The buildup began today for the 2002 Frozen Four when coaches from the respective schools participated in a media conference call. This year’s Frozen Four takes place April 4 and 6 in St. Paul, Minn., at the XCel Energy Center, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, a stone’s throw from the University of Minnesota, one … Read more
For the first time since the inception of the 12-team bracket in 1988, the Division I NCAA tournament has a strict regionalized arrangement. Years ago, college hockey put in a series of bracketing rules in order to get away from regionalization, mandating, for example, that the bottom two seeds in each region should flip-flop with … Read more
The USA Hockey Foundation announced the three finalists for The 2002 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented by ChevronTexaco. The finalists are: Ronda Curtin (Roseville, Minn.), Jr., Minnesota Carly Haggard (Port Alberni, B.C.), Jr., Dartmouth Brooke Whitney (Snohomish, Wash.), Sr., Northeastern The announcement was made by USA Hockey Foundation President Walter L. Bush, Jr. and the … Read more
The winners of the 2001-02 WCHA women’s league awards were announced tonight at the annual WCHA Women’s Awards Banquet. The WCHA Player of the Year is Minnesota junior Ronda Curtin. The defender led the league in overall and conference scoring during the regular season with 45 and 38 points, respectively. The Roseville, Minn., native was … Read more
Three seasons ago, Minnesota had hit a low ebb. The storied Gopher program was coming off a second consecutive losing season; chemistry was, shall we say, less than perfect; and the team’s will to win was being questioned. Fortunately for new head coach Don Lucia, he had building blocks — including two named John Pohl and Jordan Leopold. And the rest, they may soon say, is history. Scott Weighart reports.
Current Minnesota coach Don Lucia opened the door to recruiting outside of the Gophers’ home state, and now a native of Austria is ready to bring his star to Lucia’s team.
Minnesota has reported to its compliance office a possible violation of NCAA rules. The issue is whether a visit by two longtime school representatives, violates provisions against people outside the hockey program itself from contacting recruits.
Minnesota might have the top returning talent in the WCHA, including the Defensive Player of the Year in Jordan Leopold, but the Gophers could be haunted by their finishes in big games. Can Don Lucia’s squad continue its return to prominence?
Dan Welch won’t return to school at Minnesota for the start of the 2001-2002 season, but Gophers coach Don Lucia is holding a spot for him — for a while. Welch, expected to join the Gophers after a year hiatus when he was academically ineligible, has not met the requirements to be reinstated in school … Read more
Minnesota women’s hockey senior goalie Erica Killewald has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and is scheduled to have surgery this week. Killewald was a member of the first recruiting class in the history of the Gopher women’s hockey program, and a key element in building the program. She was one of eight players honored … Read more
Minnesota assistant John Hill and Northern Michigan assistant Dave Shyiak are the two finalists for the vacant head coaching position at Alaska-Anchorage, according to athletic director Dr. Steve Cobb. The vacancy was created when Dean Talafous was fired last month, after five years at the helm. Cobb, chair of the three-person search committee, received at … Read more
WCHA assistant referee Jay Kleven has been suspended indefinitely by the league for two calls made during the Minnesota-North Dakota games last weekend in Grand Forks.
There was a point last season where Minnesota found out, all too clearly, that it may have been leaning on goaltender Adam Hauser. That’s when it all came crashing down. The Golden Gophers, on their way to home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, got smacked square in the face when they … Read more
The state of Minnesota is apparently down two collegiate players, as Shawn Roed of Minnesota and Matt Noga of St. Cloud State have decided to leave their respective teams, local reports indicate. SCSU senior center Noga has left the program for personal reasons, according to the St. Cloud Times. Noga, who missed last weekend’s series … Read more
Things are just not going well in Minnesota athletics, as far as academics are concerned. Less than a week after the report documenting improprieties in the Gopher men’s basketball program was released, hockey coach Don Lucia has suspended freshman forward Shawn Roed for missing classes and falling behind in course work, the Star Tribune of … Read more
Jenny Schmidgall, a former U.S. Olympian, has signed a letter of intent to play for coach Shannon Miller and her Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs this fall. According to the Duluth News Tribune, Schmidgall said, “Her hockey philosophy and mine were the same, and she made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. She’s looking for the best players … Read more
Don Lucia, one of the leading candidates for Minnesota’s vacant coaching position since former coach Doug Woog’s resignation last week, was named the Gophers’ 13th head coach at a press conference Friday at Mariucci Arena. This is Lucia’s third head coaching position. He spent six years at Alaska-Fairbanks, where he led his team to four … Read more
Following weeks of speculation about his job security after two consecutive sub-.500 seasons, Doug Woog stepped down Tuesday as head coach at Minnesota. “This is an end, and yet a beginning,” said an emotional Woog at an afternoon press conference at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. “It’s important for people to know it was a volunteer … Read more
The four schools which have participated in the first six years of the College Hockey Showcase have agreed to continue the event next year, and to keep the games at campus sites. Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin have participated in the Showcase, begun in an effort to highlight Big Ten rivalries in college hockey, … Read more
Minnesota’s defense sustained a major loss this week, as the Minnesota Daily reported Wednesday that Gopher defenseman Ben Clymer is set to sign with the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins, forgoing his final three years of eligibility. Clymer, a WCHA All-Rookie pick two years ago when he scored seven goals and 20 points 29 games, … Read more