St. Paul, Minn. -- The 2008-09 MIAC Women's Hockey season begins this weekend with non-conference contests, conference games start on November 14. For the past eight seasons Gustavus and St. Thomas have each finished in the top three of the MIAC Standings. The Gusties and Tommies will again be the teams to beat in 2008-09, but strong squads from Concordia, Hamline, and Bethel could all be in the mix come late February.
Gustavus, four-time reigning MIAC Champion, returns 12 letterwinners from a squad that compiled a record of 25-3 overall and won the MIAC title with a record of 18-0 in 2007-08. The Gustavus seniors have helped the program post a record of 72-11-2 overall and 52-1-1 in the MIAC during the past three years. St. Thomas enters 2008-09 hoping to break Gustavus' conference championship streak by combining a tough defense with talented goal scorers. Junior All-American goalie Lauren Bradel keys the Tommie Defense, while senior Jackie Carroll will lead the team's forwards.
2007-08 third-place finisher Concordia, under the direction of last season's MIAC Coach of the Year Ace Gregg, will look to break into the top two of the conference standings. The Cobbers return the team's top five scorers and a talented pair of goalies from a year ago, but will look to find more depth at the blue line. Hamline will also be looking to make a move in the standings after finishing fourth the last two seasons. The Pipers feature a strong scoring punch in senior Kate Raasch and junior Melanie Leveille.
An outstanding senior class with great leadership qualities on and off the ice will anchor Bethel again in 2008-09. Seniors Bethany Murphy-Aultman, Sandra Felten, and Beth Spurrier all return with All-Conference credentials. St. Olaf will look to break back into the five-team MIAC Playoffs after missing out last season. The Oles return four of their top five scorers from a year ago including Katie Iraci.
Coach Brad Marshall's St. Catherine team will look to enter the MIAC Playoffs for the first time since 2001. A young, but experienced Wildcat team will be lead by junior Aryn Ball and sophomores Michaela Michaelson and Mel Gerten. A 23-player roster with only one senior makes Saint Mary's head coach Terry Mannor optimistic about his team's future. The Cardinals will have some strong goal scorers on the roster, but will need to shore up the defensive unit in order to compete with the elite teams in the conference.
The return of many key players and an infusion of new young talent will be featured on the 2008-09 Saint Benedict roster. Coach Pat Michaud's Blazers hope to turn the close games of a year ago into victories this season. Augsburg will look to make a move up the MIAC ladder in 2008-09. Three-time All-MIAC forward Tiffany Magnuson returns to lead the Auggies.
2008-09 MIAC Preseason Coaches Poll
Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (1 for first, 2 for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of lowest point total to highest with first place votes shown in parentheses.
1. Gustavus (9)
2. St. Thomas (1)
3. Concordia
4. Hamline
5. Bethel
6. St. Olaf
7. St. Catherine
8. Saint Mary's
9. Saint Benedict
10. Augsburg
2008-09 MIAC Playoff Dates: First Round (Thursday, February 26); Semifinals (Saturday, February 28); Finals (Wednesday, March 4)
Augsburg
Coach: Jill Pohtilla
Career Record: 164-138-26 (14th season)
2007-08 Finish: Tied 8th (4-11-3 MIAC, 4-16-3 overall)
| Augsburg Season Preview |
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There's a lot of optimism for the Augsburg College women's hockey team in 2008-09. The squad will be a young one, with just one senior and 14 underclassmen on the 20-player roster. And with a goal of returning to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs for the first time since 2005, head coach Jill Pohtilla has a simple promise for her team.
"I'm expecting this team to make the playoffs, and they're expecting to make the playoffs," said Pohtilla, entering her 14th season as the only head coach in Augsburg women's hockey history. "I have that expectation every year. What makes this year different is the attitude the players have brought in. We will be the hardest-working team in the league. You create your own luck, the harder you work. They want to be the best players they can be."
Augsburg is coming off a 4-16-3 overall campaign, 4-11-3 in MIAC play last year. But seven of the top 10 scorers from last season return, among a group of 12 returning letterwinners.
