio State single-season record and just three shy of Host sites; seeds 2-4 the WCHA standard. After ranking among NCAA leaders for save pct. (5th - .942), minutes (sixth - 2098:20), shutouts (t7th - 6) Top seed receives bye and goals-against average (16th - 2.00), the redshirt-junior is the coaches' choice as preseason WCHA Player of the Year. March 3-4 2018 WCHA Final Faceoff Ridder Arena (Mpls, MN) The Week Ahead March 9-11 2018 NCAA Quarterfinals The last WCHA team playing in 2016-17 opens the 2017-18 regular season, as 2017 national finalist Host sites; top four seeds • Lindenwood at Wisconsin: March 16-18 2018 NCAA Frozen Four Wisconsin hosts Lindenwood for a Friday-Saturday series (Sept. 22-23) at LaBahn Arena. The Badgers also became the first Ridder Arena (Mpls, MN) WCHA team to play an exhibition season, blanking the Korean Women's National Team, 8-0, last Saturday at LaBahn Arena. • Korean Women's National Team Exhibitions: Prior to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, six WCHA teams will play the host country in exhibition games. After playing in Madison last Saturday, the Korean Women's National This Week in the WCHA Team will skate this Wednesday (Sept. 20) at Bemidji State, this Friday (Sept. 22) at St. Cloud State, this Sunday (Sept. 24) at Wednesday, Sept. 20 Minnesota, next Tuesday (Sept. 26) at Ohio State and Jan. 2 at Minnesota State. Team Korea at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m. CT^ • Minnesota Whitecaps at Minnesota Duluth: Minnesota Duluth hits the ice for a home exhibition contest with the Minnesota Whitecaps this Sunday (Sept. 24) at AMSOIL Arena. Friday, Sept. 22 Team Korea at St. Cloud State, 6:07 p.m. CT^ Final 2016-17 WCHA Standings Lindenwood at (2) Wisconsin, 7:07 p.m. CT (NC) Conference Overall Rk (Natl Rank) Team Pts GP W L T SW % GF GA GP W L T % GF GA Saturday, Sept. 23 1 (2/2) Wisconsin 73 28 22 2 4 3 .857 110 24 40 33 3 4 .875 157 35 Lindenwood at (2) Wisconsin, 3:07 p.m. CT (NC) Whitecaps at (5) Minnesota Duluth, 4:07 p.m. CT^ 2 (3/3) Minnesota 65 28 19 4 5 3 .768 88 46 39 26 8 5 .731 124 69 3 (5/5) Minnesota Duluth 62 28 19 5 4 1 .750 82 47 37 25 7 5 .743 110 62 Sunday, Sept. 24 4 North Dakota 41 28 11 12 5 3 .482 62 57 38 16 16 6 .500 84 73 Team Korea at (3) Minnesota, 2:07 p.m. CT^ 5 Ohio State 28 28 7 16 5 2 .339 40 73 37 14 18 5 .446 69 82 6 St. Cloud State 26 28 7 18 3 2 .304 43 82 36 9 23 4 .306 61 113 Tuesday, Sept. 26 7 Bemidji State 25 28 7 18 3 1 .304 49 80 35 12 20 3 .386 67 90 Team Korea at (RV) Ohio State, 7:07 p.m. ET^ 8 Minnesota State 16 28 4 21 3 1 .196 33 98 37 7 26 4 .243 45 127 ^ - exhibition game (shootout win = 1 additional point; rankings listed by USCHO.com first, followed byUSA Today/USA Hockey Magazine)

HOME OF A RECORD 16 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 •2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2015 • 2016 TRADITION STARTS HERE 2017-18 WCHA Coaches' Poll #WeAreWCHA

Coaches Pick Minnesota as Preseason WCHA Favorite Tradition Starts Here

The coaches from the Women’s League of the Western Collegiate Hockey Leaders and Champions: With 16 national championships in its 18 years of existence - Association (WCHA) have picked the University of Minnesota to dethrone including 15 of a possible 17 NCAA crowns - along with seven Patty Kazmaier Memorial Wisconsin and win the regular season title of a league that has 16 national Award Winners, 95 All-Americans, hundreds of Olympic and national team members, championships in its 18 years of existence. and countless women inspired, the WCHA Women's League has become the nation's premier college hockey conference. Minnesota, which has competed in the NCAA Frozen Four for the past six seasons, collected four first-place votes and 34 points in the preseason poll of the WCHA’s seven head coaches. National Championships, Wisconsin, the two-time defending WCHA regular season champion (and 2000-2017 winners of three-straight WCHA Final Faceoff crowns), a Frozen Four participant the last four years and the 2017 NCAA runner-up, placed a very close second in The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Women's the coaches’ poll with 33 points and three first-place votes. Minnesota Duluth, coming off a 25-win campaign and No. 5 national ranking, and Ohio State, which League began play in the 1999-2000 season, before the improved by four wins a year ago and won a WCHA playoff game, tied for third sport was officially sanctioned by the NCAA. At the end of place with 23 points apiece. that season, competing under the United States Olympic Committee-financed American Women's College Hockey Bemidji State, with 14 points, was selected to finish in fifth place and St. Cloud State in sixth. Minnesota State was picked as the seventh-place finisher. Alliance (AWCHA), Minnesota won its first of a record seven national championships. Beginning with the inaugural National Ohio State redshirt-junior goaltender Kassidy Sauve, a second-team All-American Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey championship at the close of last season after setting the Buckeyes’ single-season saves record with 1,135 the 2000-01 campaign, teams representing the WCHA have (second-most in WCHA history), was the coaches’ preseason choice for league Player of the Year. Sauve, who ranked fifth nationally with an OSU-record .942 won 15 of a possible 17 NCAA titles. save percentage in 2016-17, received six of seven votes. Wisconsin sophomore forward Abby Roque, the 2016-17 WCHA Rookie of the Year with a league freshman-best 28 points, received the other vote. year team, League (Championship)

Minnesota forward Grace Zumwinkle, who joins the Gophers after being named 2000 Minnesota, WCHA (AWCHA) the 2017 USA Today High School Sports All-USA Girls Hockey Player of the Year and the Minnesota Ms. Hockey award winner, earned the coaches’ nod as 2001 Minnesota Duluth, WCHA (NCAA) preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year. Zumwinkle received four votes, beating out 2002 Minnesota Duluth, WCHA (NCAA) Minnesota Duluth forward Ashton Bell, Bemidji State forward Clair DeGeorge and Ohio State forward Emma Maltais (one vote apiece). 2003 Minnesota Duluth, WCHA (NCAA)

2016-17 WCHA Coaches' Poll 2004 Minnesota, WCHA (NCAA) Rank Team (1st Place Votes) Points 1 Minnesota (4) 34 2005 Minnesota, WCHA (NCAA) 2 Wisconsin (3) 33 3 Minnesota Duluth 23 2006 Wisconsin, WCHA (NCAA) Ohio State 23 5 Bemidji State 14 2007 Wisconsin, WCHA (NCAA) 6 St. Cloud State 11 7 Minnesota State 9 2008 Minnesota Duluth, WCHA (NCAA) (note: coaches could not vote for their own teams in the poll and points were awarded on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 system) 2009 Wisconsin, WCHA (NCAA)

WCHA Preseason Player of the Year (votes) 2010 Minnesota Duluth, WCHA (NCAA) Kassidy Sauve, RS-Jr., G, Ohio State (6) Others receiving votes: Abby Roque, So., F, Wisconsin (1) 2011 Wisconsin, WCHA (NCAA)

WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year (votes) 2012 Minnesota, WCHA (NCAA) Grace Zumwinkle, F, Minnesota (4) Others receiving votes: Ashton Bell, F, Minnesota Duluth (1); Clair DeGeorge, F, 2013 Minnesota, WCHA (NCAA) Bemidji State (1); Emma Maltais, F, Ohio State (1) 2014 Clarkson, ECAC (NCAA) 2015 Minnesota, WCHA (NCAA) 2016 Minnesota, WCHA (NCAA) 2017 Clarkson, ECAC (NCAA)

Week 1 (Sept. 20-26, 2017) @wcha___whockey @wcha___whockey /WCHAWomensHockey wcha.com #LeadersAndChampions 2016-17 WCHA Season in Review - News and Notes #WeAreWCHA

