The 2009–10 Western Collegiate Hockey Association women's ice hockey season marked the continuation of the annual tradition of competitive ice hockey among Western Collegiate Hockey Association members.
Preseason
Sept. 24:The Badgers are the preseason pick to win the Western Collegiate Hockey Association women's title, according to a poll of league coaches. Wisconsin went 34-2-5 last season en route to its third NCAA title in four years. The Badgers collected six first-place votes and 48 points in a poll of the eight coaches. Defending WCHA champion Minnesota, placed second with 43 points and two first-place votes. Minnesota Duluth, with 38 points, was selected to finish third. All three of those teams qualified for the NCAA Frozen Four last season.[1]
WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
Place
School
First Place Votes
Total Points
1
Wisconsin
(6)
48
2
Minnesota
(2)
43
3
Minnesota Duluth
(0)
38
4
St. Cloud State
(0)
29
5
Ohio State
(0)
23
6
North Dakota
(0)
20
7
MSU Mankato
(0)
16
8
Bemidji State
(0)
7
[1]
Preseason WCHA awards
Player of the Year voting
Player
School
Votes
Brooke Ammerman
Wisconsin
5
Natalie Spooner
Ohio State
2
Saara Tuominen
Minnesota Duluth
1
Rookie of the Year voting
Player
School
Votes
Brianna Decker
Wisconsin
6
Hokey Langan
Ohio State
1
Jennifer Hars
Minnesota Duluth
1
CIS Exhibition
Date
Location
NCAA school
CIS team
Score
Fri. Sept 25
Grand Forks, ND
North Dakota
Manitoba
ND, 3-1[2]
Sat. Sept 26
Columbus, OH
Ohio State
Wilfrid Laurier[3]
Tie, 1-1 (Ohio State scores in shootout)[4]
Sat. Sept 26
Grand Forks, ND
North Dakota
Manitoba
Man, 3-2[5]
US Olympic exhibition games
Throughout the season, various NCAA schools will play the United States Olympic Hockey team.
On September 25, Natalie Darwitz was named the Player of the Game for Team USA.
Date
Location
NCAA school
Score
September 25
Xcel Energy Center
WCHA All-Stars
6-1, US[6]
September 26
National Hockey Center
St. Cloud State[7]
USA, 13-0[8]
January 5
Madison, WI
Wisconsin
9-0[9]
January 12
Ridder Arena
Minnesota
8-5[10]
Box scores
Period
Goal
Assists
Time of Goal
1
Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej (USA)
Hillary Knight
1:56
1
Kerry Weiland (USA)
4:51
1
Monique Lamoureux (USA)
8:17
1
Caitlin Cahow (USA)
10:43
2
Molly Engstrom (USA)
4:11
3
Holly Roberts (WCHA)
5:03
3
Julie Chu (USA)
10:32
[6]
WCHA All-Star Team
On September 25, a group of WCHA All-Stars will play the US Olympic Team. The head coach of the WCHA All-Stars is Jeff Giesen from St. Cloud State. Assisting him are Maria Lewis from North Dakota and Heather Farrell from Bemidji State. The Athletic Trainer is Stef Arndt from St. Cloud State. The roster is as follows:
Position
Name
Class
School
G
Alyssa Grogan
Minnesota
So
G
Ashley Nixon
Jr.
St. Cloud State
G
Zuzana Tomcikova
So.
Bemidji State
D
Brittany Haverstock
So.
Wisconsin
D
Danielle Hirsch
Sr.
St. Cloud State
D
Kelly Lewis
Jr.
North Dakota
D
Jaime Rasmussen
Sr.
Minnesota Duluth
D
Shannon Reilly
Jr.
Ohio State
D
Anne Schleper
So.
Minnesota
D
Holly Snyder
Sr.
Minnesota State
F
Brooke Ammerman
So.
Wisconsin
F
Emmanuelle Blais
Sr.
Minnesota Duluth
F
Mallory Deluce
Jr.
Wisconsin
F
Laura Fridfinnson
Jr.
Minnesota Duluth
F
Jasmine Giles
Sr.
Wisconsin
F
Caitlin Hogan
Sr.
St. Cloud State
F
Christina Lee
Sr.
Minnesota State
F
Laura McIntosh
So.
Ohio State
F
Holly Roberts
Sr.
St. Cloud State
F
Natalie Spooner
So.
Ohio State
F
Emily West
Jr.
Minnesota
F
Alyssa Wiebe
So.
North Dakota
[11]
Regular season
Standings
November
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December
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January
January 14: Nina Tikkinen, a junior forward for Minnesota State, has been named to Finland's 2010 Winter Olympic Hockey Team.[12]
February
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March
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In season honors
Players of the week
Throughout the conference regular season, WCHA officials name a player of the week each Monday.