Forward Tiffany Magnuson (SR, Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy HS), the lone senior on the roster, stands just 12 goals away from the Augsburg career record for goals scored, 68 by Angie Rieger (1998-2001). With 56 career goals in 73 games over her last three seasons, Magnuson has emerged as one of the top scorers in the nation. Magnuson also stands fourth in school history for career points with 80 (56 goals, 24 assists).
Two-year starting goalie Toni Menth (JR, Buffalo, Minn.), an All-MIAC honorable-mention selection each of her first two seasons, returns for her junior campaign. Menth had a .912 save percentage and 3.44 goals-against-average last season, and has a 3.32 career GAA and .909 career save percentage.
Last year, Magnuson earned All-MIAC first-team honors for the third season in a row -- one of only three incoming seniors in the conference this season that can claim three straight all-conference first-team honors. This season, Magnuson is a definite candidate to become the ninth Augsburg women's hockey player to earn All-American honors in program history.
Full season preview: http://www.augsburg.edu/athletics/whockey/0809preview.html
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Bethel
Coach: Charlie Burggraf
Career Record: 17-26-5 (3rd season)
2007-08 Finish: 5th (8-9-1 MIAC, 11-12-2 overall)
| Bethel Season Preview |
The Royals have an outstanding senior class this year that possesses great leadership qualities both on and off the ice. These seniors have played a significant role in bringing the program into its current competitive position. Some of the seniors have developed a name for themselves, including two-time All-MIAC forward Bethany Murphy-Aultman (Sr., Grand Rapids, Minn.), who led the conference in points last season with 34; All MIAC forward Sandra Felten (Sr., Cashton, Wis.), who led the conference with 19 goals; and three-time All-MIAC goaltender Beth Spurrier (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.), who has 11 career shutouts. Miriam Paas (Sr., Toronto, Ontario) and Anna Baumgarten (Sr., Elmhurst, Ill.) have been significant contributors during their three years and look to add more senior leadership on the ice as well.
A host of returning underclassmen provide key assets the Royals will need in order to compete in a very tough conference. This includes Jenna Bullock (Jr., Buffalo, Minn.), Kassy Sullivan (So., Roseville, Minn.), and Stephanie Van Guilder (So., Roseville, Minn.), who are all tenacious competitors who add depth to the squad.
Coach Burggraf is optimistic that the incoming freshman class will provide both the offensive and defensive thrust needed to move the program forward. Anna Carlson (Fr., Roseville, Minn.) is a highly skilled defensive player with great puck handling and playmaking ability. Also joining her on defense is Rachael Geng (Fr., South St. Paul, Minn.) and Paige Lemieux (Fr., Fargo North, N.D.). Geng is a tough competitor and helped lead her high school team to a State Tournament appearance last season, while Lemieux is the all-time leading point scorer for Fargo North high school.
With this season being Spurrier's senior year, the Royals know that they must develop a goaltender to take over upon her departure. Nicole Jones (Fr., Cambridge/Isanti, Minn.) and Nicole Playter (Fr., Grand Coulee, Saskatchewan) both look to compete for time in front of the net.
"We have a great situation here. Bethel University is very committed to the success of the women's hockey program. This is evidenced in the quality of our facility and the way the program is supported by the parents, students, alumni, and fans," said Coach Burggraf. "This should be a fun year!"
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Concordia
Coach: Ace Gregg
Career Record: 19-23-4 (3rd season)
2007-08 Finish: 3rd (10-6-2 MIAC, 10-12-2 overall)
| Concordia Season Preview |
Concordia women’s hockey head coach Ace Gregg has steadily led the Cobbers up the mountain of the MIAC conference standings in his first two seasons on the job. After finishing just outside the playoff picture in 2006-07, Gregg led his charges onto the playoff mountain last season. For his efforts he was named the MIAC Coach of the Year. This year Gregg will be hoping to lead CC towards the very peak of the conference and a crack at the conference championship.
Gregg is optimistic as he enters his third season as head coach. He returns his top five scorers from last season and a pair of goalies that could be considered the two best team tandem in the league. The only question mark for Concordia as they enter the 2008-09 campaign will be on the blue line where the Cobbers have quality but lack the quantity that might be needed to survive the long conference winter.