Celebrating Incredible Accomplishments The Next Level • Desbiens' Record-Setting Career: Fans of Wisconsin women’s hockey and the • International Stage: The nation's premier women's college hockey conference WCHA have had the privilege of watching Ann-Renée Desbiens fashion possibly continued to make its mark on international ice during the 2016-17 season. the greatest goaltending career in the sport’s history. Through 122 record- • Four Nations Cup: Twenty-nine (29) current or former WCHA student- setting games in a Badgers sweater, Desbiens kept pucks out of the net at an athletes, representing seven member institutions and all four competing historic rate, helped UW to tremendous team success and, with an equally countries, participated in the 2016 Four Nations Cup hosted by Finland. impressive commitment to academics and the Madison community, crafted a truly • The U.S. won its second consecutive Four Nations Cup gold medal remarkable legacy. with a roster featuring 13 WCHA players - including 2016-17 • Desbiens set NCAA Division I career records (regardless of gender) with 55 student-athletes Annie Pankowski (Wisconsin) and Lee Stecklein shutouts (topping the 43 by Minnesota's Noora Räty from 2010-13), a 0.89 (Minnesota). Team USA defeated Canada, 5-3, in the championship goals-against average (lower than the 1.09 mark posted by UW's Christine game behind three combined goals from former Badgers stars Hilary Dufour from 2004-07) and a .955 save percentage (besting the .947 mark Knight (2g) and Brianna Decker (1g). by UMN's Amanda Leveille between 2013-16). • IIHF Worlds: Forty-six (46) current, former or incoming WCHA student- • She holds NCAA Division I single-season standards (regardless of gender) athletes, representing seven member institutions and competing in the same categories, with 21 shutouts in 2015-16 (Räty had 16 in 2012- for all eight participating countries, skated in the 2017 IIHF World 13), a 0.71 GAA in 2016-17 (her 0.76 mark in 2015-16 was also a record Championships. at the time, topping the 0.83 by UW's Jesse Vetter in 2006-07) and a .963 • Led by the 13 who helped the United States win its fourth save percentage in 2016-17 (again, her .960 in 2015-16 had been the consecutive gold, 30 players with WCHA ties medaled at the 2017 record, breaking the previous mark of .956 set by Räty in 2012-13). Worlds, held March 31-April 7 in Plymouth, Mich. Nine members • Desbiens' scoreless run of 543:33 between Oct. 3 and Nov. 14, 2015 also of the silver-medalist Canadian squad hailed from the WCHA, while set a new NCAA D-I standard (men’s or women’s), and was nearly 100 eight Finns earned bronze. minutes longer than the previous record of 448:32 (posted by Vetter • UW's Hilary Knight lifted the inspirational "Be Bold for Change" during the 2006-07 season). U.S. squad to gold on home ice with a dramatic, championship- • She also finished her illustrious career ranked fourth among the all-time winning overtime goal. Her score, which came at the 10:17 mark, NCAA leaders with 99 victories and fifth with an .848 winning percentage gave the Americans a 3-2 triumph. Fellow Badger Brianna Decker (99-14-9). tallied a pair of assists in the gold medal game, part of a 12-point • Desbiens earned the 2017 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top tournament that earned her Most Valuable Player honors. player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey, becoming just the third • Decker, in fact, was a triple winner, earning one of three Directorate goaltender to win the award in its 20-year history. In addition to her NCAA Awards and, as the tournament’s co-scoring leader, was named to single-season records for GAA and save percentage, Desbiens led the the All-Star Team. Former Minnesota great Noora Räty, who led country with 29 wins, a .963 winning percentage (29-2-4) and 17 shutouts. Finland to bronze, was also given a Directorate Award and tabbed • The 2016 WCHA Player of the Year, she was a two-time first-team AHCA/ the All-Star Team goaltender. North Dakota standout Monique CCM Hockey All-American and a four-time All-WCHA selection (two first- Lamoureux-Morando was an All-Star defenseman. team nods, a third-team selection and an All-Rookie team member). • The final 2017 Women’s Worlds statistical leaderboard featured • Off the ice, Desbiens was a three-time member of the WCHA All-Academic several WCHA products. Decker led the tournament with nine Team and has been accepted into the Wisconsin School of Business to assists and tied for first with 12 points, while matching Lamoureux- begin her Integrated Master of Accountancy degree. Morando with a Worlds-best +11 rating. Hannah Brandt, a two-time • Sauve's Sensational Season: After missing the entire 2015-16 campaign following WCHA Player of the Year at Minnesota, was the top face-off artist double hip surgery, Ohio State redshirt sophomore Kassidy Sauve returned with a with a 70.2 percent success rate in the circle (33-for-47). Räty tied sensational 2016-17 season, earning second-team All-America honors. for the tournament lead with two shutouts, while ranking second • Sauve led the country with an Ohio State-record 1,135 saves (second- with 145 saves. most in WCHA history and the sixth-most in NCAA annals), while she was • Olympic Centralization: A total of 27 players with WCHA ties have been fifth nationally with an all-time Buckeyes-best .942 save percentage, sixth named to the 2017-18 Olympic centralization rosters for the U.S. and with 2098:20 minutes in net, tied for seventh with six shutouts and 16 Canadian national teams, respectively. Several other players, representing with a 2.00 goals-against average. Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and possibly Russia, are expected to be at • Her saves total, which bettered Lisa Steffes’ 2010-11 Ohio State mark by the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Korea. 50, was just three shy of the WCHA standard of 1,138, set by Minnesota • Fifteen (15) players -- including five that played collegiately in Duluth’s Jennifer Harss (a 2014 Olympian with Germany) during the 2016-17 -- are on the 23-player 2017-18 U.S. Women’s National Bulldogs’ 2010-11 NCAA tournament campaign. Team roster: Megan Bozek, D, Minnesota; Hannah Brandt, F, • Mowat Sets WCHA Saves Standard: Another All-America goaltender, Bemidji UMN; Dani Cameranesi, F, UMN; Brianna Decker, F, Wisconsin; State's Brittni Mowat, capped a fantastic career by establishing the WCHA record Meghan Duggan, F, UW; Amanda Kessel, F, UMN; Hilary Knight, with 3,620 collegiate saves. F, UW; Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, F, North Dakota; Monique • Mowat, who was a first-team All-American in 2014-15, surpassed the Lamoureux-Morando, D, UND; Gigi Marvin, D, UMN; Annie 3,590 saves compiled by former Minnesota State netminder (and current Pankowski, F, UW; Kelly Pannek, F, UMN; Alex Rigsby, G, UW; Mavericks assistant coach) Shari (Vogt) Dickerman between 2001-04. Maddie Rooney, G, Minnesota Duluth; Lee Stecklein, D, UMN. • She set the mark in impressive style, compiling three-straight, 30-save • Twelve (12) players -- including five that played collegiately in 2016- efforts in the 2017 WCHA quarterfinals as the No. 7 seed Beavers nearly 17, along with one incoming freshman -- are on the 28-player 2017- toppled No. 2 seed Minnesota in the best-of-three series. 18 centralization roster for Canada’s National Women’s Team: Emily • Stalder Leads Bulldog Resurgence: Minnesota Duluth standout Lara Stalder, the Clark, F, UW; Ann-Renée Desbiens, G, UW; Haley Irwin, F, UMD; WCHA Player and Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, became the Bulldogs' Halli Krzyzaniak, D, UND; Brigette Lacquette, D, UMD; Jocelyne first top-three finalist for the Patty Kaz Award since the 2007-08 season. Larocque, D, UMD; Meaghan Mikkelson, D, UW; Sarah Nurse, F, UW; • Stalder led the NCAA by averaging 1.60 points per game during her senior Amy Potomak, F, UMN; Sarah Potomak, F, UMN; Natalie Spooner, F, campaign, compiling 23 goals (tied for fifth in the NCAA), 33 assists (tied Ohio State; Blayre Turnbull, F, UW. for sixth) and 56 points (tied for fourth) in 35 games, along with a terrific plus-44 rating (tied for second). • The 2014 Olympic bronze medalist missed two WCHA games while helping her native Swiss qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics, then returned to lead UMD back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011, finish No. 5 in the national rankings and compile its best league finish since 2010-11.

