2007-08 Season Outlook
The 2007-08 edition of the University of Minnesota women's hockey team will look a little different on the bench this year. For the first time, a new coach will be at the helm of the program. After legendary head coach Laura Halldorson stepped down in August, a new leader emerged to take the reins. Brad Frost, who has been with the Gopher program since the 2000-01 season will take over as the head coach for the 2007-08 campaign. After serving as associate head coach in 2006-07, Frost seems a natural fit to step in as the leader of this team. He is committed to the program and maintaining UM's championship tradition.
"I want this to be an incredible and enjoyable season for our players," Frost said. "I want it to be a journey that they remember for the rest of their lives.
"On top of that, we obviously want to be very successful on the ice. Our goals are always the same when it comes to the end result. Only one team can win it all, but we certainly hope to be there in the end. It's important for our players to improve every day to become better hockey players and better people."
Frost will rely heavily on the senior class, especially captains Whitney Graft and Bobbi Ross. Ross was an assistant captain as a sophomore and captain the past two seasons. Graft is in her first year as a captain, but holds the work ethic and positive outlook that is embraced by her teammates. Overall, the senior class holds two USA Hockey Under-22 Team members (Erica McKenzie and Anya Miller), a three-year captain and two-time MVP (Ross), an Unsung Hero (Jenelle Philipczyk) and a captain and a GWH Award winner, given to the person that best represents the team and the integrity of the program (Graft).
"Our captains are great players, but more importantly they are great people," Frost said. "Bobbi obviously has experience being our captain and has done a nice job for us the last couple of years. She brings a positive outlook to our team. Whit is someone who came as a walk-on and has progressed into a leader. Our whole senior class is a group I am excited about because all five of them could wear the ‘C'. They all have won a national championship and know what it takes to get there and win it."
Forwards: Frost states that the Gophers' forward position is the ‘deepest Minnesota has been in his seven years.' Returning six of its top scorers, and with the addition of four freshmen forwards, the Gophers should pack some offensive punch. Four of the five competing at that position are seniors. As a junior, Ross finished second on the team in scoring with 35 points. She was UM's top goal-scorer with 19, eight of which were game-winners, and scored four on the power-play. One of the Gophers' best penalty-killers, Ross also scored four shorthanders.
McKenzie and Graft each tallied 26 points as juniors. McKenzie scored 11-15–26 while Graft netted 7-19–26. McKenzie, however, missed seven games due to a knee injury at the end of the first semester. The team hopes she can return to the top of the scoring categories in her final season, similar to her sophomore year when she was the WCHA Scoring Champion. Graft has increased her point production every season.
"Erica is the best goal scorer of the group," Frost said. "She's gained experience internationally with the Under-22 Team and is a natural goal scorer who can do great things. Whit Graft has progressed incredibly throughout her four years. She leads by example, works hard and will chip in some big goals for us."
Another senior returnee is Jenelle Philipczyk, who competed in all 36 games last winter and had 21 points (7g). Philipczyk was a major special teams contributor and was named the Unsung Hero her junior year.
The Gophers also return their leading scoring from 2006-07 in junior Gigi Marvin, who was named the pre-season WCHA Player of the Year by the league's head coaches. Following a stellar rookie season, Marvin produced a team-high 38 points as a sophomore. She ranked second on the team in goals (18) and third in assists (20), led the power-play unit with 21 points, and scored six winners. One of the biggest goals for Marvin came vs UMD in the WCHA semifinal when she scored in overtime to advance UM to the title game. Marvin was named first team All-WCHA and was a member of the WCHA All-Tournament team, and was a member of USA's Four Nation's Cup and World Championship teams.
Also back up front are junior Lindsay Block and sophomores Kelli Blankenship, Brittany Francis and Jaimie Horton. Francis led UM rookies with 30 points, was second on the team in assists with 21, and was named the team's most improved player. Blankenship had 9-6–15 and was named WCHA Rookie of the Week twice. Block and Horton played in all 36 games.
The Gophers will also add a highly-touted freshmen class at forward in Laura May, Terra Rasmussen, Jen Schoullis and Emily West. At Mahtomedi HS, May finished her career with 27 goals and 87 assists and was a four-year MVP. Rasmussen competed as a defenseman her senior season with Coon Rapids HS, scored 32 points, and was a top-five finalist for the Ms. Hockey Award. Schoullis competed with Shattuck-St. Mary's U19 Team for three seasons and finished her prep career with 269 points in 181 games. West competed with the Colorado Select Team and scored 76 points her senior year.
Defense: UM will have added depth and valuable experience on the blueline. Leading the pack are senior Anya Miller and junior Melanie Gagnon.
Miller had a career-high 23 (5g,18a) in 2006-07 and is a two-time member of the USA Under-22 Team. Gagnon returns with the most points by a defenseman, improving her scoring production by 16 points to 27 and earning third team All-WCHA honors. She is five-time Canadian Under-22 Team member.
The Gophers will also rely on another Under-22 Team member to help at the blueline in Rachael Drazan. After transferring from UMD in 2005 and sitting out in '06-07, Drazan will add depth to the corps. In 2004-05, she led all Bulldog defensemen with 5-14–19 and is a two-time USA Under-22 Team member.
"They all have tremendous experience at the college level, but more importantly they have international experience," Frost said.
Also returning to defense is junior Dagney Willey (36 gp, 4-10–14), who tied for second on the team with a +10 rating, sophomore Michelle Maunu (36 gp, 2-2–4), who was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team, and sophomore Alexandra Zebro (36 gp).
Goaltending: The Gopher goaltending will consist of junior Kim Hanlon, sophomore Brittany Krause and freshman Jenny Lura.
Hanlon is the Gophers' most experienced player. She sat out the majority of the first half of the 2006-07 season due to an ankle injury, started her sophomore season in December and posted an 11-7-0 record. She recorded three shutouts in 19 games.
Krause enters her sophomore season after seeing action in one game her rookie year (vs UND on Dec. 9). "That's probably the most unknown position on our team this year," Frost said. "Obviously Kim has played in a number of big games, Brittany has gotten a year under her belt and Jenny will compete for a spot."