Senior forwards Alyssa Dahl (Willmar, Minn.) and Bre Bian (Cedarburg, Wis.) will be the offensive leaders for the Cobbers once again. Both players had identical seven goal and 11 assist point totals in 2007-08. Dahl was named to the MIAC All-Conference Team and led the team in scoring in conference games. She had at least one point in 11 MIAC games and was tied for eighth in the league in assists in conference games. She will be helped by the fact that she is now solely concentrating on hockey this season. After combining volleyball and hockey in her first three years, Dahl will be more rested and in hockey shape once the season starts on Oct. 31. Bian led the team in assists in 2006-07 and has 21 assists in the past two seasons.
Brit Vander Kooy (Sr., Redlands, Calif.) will be counted to log many minutes of ice time as the team’s top defenseman. Vander Kooy was named to the MIAC All-Conference team last season after appearing in all 18 conference games and helping CC finish third in the league in scoring defense. She will also be an integral part of the Cobber special teams. Last year her presence on the penalty kill helped Concordia kill off 37 power play attempts during one stretch.
If championships are won with defense then Concordia should once again be at the top of the league. The Cobbers return a pair of outstanding shot blockers. Junior Maddie Haroldson (Sartell, Minn.) and sophomore Julie York (Bismarck, N.D.) have each proved they can carry the team on their shoulders when the offense is having a hard time finding the net. Both goalies played in at least eight games last year and both posted goals against averages under 2.40. Haroldson led the team in wins and logged over 800 minutes between the pipes. She has an impressive 2.35 goals against average in her career as a Cobber. York was named to the All-MIAC Honorable Mention Team in 2007-08 after posting a 1.50 GAA in her six conference games. She would have been third in the MIAC in goals against average and save percentage had she not suffered a concussion that kept from playing the minimum number of games to qualify for the statistical leaders.
Gregg also brought in a quality recruiting class that will help push the upperclassmen back up the conference mountain. One of the top newcomers will be Emily Sell (So., Williston, N.D.) who transferred to Concordia from the University of North Dakota where she played in 34 games as a freshman. Sell was the Miss Hockey award winner in the state of North Dakota in 2006-07 and is the all-time leading scorer in the state. Sell will be joined by nine freshmen who all have varied amounts of success in their high school careers.
The mix of playoff experience and youthful talent should help Gregg push Concordia back into the conference playoff hunt and hopefully another altitude level from their third-place finish last season.
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Gustavus
Coach: Mike Carroll
Career Record: 197-51-11 (10th season)
2007-08 Finish: 1st (18-0-0 MIAC, 25-3-0 overall)
| Gustavus Season Preview |
The Gustavus women’s hockey team returns 12 letterwinners from a squad that compiled a record of 25-3 overall and won the MIAC title with a record of 18-0 in 2007-08. Coach Mike Carroll will need to replace three of the team’s top four scorers, but he returns Mari Gunderson (Sr., Shoreview, Minn./Moundsview), who scored 17 goals and contributed six assists for 23 points, and All-Conference defender Kirstin Peterson (So., St. Paul, Minn./Hill-Murray), who added three goals and 15 assists for 18 points.
Joining Gunderson up front will be veteran forwards Melissa Mackley (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.), Lynn Hillen (Jr., Minnetonka, M inn./Holy Angels), Jessie Doig (Sr., New Prague, Minn.), Laura Hillman (Jr., Albert Lea, Minn.), and Christine Wicker (Sr., Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley). Mackley is the second leading returning scorer with four goals and 14 assists for 18 points. While Mackley was one of the top playmakers, Doig was one of the top goal scorers with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points, Hillen tallied seven goals and eight assists for 15 points.
Joining Peterson on the blue line will be senior Jenny Pusch (Minneapolis, Minn./Holy Angels), juniors Alyssa Saunders (Wayzata, Minn./Blake) and Claire Opsahl (Eagan, Minn.), and sophomores Kelsey Johnson (Stillwater, Minn.) and Sara Yungner (Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata). This group combined to register 18 goals and 50 assists last season, while anchoring a Gustie defense that led Division III in scoring defense allowing only 26 goals in 28 games (0.93 per game).
