St. Thomas netminder Calla Frank is that type of player as she not only is pursuing her dream of being an airline pilot, but she’s also trying to help fly the Tommies to a WCHA championship.

As different as those two jobs may be, Frank said they complement each other well and they help her stay mentally sharp.

“I noticed with being a goalie and being a pilot, mentally, they’re very similar,” Frank said. “In a game as a goalie, you’re the last line of defense. The score kind of depends on you. If you make a mistake, it goes up on the scoreboard. Also, as a pilot, if you make a mistake, you’re going down if something really bad were to happen. So, they’re very similar mentally, and I was able to, throughout my career learning as a pilot, to take those lessons I’ve learned from hockey and flying and kind of implement them into each other.”

“You’ve got to be mentally clear most of the time because things are going to happen and you’ve got to stay sharp mentally. And same thing as a pilot. If things don’t go the way you’re expecting, you’ve got to be quick and react and make that next move. One of the focal points of flying is always making sure you’re ahead of the airplane. Making sure that your tasks are done, so you’re not overworking yourself and falling behind. And same thing when you’re a goalie, stay ahead of the play.”

Calla Frank eyes the puck in last season’s Hall of Fame game against Minnesota State. (Photo courtesy of University of St. Thomas)

All in the family
Frank said that being a pilot is a “family thing” as her grandpa was her first flight instructor and her dad was also a pilot. She picked up her private pilot’s license right before she started her freshman year of college.

“You get a whole different perspective of the world than just being on the ground,” she said. “It’s really cool to go flying and you’re looking at stuff out the window, and I’d never see that if I wasn’t flying. It’s just a lot of fun. I enjoy it a lot.”

In addition to helping her enjoy flying, Frank’s dad also got her to become a goaltender after testing her at home.

“So, when I was 8 (years old), I first noticed the (goalie) pads and I thought that was pretty cool,” she said. “Then they let me put them on, and I thought that was sweet. Then my dad really wanted to make sure that I was a goalie. So, he took me down to our basement that was unfinished at the time. We had a little net and a little shooting area. He put me in the pads and everything and starts whipping slap shots at my head. And I loved it. So, from then on, I was a goalie.”

Frank admits though that goalies are “different” from other players. She’s grown to accept that image.

“I would say we’re weird considering we want to see pucks and have them hit us,” she said, with a laugh. “We’re definitely a different breed. I embrace it 100%. Me and my goalie partners are all very weird so we all get along. On the ice, people look at us and are like ‘We’re just gonna let them do their thing because they’re just a little different.’”

Frank started her collegiate career at Minnesota State where she got a chance to play hockey and pursue an aviation career. The Mavericks logo also may have played a minor role in that decision and was a small bonus.

“I was like 8 to 10-ish, and we would always go to the (Minnesota) Gophers games,” she said. “And for some reason, every time, they were playing Mankato, and I just always was like ‘I want that purple cow to win.’ So naturally, when it was time to pick a college, Mankato and the purple cow. I’ve been cheering for them forever at this point, and I always wanted them to win. It was just a really good fit for me.”

Calla Frank makes a save in the Oct. 4, 2024 game against Post University. (MHM Photo / Ryan Stieg)

While at Mankato, Frank got her commercial rating, which allows her to get paid to fly, but not for an airline. She also picked up her certified flight instructor license back in August and will be getting an extension of that license sometime next year. She says that she’s currently at 400 flight hours and needs to get to 1,000 hours before she can fly for an airline.

“It’s very mentally taxing at times, especially when you’re working toward a new rating,” she said. “It’s not easy. You have to study a lot, so I think the studying part and always showing up mentally prepared to go through a lot of stuff. That’s definitely the hardest part.”

From one ‘purple’ school to another
After four years with the Mavericks, Frank transferred to St. Thomas last season where she’s pursuing a master’s degree in information technology, which she said will help her as a pilot.

“It actually complements aviation pretty well,” she said. “It’s a lot of coding and some of my classes actually talk about aviation because aviation is going to be a lot more automated. So, having that knowledge of coding and automation kind of translates into aviation pretty nicely.”

While at Mankato, Frank was flying three times a week for three or four-hour blocks, but now, she says she flies every two weeks or so, just so she can keep up her proficiency and build up more hours. While on the ice, she says she takes her analytical pilot mindset with her and doesn’t partake in superstitions and rituals.