Week 1 (Sept. 20-26, 2017) @wcha___whockey @wcha___whockey /WCHAWomensHockey wcha.com #LeadersAndChampions 2016-17 WCHA Season in Review - News and Notes #WeAreWCHA

The Next Level (Cont.) In the Classroom and In the Community (Cont.) • CWHL and NWHL Impact: WCHA alumni dotted rosters across the two women's • Hockey Humanitarian Award: Ohio State junior Lauren Spring and Minnesota professional leagues, with the league (and four of its institutions) represented senior Lee Stecklein were two of 15 nominees for the 2017 BNY Mellon Wealth on eight of the nine combined rosters for the Canadian Women's Hockey League Management Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented annually to college hockey’s (CWHL) and the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). finest citizen – a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only • Twenty (20) former WCHA players competed on four of the five CWHL to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in clubs: Calgary (7 players), Toronto (6), Brampton (4) and Montréal (3). volunteerism. • Nineteen (19) league alumni played across the four NWHL franchises: • Scholar-Athletes: A league-record 61 student-athletes, representing all eight Boston (5), Buffalo (5), New York (5) and Connecticut (4). WCHA Women's League member institutions, earned WCHA Scholar-Athlete • Both league champions were well-stocked with WCHA products. Awards for maintaining a GPA of 3.50 or above. Minnesota Duluth alumnae Emmanuelle Blais, Noémie Marin and • All-Academic Team: One hundred and fourteen (114) student-athletes, Caroline Ouellette all played for Clarkson Cup champion Les Canadiennes representing all eight WCHA Women's League member institutions, earned a spot de Montréal. A quartet of former Gophers (Megan Bozek, Jordyn Burns, on the WCHA All-Academic Team for maintaining a GPA of 3.00 or above. Amanda Leveille and Anne Schleper), along with Ohio State alumna Lisa • Postgraduate Scholarship: North Dakota senior Halli Krzyzaniak was awarded the Chesson, all helped the Buffalo Beauts win the Isobel Cup. 2017 WCHA Postgraduate Scholarship. • Minnesota Whitecaps and the WCHA: The Minnesota Whitecaps, an elite • For a wonderful example of the best of what college athletics can offer, women's hockey team made up of post-collegiate players, also had 22 former look no further than Krzyzaniak. One of college hockey’s top defensemen, WCHA players – from seven league schools – on its Minneapolis-based roster. a burgeoning star on the international scene with Canada’s National • NWHL Draft: More than half – 11 of 20 – selections in the 2016 NWHL Draft were Women’s Team, a dedicated student with a 3.92 grade-point-average, 2016-17 rising seniors, representing four WCHA schools. and an engaged community member both in Grand Forks and her native • Each of the draft’s five rounds featured at least one WCHA player Manitoba, she is an ideal representative of the University of North Dakota, chosen, while the first and third rounds saw three of the four picks the WCHA and the NCAA. coming from league schools. • Twice voted by her peers to wear the captain’s “C,” Krzyzaniak was a three- • Wisconsin led all NCAA schools with five players selected. time All-WCHA defenseman. She played in 139 career games, tallying Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth and North Dakota each had two picks 58 points on 14 goals and 44 assists. Most importantly, the blue-liner apiece. compiled a career plus-54 rating, helping UND to a 76-52-18 mark, four- • The full list: Lee Stecklein, D, UMN (Buffalo Beauts, 1st Round – 2nd straight berths in the WCHA Final Face-Off and a trio of season-ending, pick overall); Dani Cameranesi, F, UMN (Connecticut Whale, 1st national top-10 rankings. Round – 3rd pick overall); Ann-Renée Desbiens, G, UW (Boston • Krzyzaniak has also become a fixture for Hockey Canada during this time, Pride, 1st Round – 4th pick overall); Sarah Nurse, F, University of participating in the last two World Championships and 4 Nations Cup Wisconsin (Boston Pride, 2nd Round – 8th pick overall); Jenny tournaments. Recently, she was named to Canada’s 28-player 2017-18 Ryan, D, UW (New York Riveters, 3rd Round – 9th pick overall); centralization roster, moving one step closer to fulfilling a dream of Mellissa Channell, D, UW (Connecticut Whale, 3rd Round – 11th representing her country in the 2018 Winter Olympics. pick overall); Ashleigh Brykaliuk, F, UMD (Boston Pride, 3rd Round • While compiling a prestigious and ongoing athletic career, Krzyzaniak – 12th pick overall); Sydney McKibbon, F, UW (New York Riveters, has excelled academically. The three-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award 4th Round – 13th pick overall); Halli Krzyzaniak, D, UND (Boston recipient compiled a near-perfect GPA and graduated with a bachelor’s Pride, 4th Round – 16th pick overall); Amy Menke, F, UND (New degree in UND’s Honors program, while completing dual minors in York Riveters, 5th Round – 17th pick overall); Lara Stalder, F, UMD chemistry and communication. Following preparation for the 2018 (Boston Pride, 5th Round – 20th pick overall). Olympics, Krzyzaniak plans on obtaining a master’s degree, with the goal • Award Winners: The following WCHA alumnae earned recognition for their of attending medical school following her hockey career. Ultimately, she achievements in 2016-17: intends to become a surgeon specializing in orthopedics. • USA Hockey named Wisconsin great Brianna Decker as the Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year. More from the 2016-17 Season • Decker also repeated as NWHL Most Valuable Player after leading the • Every Rink, Every Night: Between a challenging nonconference slate and the league with 31 points, while Minnesota alumna Megan Bozek earned gauntlet of arguably the nation's premier conference, WCHA teams played D-I's Best Defender honors and St. Cloud State’s Katie Fitzgerald was tabbed toughest schedules, per the RPI Strength-of-Schedule ledger. Best Goaltender. • The country's top-five toughest schedules in 2016-17 belonged to WCHA • Of the 19 WCHA alumnae who played in the NWHL, 10 were All-Stars: teams, while the entire membership was in the top-16. Bozek, Courtney Burke (UW), Decker, Meghan Duggan (UW), Fitzgerald, • NCAA runner-up Wisconsin played the nation’s toughest schedule overall, Zoe Hickel (UMD), Amanda Kessel (UMN), Hilary Knight (UW), Gigi while Minnesota Duluth ranked second, St. Cloud State third, Minnesota Marvin (UMN) and Madison Packer (UW). fourth, Bemidji State fifth, North Dakota ninth, Minnesota State 14th and • The CWHL’s all-time leading scorer, Minnesota Duluth star Caroline Ohio State 16th. Ouellette reached the career 300-point milestone in December. Joining • Winning Hockey: Despite these tough schedules, six WCHA teams reached Ouellette as 2016-17 CWHL All-Stars were fellow Bulldogs Michela Cava, double-digit win totals, while half of league membership finished at .500-or-better. Haley Irwin and Jocelyne Larocque, along with Meagan Mikkelson (UW), • Wisconsin finished with the NCAA’s best winning percentage at .875 Natalie Spooner (OSU) and Kelly Terry (UMN). (33-3-4), while Minnesota Duluth ranked sixth at .743 (25-7-5), Minnesota finished seventh at .731 (26-8-5) and North Dakota was tied for 16th at In the Classroom and In the Community .500 (16-16-6). • NCAA Woman of the Year: Three WCHA student-athletes are among the • Continued Nonconference Success: The WCHA once again boasted, far and away, record 543 female college athletes nominated by member schools for the 2017 the best nonconference winning percentage in the country at .733 (31-10-4). NCAA Woman of the Year award: Halli Krzyzaniak (North Dakota), Lara Stalder • WCHA teams finished above .500 against all other conferences, going (Minnesota Duluth) and Lee Stecklein (Minnesota). Eight ice hockey players were 17-4-2 (.783) against teams from College Hockey America, 10-3-1 (.750) vs. nominated nationwide, including five from the Division 1 ranks. The NCAA Woman ECAC schools and 4-3-1 (.563) against Hockey East opponents. of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted • Seven (7) of eight WCHA member schools posted winning records in their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and nonconference play, while the only that didn’t was just short at 2-3-1 (and leadership throughout their collegiate careers. earned a win over a top-10 opponent). • CoSIDA Academic All-Americans: Minnesota senior Lee Stecklein earned second- team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for her combined performance athletically and in the classroom. • A two-time Academic All-American, Stecklein was one of just three ice hockey players on the Division I Women's At-Large Teams.

