Coming in 2021-22 2020-21 WCHA Women's League WEEKLY RELEASE 2020-21 SEASON REVIEW / wcha.com CONTACT: TODD BELL / O: 952-681-7668 / C: 972-825-6686 / [email protected] 2020-21 WCHA STANDINGS Conference Overall Rk (Natl Rank) Team Pts.% Pts GP W L T 3/SW GF GA GP W L T Pct. GF GA 1. (1/1) Wisconsin .750 36 16 12 3 1 2/0 62 25 21 17 3 1 .833 79 33 2. (4/4) Minnesota Duluth .708 34 16 11 5 0 1/0 50 23 19 12 7 0 .632 55 33 3. (3/3) Ohio State .667 32 16 11 5 0 1/0 43 32 20 13 7 0 .650 56 42 4. (6/6) Minnesota .632 36 19 11 7 1 0/1 62 40 20 11 8 1 .575 65 45 5. Minnesota State .333 20 20 7 12 1 2/0 38 56 20 7 12 1 .333 38 56 6. St. Cloud State .325 18.5 19 6 12 1 2/0 32 62 19 6 12 1 .325 32 62 7. Bemdiji State .208 12.5 20 2 16 2 2/1 24 72 20 2 16 2 .208 24 72 NOTE: For the 2020-21 season, points percentage will be used to determine the WCHA regular season champion. (3 points for a regulation win; 2 points for a 3-on-3 or shootout win; 1 point for a 3-on-3 or shootout loss; zero points for a regulation loss) (Rankings are USCHO.com followed by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine) FINAL HORN • Fifteen with WCHA Ties to Play for U.S. At IIHF World Championship: The WCHA will be well-represented at the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship • Wisconsin Wins Sixth National Championship: The Wisconsin Badgers put in May as 15 players with league ties are among the 25 players named to USA a cap on the 2020-21 season with the school's sixth national championship Hockey’s Women’s National Team that will compete at the 2021 IIHF Women’s as UW downed top-seeded Northeastern, 2-1, on an overtime goal by WCHA World Championship May 6-16 in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia. Player of the Year Daryl Watts. The title was the second-straight for the • The WCHA contingent includes three players who competed in the Badgers, who captured the 2019 championship in the last NCAA tournament league this season – Minnesota forward Grace Zumwinkle, Wisconsin played prior to this season. The win was also the 17th for the WCHA in the defenseman Natalie Buchbinder and her Badger teammate, forward NCAA championship game and the 18th national crown for the league overall, Britta Curl. WCHA alumni on the roster include forwards Hannah both of which are women's college hockey records. The Badgers' six national Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Amanda Kessel and Kelly Pannek of championships ties WCHA rival Minnesota for the most in women's ice hockey. Minnesota, Sydney Brodt of Minnesota Duluth and Brianna Decker, Minnesota Duluth stands No. 3 on the list with five national titles. Hilary Knight and Abby Roque of Wisconsin. • Watts, Zumwinkle Patty Kazmaier Top-3 Finalists: For the sixth time in league • WCHA alumni on defense include Minnesota’s Megan Bozek and Lee history, the WCHA landed multiple representatives on the Patty Kazmaier Top- Stecklein while former Badger goaltender Alex Cavallini is one of the Three Finalists list in 2020-21 as Wisconsin's Daryl Watts and Minnesota's three U.S. netminders. Grace Zumwinkle advanced to the final stage of the selection process. The • Wisconsin 2021-22 signee Caroline Harvey is also among the U.S. WCHA has now had at least one finalist for the top honor in women's college defenders on the final roster. hockey in 20 of the league's 21 years of existence. • WCHA to Welcome St. Thomas to the Fold in 2021-22: The 2021-22 season • WCHA Lands Five on CCM/AHCA All-America Team: The WCHA was will see the WCHA return to an eight-team circuit as the University of St. represented by five players on the 2020-21 CCM/AHCA Women’s University Thomas plays its debut season as a league member. A long-time power at Division All-Americans list in 2020-21. Senior forward Daryl Watts and senior the Division III level as a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic defenseman Grace Bowlby of Wisconsin were named to the first team while Conference, St. Thomas will be the first private school to compete in the WCHA senior forward Grace Zumwinkle of Minnesota and senior defenseman Ashton and the sixth Minnesota-based program. The Tommies ended their Division III Bell and junior goaltender Emma Söderberg of Minnesota Duluth received era with a 362-174-52 (.667) all-time record after posting its 21st-consecutive second-team recognition. The AHCA honors are the third for Watts (first team winning season during an abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. 