“I get asked this a lot, but I don’t, which is very different from a lot of goalies,” she said. “A lot of goalies have to do this and this before the game, and I just kind of go with the flow. Every game is different, and as a pilot with that mentality, you don’t know what’s going to happen next. So, I just kind of go with the flow and take stuff as it comes.”

Looking toward the future, like most pilots, Frank says she’d like to fly for one of the major airlines. She recently got her seaplane rating, so there’s one more task to check off her list.

“It’s very different because with land planes, you’re flying in and there’s not much around the airport,” she said. “Whereas with seaplanes, you’re flying and you’re 50 feet above the trees, and it’s just a whole different atmosphere. Landing on water is very different as well, but it’s really fun because you’re able to go to the lake and see a lot of things you really wouldn’t see.”

Even though her future may literally be up in the air, Frank said she’s also trying to stay grounded in the present. She’s happy she made the decision to come to UST. She also notched her first shutout as a Tommie, with a 7-0 win over Post University on Oct. 4. 

“I just want to enjoy it,” she said. “It’s my last year and I just want to continue to love the game.”

Just a goalie staying steady with her eyes on the horizon.

The post Eyes On The Horizon appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

But you can enjoy the FREE digital copy below right now. If you like what you see, and we know you will, you can have each monthly issue delivered directly to you inbox throughout the hockey season. 

Simply click HERE to begin your FREE digital subscription.  

Enjoy!

The post MHM October 2018 College/Pro Preview appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Disputed goal helps No. 16 R.I.T. over No. 1 Minnesota State 2-1

Rochester Institute of Technology pulled off the upset of the overall No. 1 seed Minnesota State behind a solid effort from senior goaltender Jordan Ruby and an overturned game-winning goal.

RIT beat MSU 2-1 in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals Saturday at Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Ind. It was a Division I-best eighth win in a row for RIT.

The game was tied 1-1 until late in the third period, a stretch where the Mavericks dominated and had multiple chances to take the lead. But with 5:51 on the clock and being outshot 13-2 in the third until that point, RIT broke the tie.

The game-winner didn’t come without controversy. Junior Josh Mitchell’s 16th goal of the season was quickly waved off on the ice but then overturned after an official review.

On the play, RIT’s Matt Garbowsky and MSU’s Zach Palmquist made contact with each other. As Garbowsky skated by the front of the net, Palmquist continued backward, falling into his own goaltender, Stephon Williams. As Palmquist and Williams were in a pile just to the side of the goal, Mitchell’s shot from the circle went into the goal. Senior Brad McGowan got the assist.

According to the NCAA official statement on the video replay, referees first made the no-goal call as a result of contact by the RIT forward and MSU defender, which they felt caused Williams to be interfered with on the play.

After video review, referees determined the Minnesota State player “initiated the contact with the RIT player” and overturned the call, according to the statement.

RIT had the 2-1 lead, plus a little momentum in the final minutes of the game.

The Mavericks pulled Williams with about two minutes remaining as they tried to get the equalizer. But they didn’t win a couple of key faceoffs in the RIT zone, including a final one with 13.3 seconds left, sealing their fate.

The loss snapped Minnesota State’s five-game winning streak and added to its winless NCAA tournament record, now at 0-4.

The Mavericks got off to a slow start in the first period, and the Tigers took advantage, jumping to a 1-0 lead just 4:30 into the game. RIT junior Alexander Kuqali worked to keep the puck in the offensive zone then drove to the net. He beat the goalie on the glove side with a backhand shot. Garbowsky and Mitchell had the assists.

Minnesota State’s game started to come around later in the first period, but it was held scoreless after 20 minutes, also going 0-for-3 on the power play during that stretch.

RIT came out with energy and seemed ready to play, while MSU struggled to get into the offensive zone and generate chances.

The game took on more of an even feel in the second period. Minnesota State shook off the early-game struggles and found its game.

The Mavericks finally cashed in on their fourth power play chance, tying the game at 1 halfway through the second period. It took just 13 seconds into the man advantage for MSU junior Teddy Blueger to fire a slapshot from the top of the circle into the back of the net for his 11th goal of the season. Jon Jutzi and Sean Flanagan got credit for the helpers.

That gave the Mavericks a surge of momentum. Not long after, they rang the puck off the crossbar.

In the loss, MSU outshot RIT 34-19 for the game, including a 16-5 margin in the final period.