Week 1 (Sept. 20-26, 2017) @wcha___whockey @wcha___whockey /WCHAWomensHockey wcha.com #LeadersAndChampions 2016-17 WCHA Season in Review - News and Notes #WeAreWCHA

More from the 2016-17 Season (Cont.) Once Around the Rink • Statistically Speaking: The nation’s top scorer by total points (Minnesota’s Kelly • BSU: In addition to setting the WCHA record with 3,620 career saves, Brittni Pannek with 62) and points per game (Minnesota Duluth’s Lara Stalder at 1.60) Mowat graduated with program records in five other statistical categories: games hailed from the WCHA, as did the NCAA’s top goaltender (Wisconsin’s Ann-Renée played (134), minutes (7895:30), wins (62), GAA (2.05) and save percentage Desbiens) by save percentage (.963), goals-against average (0.71), wins (29), (.931). winning percentage (.886) and shutouts (17). The league was also home to the • UMN: The Gophers' six seniors, Dani Cameranesi, Kelsey Cline, Paige Haley, country’s saves leader (Ohio State’s Kassidy Sauve with 1,135). Schipper, Lee Stecklein, and Megan Wolfe, wrapped up their careers with two • Stalder led seven WCHA players among the top-20 in NCAA scoring (by national championships, an overall record of 133-17-11 (.860) and a WCHA mark points per game). Pannek was second at 1.59, followed by Wisconsin's of 91-10-11. Annie Pankowski (fifth at 1.53), Minnesota's Sarah Potomak (eighth at • UMD: The Bulldogs made their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2011 and 1.39), UW's Sarah Nurse (10th at 1.36), Minnesota Duluth's Ashleigh finished at 25-7-5 overall, the program's most wins since the 2009-10 national Brykaliuk (17th at 1.22) and UW's Emily Clark (19th at 1.18). champions (31-8-2). UMD's 19-5-4-1 league mark and third-place finish were the • Joining Desbiens among the NCAA save pct. leaders were UMD's Maddie team's most WCHA wins since 2009-10 and best finish since 2010-11. Rooney (fourth at .942), Sauve (fifth at .942), North Dakota's Lexie Shaw • MSU: The Mavericks' seven victories (7-26-4) were more than the program's (14th at .928) and St. Cloud State's Janine Alder (17th at .926). win totals from the 2014-15 and 2015-16 campaigns combined (6-61-5) and • The top-25 list by GAA included Desbiens, Rooney (10th at 1.65), UMN's represented MSU's highest single-season total since 2013-14. The Mavs snapped Sidney Peters (11th at 1.66), Shaw (12th at 1.68), Sauve (16th at 2.00), a 46-game WCHA regular season winless streak en route to four league wins, their Bemidji State's Brittni Mowat (24th at 2.43) and Alder (25th at 2.54). most since that same 2013-14 season. • 'Fill the Bowl' Sets U.S. Attendance Record: Wisconsin drew 15,369 fans for their • UND: The Fighting Hawks advanced to their seventh-straight WCHA Final Face- Jan. 14 “Fill the Bowl” game at the Kohl Center in Madison, making it the highest- Off on the strength of the WCHA's top-scoring freshman class. UND's Ryleigh attended women’s hockey game ever in the United States. Houston, Sarah Lecavalier, Alyssa MacMillen, Emma Nuutinen, Annelise Rice, • The Badgers defeated St. Cloud State, 2-0, in a game that outdrew NHL Abbey Stanley, Hallie Theodosopoulos and Abby Thiessen combined for league contests played that day in Florida (14,795) and Arizona (12,015). rookie-bests of 30 goals, 50 assists and 80 points. • Fabulous Final Face-Off: Annually the nation’s top conference championship • OSU: On the ice, the Buckeyes had two All-WCHA selections for the first time tournament, the 2017 WCHA Final Face-Off -- featuring Wisconsin, Minnesota, since 2013-14 in redshirt sophomore goaltender Kassidy Sauve (Second Team) Minnesota Duluth and North Dakota -- did not disappoint. and redshirt freshman defenseman Jincy Dunne (Third Team and All-Rookie • The four-team, three-game event to cap off the season featured three Team). Off the ice, junior forward Lauren Spring gave OSU its third-straight NCAA tournament teams, three teams that would finish in the top-five of nominee for the prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award (following Cara Zubko in the final opinion polls, five of the top-10 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award 2016 and Kayla Sullivan in 2015). finalists, seven All-Americans and at least 16 potential 2018 Olympians. • SCSU: WCHA All-Rookie Team goaltender Janine Alder set the standard for • Coaching Milestones: Two of the WCHA's legendary head coaches added Huskies freshman netminders, winning nine games and boasting a 2.55 goals- milestone victories to their résumés during the 2016-17 campaign, the league's against average, a .926 save percentage and three shutouts in 31 games. Her save newest bench boss enjoyed her first career win and another longtime coach percentage and goals-against average ranked third and fourth, respectively, for a added an important triumph as well. single season in program history and her trio of clean sheets tied for first. • Ohio State’s Nadine Muzerall enjoyed a successful first season as a • UW: En route to the national title game, the Badgers led the country in an Division I head coach, leading the Buckeyes to an overall four-win astounding 15 team statistical categories: wins (33), fewest losses (3), winning improvement (from 10-25-1 to 14-18-5) and a jump from seventh- to fifth- percentage (.875), goals scored (157), goals per game (3.92), goals allowed (35), place in the WCHA standings. A two-time All-American during her playing goals allowed per game (0.88), goal margin (+122), goal margin per game (+3.05), days at Minnesota and a four-time national champion as an assistant penalty kill percentage (.918), shots on goal (1,651), shots on goal per game coach with her alma mater, Muzerall made her head coaching debut Sept. (41.27), shots on goal allowed per game (18.95), shots on goal margin (+893) and 30 at RPI -- less than three weeks after being officially introduced at OSU shots on goal margin per game (+22.32). on Sept. 10. The Buckeyes scored three, first-period goals on opening night en route to a 4-1 road win. • With Wisconsin's 4-1 win Oct. 15 at Clarkson, Badgers head coach Mark Johnson became the first head coach in WCHA history – and just the third in NCAA National Collegiate (D-1) women’s hockey annals – to reach the All-Time Coaching Wins Leaders, 400-victory plateau. Having just completed his 14th season, the seven- time WCHA Coach of the Year is 428-78-39 (.821) in his illustrious career NCAA National Collegiate Women – all spent at his alma mater, UW. Minimum 10 years as a head coach at an NCAA National Collegiate school; • When the Gophers won 2-1 at Ohio State on Oct. 22, Minnesota head includes all victories as coach at a four-year institution. coach Brad Frost became the 11th bench boss in NCAA D-1 women’s hockey history to earn 300 wins (and just the third to win 300-plus all Coach, School(s) Years Won Lost Tied Pct. in the WCHA, joining Johnson and Minnesota Duluth’s Shannon Miller). *Katey Stone (Harvard 1995-2017) 23 451 208 46 .672 In 10 seasons, Frost has compiled a 319-53-27 (.833) mark to stand as *Michael Sisti (Mercyhurst 2000-17) 18 444 146 44 .735 Minnesota’s all-time winningest coach (ninth-most in NCAA D-1 annals). *Mark Johnson (Wisconsin 2003-09, 2001-17) 14 428 78 39 .821 • North Dakota’s Brian Idalski captured his 275th career victory – and Shannon Miller (Minnesota Duluth 2000-15) 18 383 144 59 .707 program-best 169th with UND – with the Fighting Hawks’ 3-2 triumph *Paul Flanagan (SLU 2000-08, SU 2009-17) 18 367 225 59 .609 over Ohio State on Feb. 18. Laura Halldorson (Colby 1990-96, UMN 1998-2007) 17 337 142 31 .691 • Fifteen Short Years: The 2016-17 season, sadly, marked the final one for the North *Jeff Kampersal (Princeton 1997-2017) 21 327 261 58 .551 Dakota women's hockey program. • On March 29, UND President Mark Kennedy announced the program was Heather Linstad (NU 1993-2000, UConn 2001-13) 21 322 289 81 .524 being eliminated due to severe budget cuts affecting the entire campus. *Brad Frost (Minnesota 2008-17) 10 319 53 27 .833 • The final game in program history was a 2-1 loss to Wisconsin in a Final Digit Murphy (Brown 1990-2011) 22 318 244 57 .560 Face-Off semifinal contest on March 4. UND's last victory came, fittingly, in *Bob Deraney (Providence 2000-17) 18 302 275 66 .521 front of the home crowd at the Ralph Engelstad Arena on Feb. 26 -- a 2-1, John Marchetti (PC 1981-94, Yale 1998-2002) 19 294 173 26 .623 overtime triumph over Ohio State in the decisive Game Three of a WCHA Rick Seeley (MC 2000-02, CU 2004-08, QU 2009-15) 15 278 174 56 .602 quarterfinal series. *Brian Idalski (UW-SP 2002-06, UND 2008-17) 15 277 177 50 .599 • North Dakota's 144 wins since opening night of the 2010-11 season were tied for the ninth-most nationally this decade (third-most in the WCHA). * denotes coached in 2016-17 • The WCHA and the entire college hockey community are left to mourn a Bold denotes coaches/coached in the WCHA program that, in just 15 short years, had produced three All-Americans (and Academic All-Americans), nine Olympians and 26 national team players, while appearing in two NCAA tournaments, becoming a fixture in the national rankings; and, had positioned itself for a long run of prominence.