In the nets, the Gusties do not have a returning goaltender, but Coach Carroll is fortunate to have a trio of talented newcomers including Danielle Justice, an All-State honoree from State Champion Alexandria, Emily Klatt, an honorable mention All-State selection from Woodbury, and Osa Donovan, who played junior hockey with the Toronto Rattlers last year.
Coach Mike Carroll is hoping that his 12 returning veterans and a talented group of 11 newcomers will join together to help the Gusties claim their sixth consecutive conference title in 2008-09. Gustavus seniors Mari Gunderson, Jessie Doig, Jenny Pusch (co-captain), and Christine Wicker (co-captain) have helped the program post a record of 72-11-2 overall and 52-1-1 in the MIAC during the past three years.
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Hamline
Coach: Garnet Asmundson
Career Record: 40-75-12 (6th season)
2007-08 Finish: 4th (8-7-3 MIAC, 14-10-3 overall)
| Hamline Season Preview |
After two consecutive MIAC fourth-place finishes and first-round playoff wins, head coach Garnet Asmundson is ready to lead the Hamline University Pipers to the next level and compete for the MIAC championship in 2008-09.
Asmundson’s Pipers will have a new look on the ice this season, after graduating four key contributors from his 14-10-3 team last season. However, he has several players ready to step up and take control of Piper success this year in their absence.
Leading the Pipers will be a group of four captains who have shown that they know what it takes to succeed in the MIAC - seniors Brianna Miller (Woodbury, Minn.), Kate Raasch (Saint Paul, Minn.), and juniors Sophie Davidson (Saint Paul, Minn.) and Melanie Leveille (Appleton, Wis.).
Asmundson’s four captains will set the example for the younger Pipers about what it takes to fight for every puck in the MIAC. Raasch was second on the team in scoring with 19 points (13 goals, six assists), and is the lone 2007-08 All-MIAC first team Piper returning to this year’s roster. Brianna Miller will look for last year’s six goals and 10 assists to increase as she looks to close out her career on a high note.
Davidson spent her sophomore year adjusting to a move to defense where she was an All-MIAC honorable mention player. This year, having fully adapted, she should improve on the six goals and nine assists she tallied last year. Leveille was the leading scorer last year with 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) and may become a candidate for the MIAC leading scorer title this season.
Also returning this season is junior defender Mallory Steele (Rochester Hills, Mich.), a solid, hard-working player to help solidify the Piper blue line.
Replacing the points produced in the past by Mickelson and Dusold will not be an easy role to play, but Asmundson will look to sophomore Alli Miller (Fairbault, Minn.) for that task. Alli Miller scored 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in her rookie campaign, and now should see her numbers jump significantly as she has matured on the ice and becomes an impact player at the collegiate level.
Several new faces will climb over the boards on offensive lines and should make a smooth transition to the Pipers’ play. Rachel Deick (Edina, Minn.), a quick forward will join Miller in helping replace points lost to graduation. Jessica Kraus (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) will also be jumping in at the forward position.
Erin Kastner (Fairbault, Minn.), Megan Kramer (Owatonna, Minn.) and Brianna Sigg (Coon Rapids, Minn.) are three additional forwards who hope to contribute immediately. Kastner’s speed, Kramer’s physical play, and Sigg’s experience of success in the MSHSL state tournament will help round out Asmundson’s attack.
New players joining Davidson on Asmundson’s scoring defense will be Billye Nelson (Warroad, Minn.) and Jenna Scattarelli (Elk River, Minn.). Nelson’s versatility should translate into more points from Piper defenders this season, while Scattarelli has the ability to be an impact player immediately for Hamline.
In net for Hamline this year, Asmundson will look to have strong competition between returner Andria Pinkerton (Minot, N.D.) and sophomore transfer Amanda Plumm (Lake Elmo, Minn.). Last season, Pinkerton played 260 minutes in net, and posted a save percentage of .865 and GAA of 4.15. Plumm joins Hamline after spending a season at the College of Saint Benedict, where she played 606:29 minutes, posting a GAA of 2.97 and a save percentage of .918.