The post Mavs suffer historic loss appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Freshman’s three goals lift Minnesota State to Broadmoor Trophy win

St. Paul — Minnesota State freshman forward Brad McClure arrived in Mankato last fall with the nickname ‘Captain Clutch.’

Bestowed on him by former teammates and coaches on his junior team in Penticton, McClure always seemed to score big goals in big games.

With one of the deepest teams in the country, the Mavericks haven’t needed ‘Captain Clutch’ yet this season. But Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center, he made a triumphant return.

McClure netted a natural hat trick in the third period, helping MSU to a 5-2 win over No. 4 Michigan Tech in the championship game of the WCHA Final Five.

The freshman from Stratford, Ont., finished the two-game tournament with five goals and an assist and was named the Final Five’s Most Valuable Player.

“He has a history of scoring big goals and of scoring a lot of them,” Mavericks coach Mike Hastings said. “Brad was very deserving of the MVP; he was very good both nights and I’m glad he’s wearing our jersey.”

The Mavericks needed McClure Saturday too. Down 2-1 after 40 minutes, MSU looked tired and worn out. Minnesota State hadn’t led all night, its power play was sluggish, and its normally rock-solid penalty kill had yielded a pair of goals.

Heading to the third needing one against the stingy Jamie Phillips — just to tie — seemed daunting enough, much less two to win.

But ‘Captain Clutch’ came through.

Jordan Nelson’s goal at 8:08 of the third tied the score, setting up McClure’s heroics over the final half of the period.

His first goal was a heavy snap shot from the right circle that snuck under the cross bar at 11:29.

Almost three minutes later, McClure danced out of the way of a Teddy Blueger shot from the point, redirecting the puck through his legs and past Phillips.

His final goal, a power-play tally like his second, was another deflection with 1:20 remaining.

“There were quite a few bounces that went my way,” McClure said. “It’s always nice to have those. There are some nights where you don’t. Tonight, it was on my stick at the right time and I found the back of the net a couple times.”

McClure’s 15 goals rank second on the team and his 29 points rank fourth.

“He does a good job. He was prepared when he got here,” Hastings said. “He got an opportunity [last summer] to go to Pittsburgh’s Developmental Camp and I think it put him in the right frame of mind.

The hat trick was the first in a Final Five game since 2009 when Minnesota Duluth’s MacGregor Sharp scored three goals against Denver, also in the championship game.

“He can shoot it from the bench as far as I’m concerned,” Hastings said. “He has a release. He likes to do it. He’s good at it.”

McClure has been consistent all season, never going more than three games without a point. But after scoring just one goal in his previous nine games, McClure now has six in his past three — just in time for the start of the NCAA Tournament next weekend.

The win delivered a second consecutive playoff title to the Mavericks, who also hoisted the MacNaughton Cup as regular season champions two weeks ago. MSU is the first team since 2011 to win both trophies in the same season.

“It’s really hard to put into words. Obviously, at the start of the season, it was a goal,” Mavericks captain Chase Grant said. “I think everybody starts out with that goal, but we knew it was realistic. We knew it was going to be hard to do and it’s hard doing it with the target on your back after winning it last year.”

Minnesota State will open the NCAA Tournament next weekend in South Bend, Ind., likely against Atlantic Hockey champion RIT.

The post McClure leads Mavs over Huskies appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Minnesota State alums take pride in program’s rise to prominence

St. Paul — The 2014-15 season has proven to be a remarkable one for the Minnesota State Mavericks and it becomes more so with each passing milestone.

The school earned its first-ever No. 1 ranking, spending four out of five weeks at the top of the polls from Jan. 12 to Feb. 15, won its first MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champs, set a program record for single-season wins in Division I and entered the WCHA Final Five as the No. 2 team in the country.

With its 5-2 win over Michigan Tech in the Final Five championship game, Minnesota State captured its second consecutive Broadmoor Trophy and will certainly ascend back to the top of the polls as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.

The program’s historic success this season has not gone unnoticed by a pair of prominent Maverick alumni and former teammates, David Backes and Ryan Carter, both of whom were in St. Paul over the weekend.

Backes and the St. Louis Blues team he captains faced off with Carter’s Minnesota Wild in a Saturday matinee contest leading up to MSU and MTU squaring off at Xcel Energy Center.