Week 1 (Sept. 20-26, 2017) @wcha___whockey @wcha___whockey /WCHAWomensHockey wcha.com #LeadersAndChampions 2017 WCHA Postseason Tournament #WeAreWCHA

Quarterfinal Round; February 23-26 2017 WCHA Final Face-Off Best-of-Three, at Host Sites March 4-5 Ridder Arena; Minneapolis, Minn.

#7 Bemidji State 2017 UMN wins series, 2-0 #2 Minnesota

#2 Minnesota

R Minnesota Duluth wins, 2-1 (2OT) #3 Minnesota Duluth

#6 St. Cloud State

UMD wins series, 2-0 R #3 Minnesota Duluth

R #3 Minnesota Duluth 2017 WCHA Playoff Champion - Wisconsin Wisconsin wins, 4-1

#5 Ohio State

UND wins series, 2-1 #4 North Dakota #4 North Dakota

#1 Wisconsin Wisconsin wins, 2-1

#8 Minnesota State

UW wins series, 2-0 #1 Wisconsin

#1 Wisconsin

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First Round; March 11 2017 Women's Frozen Four at Host Sites March 17 and 19 The Family Arena; St. Charles, Mo.

#1 Wisconsin

Wisconsin wins, 7-0 #1 Wisconsin

Robert Morris #1 Wisconsin Wisconsin wins, 1-0

#4 Boston College

Boston College wins, 6-0 #4 Boston College

St. Lawrence 2017 National Champion - Clarkson Clarkson wins, 3-0

#2 Clarkson

Clarkson wins, 3-1 #2 Clarkson Cornell

#2 Clarkson Clarkson wins, 4-3

R #3 Minnesota Duluth

Minnesota wins, 1-0 Minnesota

Minnesota

2017 NCAA Tournament Notes About Minnesota Duluth • For the first time since 2012, the WCHA landed three teams in the NCAA • Minnesota Duluth returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since tournament: No. 1 seed Wisconsin, No. 3 seed Minnesota Duluth and 2011, while the Bulldogs hosted a quarterfinal round game for the first time Minnesota. since beginning their 2010 championship run. On the strength of a 25-win • For the fourth-straight year and 12th time in the event’s 17-year history, at season, UMD earned an at-large bid and No. 3 seed. least half of the Frozen Four was comprised of teams from the WCHA, with the Badgers and Gophers competing in the national semifinal. About Minnesota • Wisconsin continued the streak of having a WCHA team in every NCAA • Minnesota, which earned an at-large bid, made its record sixth-straight and National Championship game held to date (17-straight). 13th overall appearance in the Frozen Four. The Gophers participated in their 10th-straight NCAA tournament (15th overall). About Wisconsin • Playing its quarterfinal-round game on the road for the first time since • Wisconsin earned the tournament's top seed for the first time since 2012, 2011, Minnesota ousted WCHA foe Minnesota Duluth, 1-0. Freshman Patti while advancing to its fourth-straight NCAA Frozen Four (and 10th overall). Marshall scored the game's lone goal at the 7:54 mark of the third period, • The Badgers arrived at the title game after a pair of Ann-Renée Desbiens while Sidney Peters turned in a 25-save shutout. shutout victories, 7-0 over Robert Morris in the quarterfinals and 1-0 against • The Gophers fell short in their quest for a third-straight national No. 4 seed Boston College in the semifinals. championship, dropping a 4-3 decision to Clarkson in a Frozen Four semifinal. • Six different Badgers - Mekenzie Steffen, Sarah Nurse, Baylee Wellhausen, Minnesota scored once in each period, battling back three times to tie the Maddie Rolfes, Annie Pankowski and Emily Clark - scored in front of a game. However, the Golden Knights scored with 1:31 remaining in regulation. record crowd of 2,423 fans at LaBahn Arena to lift UW past the Colonials in their quarterfinal-round matchup, while Desbiens made 22 saves. 2017 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team • Senior Mellissa Channell scored with 17 seconds remaining in regulation to Forward – Annie Pankowski, Jr., Wisconsin give UW the dramatic win over Boston College. Desbiens again turned aside Forward – Genevieve Bannon, Sr., Clarkson all 22 shots she faced, including 12 in the first period alone. Forward – Cayley Mercer, Sr., Clarkson • Despite outshooting Clarkson 41-20, Wisconsin fell to the No. 2 seed Golden Defense – Mellissa Channell, Sr., Wisconsin Knights, 3-0, in the NCAA championship game. Defense – Savannah Harmon, Jr., Clarkson Goaltender – Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., Wisconsin

Most Outstanding Player – Cayley Mercer, Sr., F, Clarkson

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2016-17 WCHA Players of the Week

Date Offensive Defensive Rookie Oct. 5 Ashleigh Brykaliuk, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Kassidy Sauve, RS-So., G, Ohio State Ryleigh Houston, Fr., F, North Dakota Oct. 11 Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Brittni Mowat, Sr., G, Bemidji State Janine Alder, Fr., G, St. Cloud State Oct. 18 Sarah Potomak, So., F, Minnesota Lexie Shaw, Sr., G, North Dakota Emma Nuutinen, Fr., F, North Dakota Oct. 25 Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, Wisconsin Kassidy Sauve, RS-So., G, Ohio State Janine Alder, Fr., G, St. Cloud State Nov. 1 Dani Cameranesi, Sr., F, Minnesota Lexie Shaw, Sr., G, North Dakota Abbey Stanley, Fr., D, North Dakota Nov. 8 Kelly Pannek, Jr., F, Minnesota Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, Wisconsin Abby Roque, Fr., F, Wisconsin Nov. 15 Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Maddie Rooney, So., G, Minnesota Duluth Ryleigh Houston, Fr., F, North Dakota Nov. 22 Annie Pankowski, Jr., F, Wisconsin Katie Bidulka, So., G, MSU / Maddie Rooney, So., G, UMD Haley Mack, Fr., F, Bemidji State Nov. 29 Kelly Pannek, Jr., F, Minnesota Sidney Morin, Sr., D, Minnesota Duluth Nikki Cece, Fr., G, Wisconsin Dec. 6 Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, UW / Kate Schipper, Sr., F, UMN Kassidy Sauve, RS-So., G, Ohio State Abby Roque, Fr., F, Wisconsin Dec. 13 Emily Clark, Jr., F, Wisconsin Megan Hinze, So., D, Minnesota State Abby Halluska, Fr., F, Bemidji State Dec. 20 Lindsey Colman, Jr., F, Minnesota State Anna Keys, Jr., D, Minnesota State Abby Thiessen, Fr., D, North Dakota Jan. 10 Hannah Potrykus, So., F, St. Cloud State Janine Alder, Fr., G, St. Cloud State Jincy Dunne, RS-Fr., D, Ohio State Jan. 17 Emily Clark, Jr., F, UW / Lara Stalder, Sr., F, UMD Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, Wisconsin Jalyn Elmes, Fr., D, Minnesota Duluth Jan. 24 Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Alexis Joyce, Jr., D, Bemidji State Kayla Friesen, Fr., F, St. Cloud State Jan. 31 Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Lee Stecklein, Sr., D, Minnesota Alexis Mauermann, Fr., F, Wisconsin Feb. 7 Kate Schipper, Sr., F, Minnesota Maddie Rooney, So., G, Minnesota Duluth Abby Roque, Fr., F, Wisconsin Feb. 14 Baylee Wellhausen, Jr., F, Wisconsin Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, Wisconsin Abby Roque, Fr., F, Wisconsin Feb. 21 Emily Bergland, So., F, Bemidji State Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, UW / Sidney Peters, RS-Jr., G, UMN Chloe Crosby, Fr., G, Minnesota State Feb. 28 Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, Wisconsin Catherine Daoust, Jr., D, Minnesota Duluth Emma Nuutinen, Fr., F, North Dakota March 7 Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, Wisconsin Maddie Rooney, So., G, Minnesota Duluth None