Week
Player of the week
10/05/09
Chelsey Jones, Minnesota[13]
10/12/09
Sarah Erickson, Minnesota
10/19/09
Emmi Leinonen, Minnesota State
10/26/09
Emmanuelle Blais, Minnesota Duluth[14]
11/02/09
Meaghan Pezon, St. Cloud State[15]
11/09/09
Raelyn LaRocque, Ohio State[16]
11/16/09
Holly Roberts, St. Cloud State
11/23/09
11/30/09
12/7/09
12/14/09
12/21/09
12/28/08
1/4/10
Felicia Nelson, St. Cloud State[17]
1/11/10
Sarah Erickson, Minnesota[18]
1/18/10
Natalie Spooner, Ohio State[19]
1/25/10
Carolyne Prevost, Wisconsin[20]
2/1/10
2/8/10
2/15/10
Holly Roberts, St. Cloud State[21]
2/22/10
3/1/10
3/8/10
Defensive players of the week
Throughout the conference regular season, WCHA officials name a Defensive player of the week each Monday.
Week
Player of the week
10/05/09
Jorid Dagfinrud, North Dakota
10/12/09
Zuzana Tomcikova, Bemidji State
10/19/09
Noora Räty, Minnesota
10/26/09
Jaime Rasmussen, Minnesota Duluth
11/02/09
Becca Ruegsegger, Wisconsin
11/09/09
Zuzana Tomcikova, Bemidji State
11/16/09
Anne Schleper, Minnesota
12/07/09
Noora Räty, Minnesota and Jennifer Harss, Minnesota-Duluth[22]
01/04/10
Chelsea Knapp, Ohio State
01/11/10
Becca Ruegsegger, Wisconsin
01/18/10
Zuzana Tomcikova, Bemidji State and Ashley Nixon, St. Cloud State
01/25/10
Noora Raty , Minnesota
02/17/10
Alli Altmann, MSU-Mankato
Rookie of the week
Throughout the conference regular season, WCHA officials name a Freshman player of the week each Monday.
Week
Player of the week
10/05/09
Brianna Decker, Wisconsin
10/12/09
Katherine Wilson, Minnesota Duluth
10/19/09
Minttu Tuominen, Ohio State
10/26/09
Noora Räty, Minnesota
11/02/09
Hokey Langan, Ohio State
11/09/09
Audrey Cournoyer, Minnesota Duluth
11/16/09
Mariia Posa , Minnesota Duluth
11/23/09
Megan Bozek, Minnesota
11/30/09
12/07/09
12/14/09
Megan Bozek, Minnesota
01/04/10
Mary Loken, North Dakota
01/11/10
Erika Wheelhouse, Bemidji State
01/18/10
Jessica Wong, Minnesota Duluth
01/25/10
Hokey Langan, Ohio State
02/15/10
Hokey Langan, Ohio State
Statistical leaders
Assists
Name
School
Assists
Points
Name
School
Points
Hokey Langan
Ohio State
51
Power Play Goals
Name
School
PPG
Postseason
WCHA tournament
Quarterfinals
Date
Time
Teams
Score
Notes
02/26/2010
7:00 PM
Ohio State at Wisconsin
OSU, 3-1
Natalie Spooner gets a hat trick[23]
02/27/2010
7:00 PM
Ohio State at Wisconsin
OSU, 4-3 (OT)
Buckeyes win series 2-0
Date
Location
Opponent
Score
Notes
Feb. 26
Ridder Arena
Minnesota vs. MSU Mankato
5-8
Feb. 27
Ridder Arena
Minnesota vs. MSU Mankato
3-4 (3 OT)
Emily West gets the game winner
February 27: After 3 hours and 47 minutes, Emily West scored at 1:16 of triple overtime to eliminate the MSU-Mankato Mavericks.[24]
Date
Opponent
Location
Score
Notes
Feb. 26
St. Cloud State
St. Cloud
0-3
Feb. 27
St. Cloud State
St. Cloud
2-1
End 14 game playoff losing streak
Feb. 28
St. Cloud State
4-1
Advance to first ever WCHA Final Face-Off
February 27: Bemidji State ends its 14 game playoff losing streak in a 2-1 victory over St. Cloud State.[25]
Date
Location
Opponent
Score
Notes
Feb. 26
Heritage Center
North Dakota
6-2
Emmanuelle Blais scores 4 goals[26]
Feb. 27
Heritage Center
North Dakota
3-1
Sweep series
Semifinals
Date
Location
Opponent
Score
Notes
Ridder Arena
Minnesota vs. Ohio State
Date
Location
Opponent
Score
Notes
Ridder Arena
Minnesota Duluth vs. Bemidji State
Finals
March 7: The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers 3-2 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis to win the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF playoff championship. It is the Bulldogs fifth WCHA playoff championship. This was their first postseason victory over the Golden Gophers since 2003. In addition, the Bulldogs lost three previous league playoff games against the Gophers at Ridder Arena.[27]
Date
Location
Opponent
Score
Notes
March 7
Ridder Arena
Minnesota vs. Minnesota Duluth
Minn Duluth, 3-2
Bulldogs fifth championship
NCAA tournament
March 8: Two teams from the WCHA will compete for the 10th NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship. The University of Minnesota will be the host school for the 2010 Frozen Four, to be held March 19 and 21 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. WCHA tournament champion University of Minnesota Duluth, and at-large selection Minnesota will be two of eight competing teams.
