With the second biggest freshman class in program history, the University of Minnesota Duluth will hit the ice Saturday for its first official practice of the season. The Bulldogs are coming off a 25-7-5 overall record and 2017 NCAA Regional berth. UMD's first outside competition of the season will be against the Minnesota Whitecaps on September 23 at AMSOIL Arena. The exhibition contest will get underway at 4:00 pm.
REVAMPING THE ROSTER: While the Bulldogs certainly graduated a senior class that helped bring the program back into the NCAA tournament fold, UMD will look to reload with the second biggest freshman class in program history. Only the inaugural freshman class of the 1999-2000 season had more classified rookies in its line-up (15) (players that were labeled as freshmen).
The 2016-17 senior class accounted for 81 of UMD's 110 goals a season, averaging as a class 2.19 goals a game, as well as 21 game-winning tallies. The Bulldogs graduated their top four scorers in forwards Lara Stalder (23-33=56), Ashleigh Brykaliuk (17-28=45), Katherine McGovern 17-17=34 and defenseman Sidney Morin (8-16=24).
Left to pick up offensive pace is senior Katerina Mrázová, who recorded nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 29 games last year, as well as the youngest captain in program-history, Sydney Brodt, who notched 21 points in 35 skates as a rookie on eight goals and 13 assists. Swedish Olympian Michelle Lowenhielm will also look for a breakout season in her final campaign with the Bulldogs after compiling 11 points (2g, 9a) in 37 games in 2016-17.
University of North Dakota transfer Ryleigh Houston will infuse new offensive life into the Bulldogs after ranking in second in scoring for the Fighting Hawks last season with eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points in 38 games. Freshman Ashton Bell, who spent time at Canada's Development Camp in August, is also expected to make a big impact on the Bulldogs front line, where seven total forwards will be rookies.
UMD lost the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Year for 2016 -17 in Morin, but retains the core of its backline with seniors Jessica Healey, Catherine Daoust (who ranked second among defenseman in scoring for the Bulldogs last season), and Linnea Hedin, as well as sophomore Jaylyn Elmes.
Junior redshirt Maddie Rooney is centralized with the U.S National Team for the 2017-18 season, but the Bulldogs picked up senior goaltender Jessica Convery from Mercyhurst to help fill the Rooney-sized void. In addition to sophomore returner Catherin Johnson, UMD added freshman Hanna Markel to bolster its netminding group.
THE CROWELL ERA TURNS THREE: UMD head coach Maura Crowell will begin her third season at the helm of the Bulldogs, where she is now 40-28-6 overall. After her efforts during the 2016-17 season, Crowell was named the USCHO Division I Women's Coach of the Year, as well as the the CCM/AHCA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year Award for 2017. Crowell was also crowned the 2016-17 Western Collegiate Hockey Coach of the Year after the Bulldogs finished third in the WCHA and went 19-5-4.
PRESEASON PICKED: UMD was picked to finish third in the annual WCHA Preseason Poll by the league's head coaches earlier in the week. The Bulldogs and Ohio State both received 23 points in the poll.