2016-17 WCHA Players of the Month

Month Offensive Defensive Rookie October 2016 Sarah Potomak, So., F, Minnesota Lexie Shaw, Sr., G, North Dakota Presley Norby, Fr., F, Wisconsin November 2016 Kelly Pannek, Jr., F, Minnesota Maddie Rooney, So., G, Minnesota Duluth Abby Roque, Fr., F, Wisconsin December 2016 Emily Clark, Jr., F, Wisconsin Megan Hinze, So., D, Minnesota State Ryleigh Houston, Fr., F, North Dakota January 2017 Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, Wisconsin Jincy Dunne, RS-Fr., D, Ohio State February 2017 Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, Wisconsin Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, Wisconsin Sydney Brodt, Fr., F, Minnesota Duluth March 2017 Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, Wisconsin Maddie Rooney, So., G, Minnesota Duluth Mekenzie Steffen, Fr., D, Wisconsin

2016-17 National Accolades (WCHA Honorees) HONOREES Honor Player (Yr., Pos., Team) Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ann-Renée Desbiens (Sr., G, Wisconsin) USCHO National Coach of the Year Maura Crowell, Minnesota Duluth AHCA/CCM Hockey Division I All-America First Team Ann-Renée Desbiens (Sr., G, Wisconsin) Lee Stecklein (Sr., D, Minnesota) Kelly Pannek (Jr., F, Minnesota) Lara Stalder (Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth) AHCA/CCM Hockey Division I All-America Second Team Kassidy Sauve (Rs.-So, G, Ohio State) Jenny Ryan (Sr., D, Wisconsin) Sarah Nurse (Sr., F, Wisconsin) Annie Pankowski (Sr., F, Wisconsin) All-USCHO First Team Ann-Renée Desbiens (Sr., G, Wisconsin) Lara Stalder (Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth) Kelly Pannek (Sr., F, Minnesota) All-USCHO Second Team Lee Stecklein (Sr., D, Minnesota) Annie Pankowski (Jr., F, Wisconsin) All-USCHO Third Team Sidney Morin (Sr., D, Minnesota Duluth) Jenny Ryan (Sr., D, Wisconsin) Sarah Nurse (Sr., F, Wisconsin) Sarah Potomak (So., F, Minnesota) NCAA Women's Frozen Four All-Tournament Team Ann-Renée Desbiens (Sr., G, Wisconsin) Mellissa Channell (Sr., D, Wisconsin) Annie Pankowski (Jr., F, Wisconsin) CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team Lee Stecklein (Sr., D, Minnesota) WHCA National Division I Player of the Month (Jan. 2017) Lara Stalder (Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth) WHCA National Division I Player of the Month (Feb. 2017) Ann-Renée Desbiens (Sr., G, Wisconsin)

NOMINEES / CANDIDATES / FINALISTS Honor Player (Yr., Pos., Team) Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-3 Finalist Lara Stalder (Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth) Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-10 Finalist Annie Pankowski (Jr., F, Wisconsin) Kelly Pannek (Jr., F, Minnesota) Sarah Potomak (So., F, Minnesota) NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee Halli Krzyzaniak (Sr., D, North Dakota) Lara Stalder (Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth) Lee Stecklein (Sr., D, Minnesota) Hockey Humanitarian Award Nominee (Top 15) Lauren Spring (Jr., F, Ohio State) Lee Stecklein (Sr., D, Minnesota)

Week 1 (Sept. 20-26, 2017) @wcha___whockey @wcha___whockey /WCHAWomensHockey wcha.com #LeadersAndChampions 2016-17 WCHA Season in Review - Awards #WeAreWCHA Player and Student-Athlete of the Year Coach of the Year Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Maura Crowell, Minnesota Duluth Stalder, a top-three finalist for the 2017 Patty In her second season behind the Bulldog Kazmaier Memorial Award, was nothing short bench, Crowell engineered Minnesota of sensational this season on and off the ice, Duluth’s best campaign since the early part of helping Minnesota Duluth climb to No. 2 in the decade. After guiding UMD to a surprise the national rankings, compile its best league trip to the WCHA Final Face-Off in 2016, finish since 2010-11 and advance to the NCAA she brought the Bulldogs back to the league tournament – all while continuing to excel playoff championships in 2017 as the nation’s in the classroom and community. The senior second-ranked team – the program’s highest from Luzern, Switzerland finished second in perch since the 2010-11 season. Minnesota Duluth posted a third-place finish in the the conference scoring race with 39 points during league play, while pacing the circuit WCHA regular season standings with a 19-5-4-1 record, marking the Bulldogs’ highest with 18 goals and an outstanding plus-36 rating in 26 WCHA contests. The Bulldogs’ 19 finish since 2010-11 and most league wins since 2009-10. While playing one of the WCHA wins were the program’s most since the 2009-10 campaign; Stalder had a hand nation’s toughest schedules, UMD made its first NCAA tournament since 2011 and in the game-winning goal in 15 of those contests, scoring a league-high six on her own, finished at 25-7-5 overall – an NCAA-best 12-game improvement over 2015-16 and the while assisting on nine others. Overall, she led the NCAA by averaging 1.60 points per Bulldogs’ most victories since the 2009-10 national champions finished 31-8-2. game, while compiling 23 goals (tied for fifth nationally), 33 assists (tied for sixth) and a terrific plus-44 rating (tied for second). To top it all off, Stalder missed two WCHA games while helping her native Swiss qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Postgraduate Scholarship Halli Krzyzaniak, Sr., D, North Dakota Away from AMSOIL Arena, Stalder has maintained a 3.80 grade-point average in For a wonderful example of the best of what the University of Minnesota Duluth’s prestigious Labovitz School of Business and college athletics can offer, look no further Economics. A two-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and three-time WCHA than Krzyzaniak. One of college hockey’s All-Academic Team member, she is one of a select number in the school’s ReMAP top defensemen, a burgeoning star on the project that is engaged in analyses of various business in the Duluth area. international scene with Canada’s National Women’s Team, a dedicated student with a 3.92 grade-point-average, and an engaged Rookie of the Year community member both in Grand Forks and Abby Roque, Fr., F, Wisconsin her native Manitoba, she is an ideal representative of the University of North Dakota, Roque emerged at the top of a heralded the WCHA and the NCAA. WCHA freshmen class, pacing league rookies in several offensive categories to help top-ranked Following preparation for the 2018 Olympics, Krzyzaniak plans on obtaining a master’s Wisconsin repeat as league regular season degree, with the goal of attending medical school following her hockey career. champions. A premier playmaker who also Ultimately, she intends to become a surgeon specializing in orthopedics. excelled in special teams play, she led league rookies in WCHA play with 17 assists, 24 points All-WCHA First Team (the only freshman to finish in the top-10 Lara Stalder, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth among all league skaters), four power-play goals, seven power-play points and 85 shots on goal. She was also tops among her Kelly Pannek, Jr., F, Minnesota peers with 233 face-off wins and a .605 percentage in the circle. Roque also paced Annie Pankowski, Jr., F, Wisconsin WCHA freshmen in many of the same overall categories, with 20 assists (third among Lee Stecklein, Sr., D, Minnesota NCAA rookies), 28 points (tied for seventh), 0.70 points per game (10th), four power- Jenny Ryan, Sr., D, Wisconsin play goals (tied for eighth), 130 shots on goal (third), 359 face-off wins (second) and a Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sr., G, Wisconsin .607 percentage (fourth). All-WCHA Second Team Defensive Player of the Year Ashleigh Brykaliuk, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth Sidney Morin, Sr., D, Minnesota Duluth Sarah Potomak, So., F, Minnesota One of the Bulldogs’ co-captains, Morin was the Sarah Nurse, Sr., F, Wisconsin defensive backbone and veteran leader for a Sidney Morin, Sr., D, Minnesota Duluth Minnesota Duluth team that won 25 games and Halli Krzyzaniak, Sr., D, North Dakota advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. The senior from Minnetonka, Kassidy Sauve, RS-So., Ohio State Minn. excelled on both ends of the ice, tying for sixth among NCAA defensemen with a plus-34 All-WCHA Third Team rating, ranking eights with 0.65 points per game Katherine McGovern, Sr., F, Minnesota Duluth and tying for seventh with 24 points (16 assists Dani Cameranesi, Sr., F, Minnesota and a WCHA-best eight goals). She compiled a league defenseman-high 96 shots on goal in 28 WCHA games, while tying for third with a plus-26 rating and ranking fifth Emily Clark, Jr., F, Wisconsin with 14 points (6g-8a). Morin also helped the Bulldogs hold opponents to just 1.68 Megan Wolfe, Sr., D, Minnesota goals-per-game, good for second in the WCHA and sixth nationally. Jincy Dunne, RS-Fr., D, Ohio State Maddie Rooney, So., G, Minnesota Duluth