Minnesota Duluth (28-8-2) is seeded Number 2 and the Bulldogs will host the New Hampshire Wildcats (19-8-5) on Saturday, March 13 at 2:00 pm central standard time. The Golden Gophers (25-8-5) are the number 3 seed, and will host the Clarkson Golden Eagles (23-11-5), on March 13 at 4:00 pm central standard time. Minnesota Duluth won the Frozen Four for the first three years that the tournament was held (2001, 2002 and 2003). The Golden Gophers proceeded to win the next two Frozen Four tournaments (2004 and 2005).[28] Neither team has won since.
Record
Win %
R32
S16
E8
F4
CG
0–0
WCHA Awards and honors
Honor
Selection
Player of the Year
(Tie) Felicia Nelson, St. Cloud State and Zuzana Tomcikova , Bemidji State[29]
Coach of the Year
Steve Sertich, Bemidji State
Freshman of the Year
Hokey Langan, Ohio State
Student Athlete of the Year
Caitlin Hogan, St. Cloud State
Defensive Player of the Year,
Anne Schleper, Minnesota
Scoring Champion
Hokey Langan, Ohio State
Goaltending Champion
Noora Raty , Minnesota
WCHA First Team
Natalie Spooner , F, Ohio State
Emmanuelle Blais, F, Minnesota Duluth
Emily West, F, Minnesota
Anne Schleper, D, Minnesota
Jaime Rasmussen, D, Minnesota Duluth
Noora Raty , G, Minnesota
WCHA Second Team
Felicia Nelson, F, St. Cloud State
Hokey Langan, F, Ohio State
Holly Roberts, F, St. Cloud State
Laura Fridfinnson, F, Minnesota Duluth
Megan Bozek, D, Minnesota
Rachel Davis, D, Ohio State
Zuzana Tomcikova, G, Bemidji State
WCHA Third Team
Brooke Ammerman, F, Wisconsin
Caitlin Hogan, F, St. Cloud State
Montana Vicharek, D, Bemidji State
Stefanie McKeough, D, Wisconsin
Jennifer Harss , G, Minnesota Duluth
All-Freshman Team
Hokey Langan, F, Ohio State
Katherine Wilson, F, Minnesota Duluth
Brianne Decker, F, Wisconsin
Megan Bozek, D, Minnesota
Stefanie McKeough, D, Wisconsin
Noora Raty, G, Minnesota
WCHA all-academic team
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National awards and honors
Patty Kazmaier Award nominees
There are 45 nominees for the Patty Kazmaier Award. Ten of the nominees are from Western Collegiate Hockey Association-member teams.
Player
Position
Class
School
Nationality
Emmanuelle Blais
Forward
Senior
Univ. of Minnesota Duluth
Canada
Laura Fridfinnson
Forward
Junior
Univ. of Minnesota Duluth
Canada
Caitlin Hogan
Forward
Senior
St. Cloud State Univ.
United States
Hokey Langan
Forward
Freshman
Ohio State
Canada
Felicia Nelson
Forward
Senior
St. Cloud State Univ.
Canada
Noora Räty
Goalie
Freshman
Minnesota
Finland
Anne Schleper
Defense
Sophomore
Minnesota
United States
Natalie Spooner
Forward
Sophomore
Ohio State
Canada
Zuzana Tomcikova
Goaltender
Sophomore
Bemidji State Univ.
Slovenia
Emily West
Forward
Junior
Minnesota
United States
[30]
2010 Olympics
Active players
The following active WCHA players will represent their respective countries in Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics .
Former players
The following former NCAA players will represent their respective countries in Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics .
See also
References
Teams Venues Championships & awards Seasons