“It’s pretty exciting to see where that program’s come,” said Backes, who played 115 games with MSU from 2003-06. “I never sniffed a Final Five and they’re a No. 1 seed, they’re staying in the St. Paul Hotel. I was kind of mad, I was talking to [Mavericks assistant coach Darren Blue] saying, ‘We never stayed in the St. Paul Hotel.’ And he said, ‘Well, we were never the No. 1 seed for the Final Five.’”

Carter, who signed with the Wild as a free agent on Oct. 6, remains sidelined with an upper body injury and did not play against the Blues. But he took the opportunity to reconnect with the team he skated two seasons with from 2004-06 after Minnesota State’s 4-0 semifinal win over Ferris State on Friday.

“I went in and saw some of the guys after the game last night and talked to them a little bit,” Carter said. “I thanked them for playing well and giving me the ribbing rights in the locker room and padding my wallet a little bit.”

Backes admitted his hectic NHL schedule has made it challenging for him to closely follow the team.

“But we’ve got a few characters in here that played college hockey that keep asking how everyone’s doing, trying to rub it in,” Backes said. “Having bragging rights all year has been pretty fantastic and I owe a lot to those guys.”

Backes took the opportunity to watch the Mavericks practice on Friday and said it brought back a lot of great memories for him.

“To think it was 10 years ago that I was there, time flies,” Backes said. “I’ve relished every minute in the pros and that I had in Mankato and it’s flying by. I wish them the best.”

Carter has kept a closer eye on the Mavericks, even having a chance to watch them play when Minnesota State last visited St. Paul in January for the North Star College Cup.

“They work hard and it seems like the play an honest game,” Carter said. “At the same time, it’s not like they’re under-skilled and they have to play that way. They make good plays too … over the course of the game, it seems like they wear teams down.”

Each player heaped praise upon Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings and the job he has done in leading the Mavericks to 24, 26 and now 28 wins and counting to go with a trio of NCAA tournament appearances in his three seasons at the helm.

“Great Hockey mind, great family man and you see how far he’s taken the program since he’s taken over,” Backes said. “They’ve got a great group of guys down there, they work their butts off, they’re well-coached and they’ve done a heck of a job.”

Minnesota Wild F and former Minnesota State player Ryan Carter knows full well the difficulty in playing against a Mike Hastings coached team. (MHM Photo / Jeff Wegge)

Carter faced Hastings-led teams in the USHL from 2002-04 when he played for the Green Bay Gamblers and Hastings coached the River City (now Omaha) Lancers. His memories of those encounters are not fond ones, however, saying the hard-nosed, in-your-face hockey Hastings instilled in his players was not what he would call fun.

He said sees many of the same qualities in his alma mater but he recognizes subtle differences in the stamp Hastings has placed on the Mavericks.

“I think it’s a little different than the junior kids,” Carter said. “I think he’s adjusted well. They’re older kids and a little bit better players. They’ve got their freedoms but they have their structure and they play hard. It’s a good recipe.”

Hastings is appreciative of the support he’s received since his hiring from players like Backes, Carter and Anaheim Ducks right wing Tim Jackman. He also said “it’s been pretty cool” to see legendary Maverick coach Don Brose around the team as much as he has been.

“They’re prideful about what’s going on,” Hastings said. “It means everything because history is what you need to make sure you look back on because they’re the ones that have put the building blocks into what we’re doing now.

“The alumni and the people that are supporting us, and have since day one, for me, has been fantastic.”

The post Mavericks’ past gives nod to present appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

[See image gallery at minnesotahockeymag.com]

The post Gallery: Minnesota St. vs. Michigan Tech appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

McClure, Williams lead Minnesota St. to shutout win over Ferris St.

St. Paul — Minnesota State had traditionally taken the ice at the Xcel Energy Center as the underdog.

Three losses between the 2003 and 2013 Final Fives, a regular season loss to Minnesota in 2008 and a pair of losses at the first North Star College Cup in 2014 put the Mavericks at 0-7 all-time in the building.

But MSU is the team with the target on its back this season when it’s played at the ‘X’, getting by the Gophers before it was upset by Bemidji State at the College Cup in January.

Yes, the times have changed and the Mavericks are undoubtedly the favorite at this weekend’s WCHA Final Five.

They skated past Ferris State 4-0 in the semifinals Friday night at the Xcel Energy Center.

“Every time we played Ferris State this year, it’s been a really tight game and we had some things work out for us,” MSU coach Mike Hastings said.