Scoring Champion All-WCHA Rookie Team Kelly Pannek, Jr., F, Minnesota Abby Roque, F, Wisconsin (14 goals, 30 assists for 44 points in 28 WCHA games) Ryleigh Houston, F, North Dakota Sydney Brodt, F, Minnesota Duluth Goaltending Champion Jincy Dunne, D, Ohio State Ann-Renée Desbiens, Jr., G, Wisconsin Mekenzie Steffen, D, Wisconsin (18 goals allowed in 1576:51 for a 0.68 GAA in 26 WCHA games) Janine Alder, G, St. Cloud State

Week 1 (Sept. 20-26, 2017) @wcha___whockey @wcha___whockey /WCHAWomensHockey wcha.com #LeadersAndChampions National Polls, Nonconference and Head-to-Head #WeAreWCHA

USCHO.com USA TODAY/USA Hockey Magazine September 18, 2017 (PRESEASON) September 19, 2017 (PRESEASON) Rk Team (1st Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll Rank Team, Points (1st place) Last Wk Record Top 10 1 Clarkson (10) 32-4-5 141 1 1. Clarkson, 183 (14) 1 32-4-5 1 2 Wisconsin (1) 33-3-4 128 2 2. Wisconsin, 169 (3) 2 33-3-4 1 3 Minnesota (4) 26-8-5 118 4 3. Minnesota, 155 (2) 4 26-8-5 1 4 Boston College 28-6-5 110 3 4. Boston College, 129 3 28-6-5 1 5 Minnesota Duluth 25-7-5 87 5 5. Minnesota Duluth, 116 5 25-7-5 1 6 St. Lawrence 26-6-4 65 6 6. St. Lawrence, 72 6 26-6-4 1 7 Cornell 20-9-5 49 7 7. Cornell, 71 7 20-9-5 1 8 Northeastern 22-12-3 28 10 8. Northeastern, 42 10 22-12-3 1 9 Quinnipiac 21-10-6 27 NR 9. Quinnipiac, 36 -- 21-10-6 1 10 Robert Morris 24-5-6 24 8 10. Robert Morris, 27 8 24-5-6 1 Others receiving votes: Colgate 16, Princeton 16, Ohio State 5, Others receiving votes: Colgate, 20; Princeton, 15; Harvard, 4; Boston Harvard 4, Mercyhurst 4, Boston University 3. University, 2; Mercyhurst, 2; Ohio State, 2.

WCHA Against the Rest (Final 2016-17) By Team vs CHA vs ECAC vs HEA vs Ind Total Bemidji State 4-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 4-0-0 Minnesota 2-0-0 0-1-0 1-1-0 0-0-0 3-2-0 Minnesota Duluth 0-0-0 2-0-0 1-0-1 0-0-0 3-0-1 Minnesota State 2-1-1 1-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 3-2-1 North Dakota 3-2-1 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 3-2-1 Ohio State 4-0-0 2-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 6-0-0 St. Cloud State 0-1-0 1-0-1 1-2-0 0-0-0 2-3-1 Wisconsin 2-0-0 4-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 7-1-0 TOTALS: 17-4-2 10-3-1 4-3-1 0-0-0 31-10-4 (.783) (.750) (.563) (.---) (.733)

By Site vs CHA vs ECAC vs HEA vs Ind Total Home 8-2-1 3-0-1 2-1-1 0-0-0 13-3-3 Away 9-1-1 7-1-0 1-1-0 0-0-0 17-3-1 Neutral 0-1-0 0-2-0 1-1-0 0-0-0 1-4-0 TOTALS: 17-4-2 10-3-1 4-3-1 0-0-0 31-10-4 (.783) (.750) (.563) (.---) (.733)

WCHA Head-to-Head (Regular Season, Final 2016-17) BSU UMN UMD MSU UND OSU SCSU UW W-L-T-SW Pts BSU --- 1-3-0 0-2-2 2-2-0 0-3-1 2-2-0 2-2-0 0-4-0 7-18-3-1 25 UMN 3-1-0 --- 2-2-0 4-0-0 2-0-2 3-0-1 4-0-0 1-1-2 19-4-5-3 65 UMD 2-0-2 2-2-0 ---- 3-1-0 3-0-1 4-0-0 4-0-0 1-2-1 19-5-4-1 62 MSU 2-2-0 0-4-0 1-3-0 --- 0-4-0 1-1-0 0-3-1 0-4-0 4-21-3-1 16 UND 3-0-1 0-2-2 0-3-1 4-0-0 --- 1-2-1 3-1-0 0-4-0 11-12-5-3 41 OSU 2-2-0 0-3-1 0-4-0 2-1-1 2-1-1 --- 1-2-1 0-3-1 7-16-5-2 28 SCSU 2-2-0 0-4-0 0-4-0 2-0-2 1-3-0 2-1-1 --- 0-4-0 7-18-3-2 26 UW 4-0-0 1-1-2 2-1-1 4-0-0 4-0-0 3-0-1 4-0-0 --- 22-2-4-3 73

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Head Coach: Jim Scanlan (4th season) Head Coach: Brad Frost (11th season) Record at BSU: 55-48-7 Record at UMN: 319-53-27 2016-17 Overall Record: 12-20-3 (7-18-3-1) 2016-17 Overall Record: 26-8-5 (19-4-5-3) 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0) 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0)

Beavers Gophers Bemidji State University University of Minnesota

• The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team gets an early • The No. 3 Golden Gopher women’s hockey team is slated to start to the 2017-18 season by hosting the Korean National unofficially open the 2017-18 season with an exhibition game Women’s Team, Wednesday, September 20 at the Sanford Center in against Korea this Sunday, Sept. 24. Admission is free, and puck drop Bemidji, Minn., for an exhibition. is set for 2 p.m. CT at Ridder Arena. • The Beavers return 15 letter-winners from a 2016-17 season that • Seniors Sydney Baldwin and Cara Piazza are serving as the Gophers’ saw BSU go 12-20-3 and finish seventh in the WCHA standings. co-captains this year. The duo was part of back-to-back national • Key returners for the Beavers include leading scorer, junior Emily championship teams their freshmen and sophomore years at the Bergland, who scored a career-high 16 goals and finished the season University of Minnesota, and they have helped the program advance with 25 points. BSU returns seven of the top nine scorers from 2016- to three-straight NCAA Frozen Fours. 17, including top defenseman Alexis Joyce, who is fourth on BSU’s • Head coach Brad Frost is back for his 11th season at the helm of the all-time defensemen scoring list with 58 career points. program with a career record of 319-53-27 in his first 10 seasons. • The Beavers bring in 10 freshmen to fill out its roster at 25 and hope • WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior, to see Clair DeGeorge and Lydia Passolt make immediate impacts. Minn.) leads Minnesota’s talented freshmen class, which also DeGeorge and Passolt both played at Shattuck St. Mary’s and were includes defenseman Emily Brown (Blaine, Minn.), goaltender Alex part of Team USA’s U-18 national team. Gulstene (Vancouver, B.C.), defenseman Olivia Knowles (Campbell • Puck drop between BSU and Korea is set for 7:07 p.m. The Beavers River, B.C.), and forward Taylor Wente (Maple Grove, Minn.). Junior get an official start to the season by hosting Syracuse University for forward Jackie Pieper (Edina, Minn.), who spent three years at a non-conference series, September 29-30. Merrimack College, rounds out Minnesota’s newcomers. • Minnesota returns 16 players from last year's team, which advanced to the program’s sixth-straight NCAA Frozen Four. The 26-8-5 Gophers fell in the 2017 NCAA Frozen Four semifinal after going 19-4-5 in WCHA play. • In addition to losing six seniors to graduation last spring, the 2017- 18 Gophers are without the services of senior Kelly Pannek and junior Sarah Potomak, who are currently centralized with the U.S. Women’s National Team and Canadian National Women’s Team, respectively, in preparation for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