2017-18 at Boston College and second team 2019-20 at Wisconsin) and the first for Bowlby, Zumwinkle, Bell and Söderberg. BY THE NUMBERS • Badgers Take Home Final Faceoff Title with OT Win: WCHA Player of the Year Daryl Watts scored twice in regulation and freshman Lacey Eden banged • 2,797: Career saves for St. Cloud State's Emma Polusny, a total which ranks home the game-winner 42 seconds into overtime to give No. 1 seed Wisconsin No. 13 on WCHA career list. Polusny is one of just 14 netminders to top the a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Ohio State in the 2021 WCHA Final Faceoff 2,700-save mark in league history. championship game at Ridder Arena on March 7. The win clinched the Badgers’ • 307: Blocked shots for Bemidji State's Tina Kampa, which ranks No. 4 on the ninth WCHA postseason title, all won during under head coach Mark Johnson’s WCHA all-time list. tenure, in Wisconsin’s 14th trip to the league title game. The championship is • 84: Career goals scored by Minnesota's Grace Zumwinkle, the 10th-most in also UW’s fourth in the last seven seasons. Golden Gopher history. • Julianne Bye Cup Goes to UW: Wisconsin earned its second-straight WCHA • 59: Victories in the last four Division III seasons for new WCHA member St. regular-season championship with a 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota Thomas (59-18). Duluth on the final day of the 2020-21 season. The extra-time victory pushed • 52: Saves by Minnesota State's Calla Frank against Ohio State on Jan. 22, the the Badgers' WCHA-record regular season championship total to nine and was top single-game total in the WCHA this season and the third-highest total in their fifth in the last six seasons (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021). the NCAA during the 2020-21 campaign. • 19: WCHA and NCAA-leading goals scored total for Wisconsin's Daryl Watts. • 16: Career power-play goals for Minnesota Duluth's Ashton Bell, the most among active WCHA players at the end of the 2020-21 season. • .930: Career save percentage for Ohio State's Andrea Braendli, which ranks No. 10 in WCHA history. HOME OF A RECORD 18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 •2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2015 • 2016 • 2019 • 2021 #WEAREWCHA | #LEADERSANDCHAMPIONS @wcha_whockey @wcha_whockey/WCHAwomenshockey FloHockey.tv /WCHAHockey WCHA QUICK FACTS #WEAREWCHA WCHA Mission Website ......................................................................................................................wcha.com Streaming Partner .............................................................................................fl ohockey.tv The WCHA exists to achieve the highest level of competitive excellence in an Headquarters ...........................................................................................2950 Metro Drive environment that supports the academic and personal growth of all student Suite 102 athletes. Bloomington, Minn. 55425 Phone ................................................................................................................. 952-681-7947 Email ...................................................................................................................pr@wcha.com WCHA Purpose Twitter ......................................................................................................@WCHA_WHockey Instagram .................................................................................................. @wcha_whockey The WCHA is dedicated to outreach, education and support of men’s and Facebook ......................................................................................... /WCHAwomenshockey women’s intercollegiate ice hockey competition in furtherance of the student- LinkedIn .............................................................................................................. /wchahockey athletes that participate and its Member institutions, all under conditions compatible with the objectives, functions, and responsibilities of institutions Founded ............................................................................................................................... 1999 of higher learning. The WCHA is organized for the purpose of continuing First Season .......................................................................................................... 1999-2000 and improving competition in men’s and women’s ice hockey, both among its Members and with other interested institutions of higher learning. This Commissioner ............................................................................................Jennifer Flowers Association will provide a forum in which the representation of the Members Phone ............................................................................................................... 952-426-4393 will meet periodically for the discussion of mutual problems, the elimination Email .......................................................................................................jfl [email protected] of misunderstandings, the exchange of information and the determination of policies and procedures for ice hockey competition among Members. Assistant Commissioner,