Overall, Asmundson’s first goal for the Pipers is still to make the MIAC playoffs, although the ultimate goal has changed in recent years as they have shown that they can compete with the best in the conference. The Pipers will be competing to gain a couple of extra days of rest heading into post-season play by finishing in the top three and avoiding the play-in game, and plans to with their deep core of veteran leaders and a class of impact-capable first-years.
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Saint Benedict
Coach: Patrick Michaud
Career Record: 6-33-7 (3rd season)
2007-08 Finish: 10th (4-12-2 MIAC, 4-16-2 overall)
| Saint Benedict Season Preview |
The College of Saint Benedict ice hockey team begins its highly anticipated season under third year head coach Pat Michaud. A year removed after starting the season strong, but not quite being able to close out many tight games last season, the team’s goal this year is giving that extra degree on the ice.
The Blazers will be led by many experienced players that return from a team that finished 4-16-2 last winter. Sophomore Abbie Helminen returns to goal, having had a .918 save percentage a year ago.
Sophomore forwards Holly Reinking and Gretchen Leyendecker performed well in their first year on the ice, and Michaud will be looking for them to step up even more this year. Senior forward/defense Stephanie Kendrick, and senior forward Patty King led the team in scoring with a combined 10 goals and 10 assists, while senior forward Ashley Davenport will also be seeing a lot of time on the ice this season.
The team will be getting help from a very talented first-year class that Michaud says will contribute to the depth and skill of the team. Goalie Lauren Herzog, forward Kerri Graske, and defenders Rachel Welz and Katherine Hansen are all very talented and should help elevate the level of Blazer hockey.
“All the teams have gotten better, but we feel that we have gotten a lot better,” Michaud said. "I think this is our year to be more competitive and make a major move in the MIAC.”
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St. Catherine
Coach: Brad Marshall
Career Record: 10-56-6 (4th season)
2007-08 Finish: 6th (6-10-2 MIAC, 9-13-3 overall)
| St. Catherine Season Preview |
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Last season St. Kate’s hockey coach Brad Marshall was working with 14 first-year athletes and the team just missed making the MIAC playoffs. Marshall hopes that year of experience will help the 2008-09 team as they aim return to the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
Leading the Wildcats in that quest will be a trio of returning MIAC award winners. Junior captain Aryn Ball, sophomore center Michaela Michaelson, and sophomore goalie Mel Gerten all received recognition for their outstanding play last season.
Michaelson led St. Kate’s in scoring last season with 12 goals and 21 total points. For her efforts she was named to both the MIAC All-Conference and the MIAC All-Rookie team. Ball was second on the team with 10 goals and earned MIAC Honorable-Mention honors. Gerten finished last season with a .926 save percentage. For her efforts she was named to the all-rookie team and also earned honorable mention honors.
While the Wildcats will be counting on their award winners to continue their high level of play, if they want to improve as a team they will need increased production from the rest of their lineup. That lineup includes 13 returning letter winners and eight new members of the team.
From the forward position Coach Marshall will be looking to senior Kaytlyn Mount, sophomore Jess Kniefel, first-year’s Cassie Rooney and Kelsey Abrahamson to improve the team’s offense and power play production.
Defensively the Wildcats are younger than last season, but have improved size and athleticism that they hope translates into increased production. Team Defensive MVP Meghan Lange is back to anchor a group that will include Jessica Feltes, transfer student Katie Lawler and first-year athletes Kayla Clafton and Bridget Braastad.
When looking at his team’s prospects for the 2008-2009 season Coach Marshall noted that “the players got a feel for what it was like last year. Now we are trying to start a new tradition of winning and are excited for the season to begin. We just need to play up to our potential and be more consistent from Friday to Saturday. If we can do that it should be an exciting season of Wildcat hockey.”
St. Kate’s opens their season on Nov. 6 against St. Ben’s in a non-conference game. Other highlights include a trip to Pittsburgh, where they will take the ice immediately after a Penguins game.
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Saint Mary's
Coach: Terry Mannor
Career Record: 25-41-9 (4th season)
2007-08 Finish: 7th (5-11-2 MIAC, 5-15-3 overall)
| Saint Mary's Season Preview |
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The Saint Mary’s University women’s hockey team found themselves in an unfamiliar position at the end of last season — on the outside of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs looking in.