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Head Coach: Maura Crowell (9th season) Head Coach: John Harrington (19th season) Overall Record: 136-88-14 Overall Record: 251-197-39 Overall D-I Record: 63-35-10 (4th season) Overall D-I Record: 10-55-8 (3rd season) Record at UMD: 40-28-6 (3rd season) Record at MSU: 10-55-8 (3rd season) 2016-17 Overall Record: 25-7-5 (19-5-4-1) 2016-17 Overall Record: 7-26-4 (4-21-3-1) R 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0) 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0)

Bulldogs Mavericks University of Minnesota Duluth Minnesota State University

• No 5 UMD will look to reload with the second-biggest freshman • Minnesota State enters the 2017-18 season after finishing 7-26-4 class in program history. Only the inaugural freshman class of the (4-21-3 WCHA) in 2016-17. The seven wins were more than the 1999-2000 season had more classified rookies in its line-up with 15 previous two seasons combined. (players that were labeled as freshmen). • Minnesota State’s 2017-18 captain is senior defenseman Anna Keys • The 2016-17 senior class accounted for 81 of UMD's 110 goals last and the alternate captain is senior forward Hannah Davidson. Keys season, averaging as a class 2.19 goals a game, as well as 21 game- is fifth all-time in points by a Maverick defenseman. Davidson leads winning tallies. The Bulldogs graduated their top four scorers in all current Mavericks in goals (18), assists (26) and points (44). forwards Lara Stalder (23-33=56), Ashleigh Brykaliuk (17-28=45) • The Mavericks return 21 players from the 2016-17 teams and and Katherine McGovern (17-17=34), and defenseman Sidney have added four freshmen and one transfer (Rebekah Kolstad). Morin (8-16=24). Minnesota State’s roster has 16 upperclassmen (7 seniors, 9 juniors). • Left to pick up offensive pace is senior Katerina Mrázová, who • The Mavericks begin play at Lindenwood on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, recorded nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 29 games last before returning home for their home-opening series against Robert year, as well as the youngest captain in program-history, Sydney Morris on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. Brodt, who notched 21 points in 35 skates as a rookie on eight goals • The Mavericks’ nonconference schedule includes meetings with and 13 assists. Swedish Olympian Michelle Lowenhielm will also Lindenwood, Robert Morris, Boston University and Northeastern. look for a breakout season in her final campaign with the Bulldogs Minnesota State will also play exhibition games against the after compiling 11 points (2g, 9a) in 37 games in 2016-17. Minnesota Whitecaps and the Korean National Team. • University of North Dakota transfer Ryleigh Houston will infuse new offensive life into the Bulldogs after ranking in second in scoring for the Fighting Hawks last season with eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points in 38 games. Freshman Ashton Bell, who spent time at Canada's Development Camp in August, is also expected to make a big impact on the Bulldogs front line, where seven total forwards will be rookies. • UMD lost the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Year for 2016 -17 in Morin, but retains the core of its backline with seniors Jessica Healey, Catherine Daoust (who ranked second among defensemen in scoring for the Bulldogs last season), and Linnea Hedin, as well as sophomore Jaylyn Elmes. • Junior redshirt Maddie Rooney is centralized with the U.S National Team for the 2017-18 season, but the Bulldogs picked up senior goaltender Jessica Convery from Mercyhurst to help fill the Rooney- sized hole. • UMD head coach Maura Crowell will begin her third season at the helm of the Bulldogs, where she is now 40-28-6 overall. After her efforts during the 2016-17 season, Crowell was named the USCHO Division I Women's Coach of the Year, as well as the the CCM/AHCA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year Award for 2017. Crowell was also crowned the 2016-17 Western Collegiate Hockey Coach of the Year after the Bulldogs finished third in the WCHA.

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Head Coach: Nadine Muzerall (2nd season) Head Coach: Eric Rud (4th season) Record at OSU: 14-18-5 Record at SCSU: 30-69-9 2016-17 Overall Record: 14-18-5 (7-16-5-2) 2016-17 Overall Record: 9-23-4 (7-18-3-2) 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0) 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0)

Buckeyes Huskies Ohio State University St. Cloud State University

• Kassidy Sauve was named the WCHA Preseason Player of the Year • After securing its best back-to-back conference finishes in seven last week. The redshirt junior started 36 of 37 games last year for the years last season, the WCHA coaches picked St. Cloud State to place Buckeyes on her way to finishing the season as the all-time single sixth in the league this year. SCSU finished sixth in 2016-17 with 26 season leader in saves (1,135) and save percentage (.942), as well league points and a 7-18-3-2 conference record. The Huskies have as being named a second-team All American, the first goaltender in equaled or bettered their preseason pegging in each of their first program history to earn that honor. three seasons under head coach Eric Rud. • The Buckeyes are hosting the Korean National Team for an exhibition • The Huskies welcome 12 new faces to their squad this season: nine match on Tuesday, September 26. freshman, two transfers from North Dakota and a redshirt from • Milica McMillen begins her first season as an assistant coach this last season, forward Dana Rasmussen. Joining them from UND year. McMillen formally played for head coach Nadine Muzerall at are sophomore forward Hallie Theodosopolous and sophomore Minnesota, and has now joined her staff here in Columbus. defender Abby Thiessen. Theodosopolous played in 36 games for • Sauve and Emma Maltais spent time at Canada's National Women's the Fighting Hawks last year and tallied four goals and nine points. Development Team Camp over the summer. Thiessen notched four assists in 35 games and was crowned WCHA Rookie of the week for December 16-17. • For the second-straight year, the SCSU women will be featured on Hockey Day Minnesota as the city of St. Cloud hosts the 2018 event. The Huskies will play outdoors at Eastman Park on the shores of Lake George on Saturday, January 20 at 1 p.m. against WCHA and in-state rival Minnesota Duluth. The contest will be televised live by FOX Sports North. This year marks the first time an NCAA Div. I women's hockey game will be played outside as part of the State of Hockey's state-wide celebration of the sport. • Sophomore forward Kayla Friesen came on in a big way for St. Cloud State during the second half of last season. After scoring four goals and seven points in the first half, she led the team with eight assists and 11 points over the Huskies' final 16 games. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native finished the season ranked No. 6 in points, No. 5 in goals and assists among WCHA rookies. • St. Cloud State returns 75 percent of its goals and 71 percent of its total offensive production from last season, including its top four goal-scorers and point-getters—junior forward Julia Tylke, Friesen, senior forward Alyssa Erickson and junior forward Hannah Potrykus—and six of its top eight scorers, overall. • Tylke led the Huskies with 12 goals and 20 points last season—marks which ranked No. 15 and tied for No. 26 in the WCHA. The Delafield, Wis., native enters this season as SCSU’s active career scoring leader with 44 points in two seasons. • After a standout rookie campaign in 2016-17, All-WCHA Rookie team honoree goaltender Janine Alder returns to backstop SCSU this season. The former Swiss Olympian and bronze medalist re-wrote the record book as a freshman. Her 2.55 goals-against average and .926 save percentage ranked fourth and third, respectively, for a single season in program history and her three shutouts tied for the most-ever in one season. Alder also heads into 2017-18 as St. Cloud State’s career leader in both goals-against average and save percentage.

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Head Coach: Mark Johnson (14 seasons) Record at UW: 428-78-39 2016-17 Overall Record: 33-3-4 (22-2-4-3) 2017-18 Overall Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0-0)

Badgers University of Wisconsin

• The No. 2 Badgers will take on Lindenwood in a non-conference battle at LaBahn Arena. Game time on Friday is set for 7 p.m., with the series’ second matchup starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday. • Wisconsin leads the all-time series against Lindenwood 13-0, and have outscored the Lady Lions 74-8. • The Badgers are coming off a season-opening exhibition game vs. the Korean National Team as the Badgers blanked Korea, 8-0, on Saturday night. Claudia Kepler and Alexis Mauermann each recorded a pair of goals in the triumph. • Wisconsin added 10 new faces to the roster, including eight freshmen, making this year’s squad one of the youngest teams head coach Mark Johnson has coached during his time at the helm of the women’s program. • For the first time since the 2001-02 season the Badgers will be led by co-captains. Kepler and Baylee Wellhausen will take the reins this season, and will be assisted by Sophia Shaver and Lauren Williams. • The Badgers have been stellar in Madison over the last two years, compiling a 38-1-2 record. Last season at home, Wisconsin sported a 16-1-2 record at LaBahn Arena and the Kohl Center, outscoring opponents 87-12. UW also has a 12-game home unbeaten streak, outscoring opponents 64-7. • The Badgers have been spectacular in regular-season games in September as UW is 13-0-1 in contests conducted in the month and they have outscored their opponents 91-11 during the month.

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