“We were fortunate enough to get the first goal and the guy next to me (Brad McClure) did a good job of doing that and the guy next to him (Stephon Williams) did a good job keeping the puck out of the net.”

Williams made 25 saves in his fifth shutout of the season and McClure scored two goals with an assist.

The Mavericks will face Michigan Tech in the championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center.

They’ll go for their second-straight postseason championship and hope to improve their all-time record at the ‘X’ to 3-8.

But what matters isn’t the past, it’s now, and MSU is the top-ranked team heading into the final day of conference tournaments with the NCAA Tournament field finalized Sunday morning.

“The No. 1 seed will be figured out tomorrow night,” Hastings said. “I have a lot of respect for what’s facing us tomorrow night. Michigan Tech is as good as any team in the country.”

MSU got on the board at the 12:24 mark of the first period when McClure grabbed a loose puck behind the Ferris State net.

The freshman brought the puck to the bottom of the left circle, turned around and ripped a shot to the far post past Bulldogs goaltender CJ Motte.

“I put some pressure on their D-men and got the puck on my stick,” McClure said. “I pushed it to the slot and threw it on net.”

Williams faced three shots in the first period, but the Bulldogs started to ramp it up after the first intermission, forcing MSU’s junior goalie to make some big saves.

“The defense made my life easier blocking shots,” Williams said. “When you see guys sacrificing the body, it’s extra motivation.”

McClure’s second goal came in the late in the second period when he tipped a Casey Nelson shot from the point that made its way through Motte’s pads.

“When Casey gets the puck, he’s looking to put it to the net and that’s when good things happen,” McClure said. “I was just trying to get some traffic and luckily, the puck went off my shin pad. It was a lucky bounce, but it was good to get that goal.”

Three minutes later with 1:44 left in the period, McClure made the pass to set up CJ Franklin’s eighth goal of the season.

McClure made a move at the blue line before he slid the puck to Franklin, who made a couple of shoulder fakes and sniped the puck over Motte’s left shoulder.

Bryce Gervais added the empty-netter for the Mavericks with 2:03 left in the third period.

Gervais’ goal was the only one not scored by a freshman, for what it’s worth, those freshmen aren’t familiar with the heartache of past defeats at the ‘X’.

“Brad and CJ have been thrust into our lineup since Day 1,” Hastings said. “They came in prepared to play college hockey and they haven’t played like freshmen.”

The post Mavs move on to Final Five title game appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

[See image gallery at minnesotahockeymag.com]

The post Gallery: Minnesota State vs. Ferris St. appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Per WCHA release:

EDINA, Minn. – March 4, 2015 – The quartet of schools that will vie for the league’s postseason title this weekend at the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF are all represented in the women’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association major individual postseason awards, as announced today by Commissioner Aaron Kemp.

For the second straight year, Minnesota’s Hannah Brandt was named WCHA Player of the Year. Brandt’s Gophers teammate, Rachel Ramsey, also repeated as Defensive Player of the Year. Wisconsin rookie Annie Pankowski captured Rookie of the Year honors, while North Dakota’s Shelby Amsley-Benzie was voted Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year. Jim Scanlan, who guided Bemidji State to the FINAL FACE-OFF in his first year at the helm, earned Coach of the Year honors.

WCHA Player of the Year – Hannah Brandt; Jr., F, Minnesota (Vadnais Heights, Minn.)

Brandt, a junior from Vadnais Heights, Minn., scored 21 goals and tallied 29 assists for a WCHA-best 50 points in 27 league games for regular season champion Minnesota. Entering the FINAL FACE-OFF, she is second in the nation with 67 total points (31 goals and 36 assists) and is third with an average of 1.86 points per contest. Brandt, who repeated as the conference scoring champion and leads the nation with a +65 on-ice rating, was named a top-10 finalist for the 2015 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.

WCHA Defensive Player of the Year – Rachel Ramsey; Sr., F, Minnesota (Chanhassen, Minn.)
Ramsey, a senior from Chanhassen, Minn., ranks second among all NCAA defensemen with 31 points (eight goals and 23 assists) and third with an average of 0.84 points per game. Twenty-four of her points (seven goals, 17 assists) came during league play for the Gophers. The daughter of former U.S. Olympian, NHL player and assistant coach Mike Ramsey, Rachel is also among the top-10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.