And coach Terry Mannor and the Cardinals didn’t like the view.
With a roster that included 12 freshmen, Mannor is writing off last season’s 5-15-3 overall record — and the team’s absence from the MIAC playoffs for the first team in the eight-year history of the five-team conference tournament — as a learning experience.
And Mannor is certain his Cardinals have learned their lesson — the hard way.
“We haven’t really talked all that much about last year, but I’m sure it’s in the back of everyone’s mind,” admitted Mannor, who’s in his fourth season as the Cardinals’ head coach. “Last year was a frustrating year — we lost some games we probably should have won; we didn’t compete in some games the way we were capable, and that probably cost us a win or two as well.
“But you can’t really afford to dwell on what happened last year, that’s in the past,” Mannor added. “Our goal is to focus on the present and to control the things that we can control — and that’s how we play on the ice.
“If we can do that, hopefully success finds us.”
One nice thing about having a roster filled predominantly with freshmen, is that the following season, they are a year older, not to mention a year more experienced — and a year more mature.
“Our maturity level this year is vastly improved over last year,” said Mannor, whose 23-player roster this season includes just one senior — Lexi Bohlinger (St. Clair Shores, Mich.). “We’re going to be young again in terms of our grade level, but most of these players played last year, so we’re not as inexperienced as it may seem.”
Offensively, the Cardinals return three of their top four scorers, led by MIAC honorable-mention selection Katie Cachey (Orland Park, Ill.), who scored five goals and added five assists for 10 points. Ingrid Klockars (Wheaton, Ill. / 7 goals, 2 assists, 9 points) and Jamie Henneman (Countryside, Ill. / 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points) also return for the Cardinals, who scored 44 goals a year ago — including 30 by players returning for another go-around this season.
That’s the good news.
The not-so-good news?
SMU will be without four-year letterwinner and two-time captain Val Rodriguez, as well as goalies Brittany Lemke and Jessie Smith, who combined to play all but 136 of the team’s 1,394 minutes and post a combined 3.42 goals-against-average and an .892 save percentage.
In other words, putting the puck in their opponent’s net isn’t Mannor’s No. 1 concern — keeping the puck out of their own net is.
“Goaltending is definitely a concern right now,” said Mannor, who will be looking to Emily Fried# (La Crescent, Minn.) — who played in just four games a year ago — and newcomers Madeline Lenz (White Bear Lake, Minn.) and Erin Johnson-Buscemi (Medina, Minn.) — to share the load. “The potential is there with all three (goalies), the key is bringing that potential out.”
“I like what I’ve seen thus far,” said Mannor, whose team kicks off its season on Nov. 1, traveling to UW-Eau Claire for a nonconference game. “Where will we be at the end of the season? I don’t know for sure. The league, top-to-bottom has improved dramatically — ourselves included — so it’s going to be a dogfight for one of those five (MIAC playoff) spots.
“Hopefully when all is said and done, we’re one of those top five.”
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St. Olaf
Coach: John Bazzachini
Career Record: 36-40-2 (4th season)
2007-08 Finish: Tied 8th (5-12-1 MIAC, 8-16-1 overall)
| St. Olaf Season Preview |
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The St. Olaf women's hockey team returns four of its top five scorers in hopes of returning to the postseason.
The Oles, who missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2002-03, played in their share of close games last winter. Overall the team was 4-6-1 in those decided by two or less. In MIAC play, where the team lost nine of its last ten, the Oles were just 1-6-1 in those close games.
A combination of added scoring punch and consistent goaltending will be needed if the team can get back to the postseason. Head coach John Bazzachini, in his fourth season, hopes that his team has the right mix.
Katie Iraci is back to lead the forwards, a group that must deal with the graduation of Katie Bennett (10 goals, 15 assists in 2007-08) and Laura Wild (four goals, eight assists). Iraci had a breakout first year campaign in 2007-08, collecting a team-high 12 goals and seven assists. Her 11 tallies in conference play ranked third in the MIAC and her 16 points were second among first years and 11th overall.