WCHA Rookie of the Year – Annie Pankowski; Fr., F, Wisconsin (Laguna Hills, Calif.)
Pankowski enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign, ranking second among all NCAA rookies (and 16^th overall) with 1.11 points per contest. The Laguna Hills, Calif. native leads the third-ranked Badgers with 18 goals and 39 points overall. Thirteen of her goals, along with 13 assists, came in her 27 WCHA games.

WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year – Shelby Amsley-Benzie; Jr., North Dakota (Warroad, Minn.)
Amsley-Benzie, the only goaltender among the top-10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, was honored for her stellar achievements on the ice and in the classroom. The junior from Warroad, Minn. is in a combined degree program within UND’s College of Engineering and Mines, which will allow her to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science with a major in chemical engineering over the course of five years. A three-time recipient of the WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award, Amsley-Benzie has also been named to the University of North Dakota’s President’s Honor Roll for six consecutive semesters. She currently leads the nation with a .954 save percentage and was the WCHA goaltending champion with a 1.17 goals against average in league play

WCHA Coach of the Year – Jim Scanlan, Bemidji State
In his first season of college coaching, Scanlan has led Bemidji State to program single-season records for overall victories and league wins, posting a 20-16-1 overall record and 13-14-1 mark in WCHA play. This weekend, Scanlan will guide the Beavers into just their second ever WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF.

All-WCHA First Team
Brandt, a three-time member of the All-WCHA First Team, is joined at forward on the all-league first team by teammate Dani Cameranesi, a sophomore from Plymouth, Minn. who tallied 17 goals, 26 assists and 43 points in WCHA play; and, Wisconsin’s Blayre Turnbull, a senior from Stellarton, Nova Scotia who had 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in league competition. Turnbull was an All-WCHA Third Team member last season. Cameranesi, a member of the WCHA All-Rookie team in 2013-14, is one of four all-league players who are nominated as a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist.

The All-WCHA First Team for 2014-15 also includes Ramsey and fellow Minnesota defenseman Lee Stecklein, a sophomore from Roseville, Minn. It is the second straight year that Ramsey has been named to the All-WCHA First Team, while Stecklein – a member of the 2014 U.S. Olympic team – scored four goals and added 12 assists for 16 points.

Two players – Amsley-Benzie and Bemidji State’s Brittni Mowat – tied for the All-WCHA First Team goaltender. Mowat, a sophomore from Glenboro, Manitoba, was a member of the league’s All-Rookie team last season. She enters the FINAL FACE-OFF third in the country with a .945 save percentage to accompany a 18-12-1 record and 1.66 goals against average.

All-WCHA Second Team

The 2014-15 All-WCHA Second Team includes Wisconsin teammates Pankowski and Brittany Ammerman, along with Minnesota Duluth’s Zoe Hickel. Ammerman, who also earned All-WCHA Second Team accolades last season, scored 12 goals and recorded 16 assists for 28 points in conference games. Hickel, a senior from Anchorage, Alaska, logged 11 goals and 11 assists (22 points) in WCHA competition.

The defensemen are Minnesota’s Milica McMillen, a sophomore from St. Paul, Minn., and Minnesota Duluth’s Brigette Lacquette – both of whom tied for second in scoring among WCHA blueliners. McMillen was a first team All-WCHA member last season finished with 20 points (six goals and 14 assists) in league play. Lacquette, a senior from Mallard, Manitoba, was a second team All-WCHA defender in 2012-13 and a member of the All-Rookie team as a freshman. She netted five goals and had 15 assists (20 points) in WCHA games.

All-WCHA Third Team

The forwards on the 2014-15 All-WCHA Third Team are Minnesota’s Rachael Bona, a senior from Coon Rapids, Minn. who scored seven goals, added 16 assists and finished with 23 points; North Dakota’s Becca Kohler, a junior from St. Thomas, Ontario who had eight goals, 15 assists and 23 points; and, Wisconsin’s Karley Sylvester, a senior forward from Warroad, Minn. who finished with 25 points (seven goals and 18 assists).

Wisconsin senior Courtney Burke and North Dakota sophomore Halli Kryzaniak are the second team defensemen. Burke, a native of Albany, N.Y. who was a second team All-WCHA selection a season ago, finished with four goals and 15 assists (19 points). Kryzaniak, who hails from Neepawa, Manitoba, scored a pair of goals and logged six assists.

The third-team goaltender is Wisconsin sophomore Ann-Renée Desbiens. The native of La Malbaie, Quebec ranks second among NCAA goaltenders with 13 shutouts, including a league-best 10 blankings in WCHA play. She finished second in the WCHA with a 1.28 goals against average, part of an overall 1.14 mark that ranks third nationally.

WCHA All-Rookie Team

Rookie of the Year Pankowski headlines the forwards on the 2014-15 WCHA All-Rookie team, along with teammate Emily Clark and Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek. Clark, a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, compiled 22 WCHA points in her freshman campaign (10 goals and 12 assists). Pannek, from Plymouth, Minn., was the top-scoring rookie in the WCHA this season with 27 points (five goals and 22 assists).

Minnesota’s Sydney Baldwin (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Bemidji State’s Alexis Joyce (Lakeville, Minn.) are the All-Rookie defenseman. Ohio State’s Kassidy Sauve (Whitby, Ontario), who recorded four WCHA shutouts, is the goaltender.

About the 2014-15 WCHA Awards

Conference member team head coaches, assistant coaches and team captains vote for the WCHA individual award winners. The WCHA Defensive Player of the Year Award is chosen by the head coaches, while the WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year is selected by the institutional faculty representatives.

All-Academic Team

The conference also released the 2014-15 All-WCHA Academic Team, comprised of 91 student-athletes representing all eight WCHA women’s-member institutions.

2014-15 WCHA Awards

• Player of the Year – Hannah Brandt, Jr., F, Minnesota
• Defensive Player of the Year – Rachel Ramsey, Sr., D, Minnesota
• Rookie of the Year – Annie Pankowski, Fr., F, Wisconsin
• Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year – Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Jr., G, North Dakota
• Scoring Champion – Hannah Brandt, Jr., F, Minnesota
• Goaltending Champion – Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Jr., G, North Dakota

2014-15 All-WCHA First Team

• Forwards: Hannah Brandt, Jr., Minnesota; Dani Cameranesi, So., Minnesota; Blayre Turnbull, Sr., Wisconsin
• Defensemen: Rachel Ramsey, Sr., Minnesota; Lee Stecklein, Sr., Minnesota
• Goaltenders: Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Jr., North Dakota; Brittni Mowat, So., Bemidji State

2014-15 All-WCHA Second Team

• Forwards: Brittany Ammerman, Sr., Wisconsin; Zoe Hickel, Sr., Minnesota Duluth; Annie Pankowski, Fr., Wisconsin
• Defensemen: Milica McMillen, Jr., Minnesota; Brigette Lacquette, Sr., Minnesota Duluth

2014-15 All-WCHA Third Team

• Forwards: Rachel Bona, Sr., Minnesota; Becca Kohler, Jr., North Dakota; Karley Sylvester, Sr., Wisconsin
• Defensemen: Courtney Burke, Jr., Wisconsin; Halli Kryzaniak, So., North Dakota
• Goaltender: Ann-Renée Desbiens, So., Wisconsin

2014-15 WCHA All-Rookie Team

• Forwards: Emily Clark, Wisconsin; Annie Pankowski, Wisconsin; Kelly Pannek, Wisconsin
• Defensemen: Sydney Baldwin, Minnesota; Alexis Joyce, Bemidji State
• Goaltender: Kassidy Sauve, Ohio State

2014-15 WCHA All-Academic Team

To qualify for the WCHA All-Academic Team, student-athletes must have completed one year of eligibility at present institution, prior to the current academic year and have a GPA of at least 3.0 for the previous two semesters or three quarters.

Following, by team, are the ninety-one (91) 2014-15 WCHA All-Academic Team honorees: (*indicates repeat honoree)

Bemidji State University

Kaleigh Chapman (Sr., D, Virden, Manitoba); Erin Deters (RS-Fr., G, Sartell, Minn.); Carley Esse (So., D, Cloquet, Minn.); Kristine Grenier (Sr., F, St. Leon, Manitoba); Kristin Huber* (Jr., F, Kelowna, British Columbia); Madison Hutchinson (So., D, Manitou, Manitoba); Rachael Kelly (Sr., F, Rosemount, Minn.); Megan Lushanko* (Jr., F, Chisago City, Minn.); Lauren Miller (So., F, Brockville, Ontario); Hanna Moher* (Jr., F, Milton, Ontario); Brittni Mowat (So., G, Glenboro, Manitoba); Ciscely Nelson (RS-Fr., F, Roseau, Minn.); Kaitlyn Tougas* (Jr., F, Thunder Bay, Ontario); Whitney Wivoda* (Jr., F, Fairbanks, Alaska)