St. Olaf also returns junior Kari McClintick, one of the Oles best passing forwards. She had 13 assists and a pair of goals last season after getting 16 assists in her first campaign.
Sophomore Meghan Stumpf and junior Kayla Hill had solid seasons last year, and could bear some of the scoring load in 2008-09. Stumpf had six goals and eight assists in her rookie season.
Senior Melissa Sailor is back as well. Sailor played defense most of 07-08, but has moved back to forward for her final campaign. She has 11 goals in 76 career games.
The most proven newcomer, Lauren Tomford, lands at St. Olaf via Hamilton College. Tomford had two solid seasons at Hamliton, scoring a combined 29 goals in her first two seasons before transferring to St. Olaf for 2008-09.
First year Kelly Biddle will likely be in the mix as well.
Kim McClintick will help solidify the defensive unit, with a track record of providing offense in the process. McClintick had team-highs for game-winners and power-play tallies in her nine-goal, ten-assists 2007-08 season. She also did her best to stay out of the box, taking only four penalties.
Joining McClintick will be senior Anna Messerly, junior Taylor David and Carolyn Sneep.
First year Kristen Latta, a two-time all-conference pick, will help the group as well.
Sporadic goaltending was a nemesis of last winter's team, but the addition of Jessica Ptachick and the return of Erin McNamara and Corbin Ruiz will, hopefully, alleviate the situation.
Ptachick comes via Division I Bemidji State, where she went 1-0-0 with a 1.88 GAA in four games as a first year in 2006-07.
McNamara saw the most action for St. Olaf last season, going 4-8-1 with a 3.34 GAA in 14 games. Ruiz played seven times, going 3-3-0 with a 3.57 GAA.
St. Olaf opens play on Nov. 7 at Concordia University-Wisconsin and at UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 8. The Oles' MIAC opening series is a home-and-home with the College of Saint Benedict Nov. 14-15.
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St. Thomas
Coach: Tom Palkowski
Career Record: 21-6-0 (2nd season)
2007-08 Finish: 2nd (14-4-0 MIAC, 21-6-0 overall)
| St. Thomas Season Preview |
Coach Tom Palkowski's Tommies just missed a spot in the Division III preseason top 10 poll as they received the 11th most points in the voting. UST set a school record for wins in a 21-6 finish in 2007-08 but graduated three seniors, led by forward Ashley Reinhardt (Career: 50 goals, 63 assists).
UST is led by junior All-American goalie Lauren Bradel, who finished 17-5 last season and ranked in the top eight nationally in both save percentage (.945) and GAA (1.32). St. Thomas held foes to two or less goals in 22 of 27 games. In 10 road games last year vs. MIAC teams, UST allowed just seven goals (one empty net). In 39 career games, Bradel is 26-11 with a 1.69 GAA, a .932 save percentage and 11 shutouts.
Senior Jackie Carroll (50 goals, 53 assists in 81 career games) leads the returning forwards. The defense looks strong with the return of Bradel and three other All-MIAC honorees -- senior Alicia Behr and juniors Kristine Beese and Jenny Schnaible. St. Thomas led all Division III teams last season in penalty kills at 94.3%.
St. Thomas' 24-player roster includes 15 returners, eight freshmen and sophomore transfer Amy Zimniewicz of St. Mary's (team-best seven goals, five assists in 2007-08). Other top newcomers include forward Jamie Tiede of Sioux Falls and defenders Jaci Lang of St. Cloud Tech and Meghan Parker of Henry Sibley.
UST expects to again battle Gustavus for the championship. Over the last five seasons, Gustavus is 10-4-1 vs. St. Thomas and 85-0 against the other MIAC teams. Eleven of the last 18 Tommie-Gustie meetings have been decided by one-goal or ended in a tie. The Toms reached the conference playoff finals in each of the last six years. They won one title, and placed second five times -- all one-goal losses to Gustavus (two in overtime).
St. Thomas starts its 2008-09 season Nov. 2 with a 2 p.m. home match vs. Adrian (Mich.) at Saint Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights. In their first five seasons on home ice there, the Tommie women are 48-11-2.
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