University of Minnesota

Rachael Bona* (Sr., F, Coon Rapids, Minn.); Hannah Brandt* (Jr., F, Vadnais Heights, Minn.); Dani Cameranesi (So., F, Plymouth, Minn.); Kelsey Cline (So., D/F, Bloomington, Minn.); Kate Flug (So. F, Roseville, Minn.); Paige Haley (So., D/F, Red Wing, Minn.); Maryanne Menefee (Jr., F, Lansing, Mich.); Meghan Lorence (F, Sr., Mounds View, Minn.); Milica McMillen (Jr., D, St. Paul, Minn.); Sidney Peters (RS-Fr., G, Geneva, Ill.); Rachel Ramsey* (Sr., D, Chanhassen, Minn.); Kate Schipper (So., F, Brooklyn Park, Minn.); Shyler Sletta* (Sr., G, Elko New Market, Minn.); Lee Stecklein (So., D, Roseville, Minn.)

University of Minnesota Duluth

Kayla Black (Jr., G, Blyth, Ontario); Brienna Gillanders* (Sr., F, Kyle, Saskatchewan); Zoe Hickel* (Sr., F, Anchorage, Alaska); Katherine McGovern (So., F, Scottsdale, Ariz.); Katerina Mrázová (So., F, Prague, Czech Republic); Lara Stalder (So., F, Luzern, Switzerland); Emma Stauber* (Sr., D, Duluth, Minn.); Tea Villilä* (Sr., D, Hyvinkaa, Finland)

Minnesota State University

Anna-Maria Fiegert (So., D, Landshut, Germany); Elisabeth Hewett (Sr., D, Oak Bluff, Manitoba); Katie Johnson* (Jr., F, Anoka, Minn.); Erin Krichiver* (Sr., G, Chicago, Ill.); Shelby Moteyunas* (Sr., D, Cicero, N.Y.); Kathleen Rogan* (Sr., F, Vancouver, British Columbia)

University of North Dakota

Shelby Amsley-Benzie* (Jr., G, Warroad, Minn.); Annie Chipman (RS-Fr., G, Winnipeg, Manitoba); Andrea Dalen* (Sr., F, Hønefoss, Norway); Meghan Dufault* (Jr., F, Winnipeg, Manitoba); Tanja Eisenschmid* (Jr., D, Kaufbeuren, Germany); Johanna Fällman* (Sr., D, Luleå, Sweden); Kayla Gardner (So., F, Warroad, Minn.); Samantha Hanson* (Jr., D, White Bear Lake, Minn.); Gracen Hirschy (So., D, Fort Wayne, Ind.); Josefine Jakobsen* (Sr., F, Aalborg, Denmark); Leah Jensen* (Jr., F, East Grand Forks, Minn.); Shannon Kaiser* (Jr., F, Crookston, Minn.); Halli Krzyzaniak (So., D, Neepawa, Manitoba); Sam LaShomb* (Jr., D, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.); Layla Marvin* (Jr., F, Warroad, Minn.); Lisa Marvin (So., F, Warroad, Minn.); Amy Menke (So., F, Shakopee, Minn.); Marissa Salo* (So., F, Grand Rapids, Minn.); Lexie Shaw (So., G, Troy, Mich.); Tori Williams* (Sr., D, The Pas, Manitoba)

Ohio State University

Kendall Curtis* (Jr., F, Highlands Ranch, Colo.); Stacy Danczak* (RS-Jr., G, Macedonia, Ohio); Kara Gust* (RS-Sr., D, Orland Park, Ill.); Claudia Kepler (So., F, Verona, Wis.); Taylor Kuehl* (Sr., F, Minnetrista, Minn.); Katie Matheny (So., F, Chesterfield, Mo.); Julia McKinnon* (Jr., F, Kelowna, British Columbia); Melani Moylan* (Jr., F, Mississauga, Ontario); Bryanna Neuwald* (RS-So., D, Oakville, Ontario); Alexa Ranahan (So., D, Salmon Arm, British Columbia); Kari Schmitt* (Sr., D, Canton, Mich.); Sara Schmitt* (Sr., D, Canton, Mich.); Kayla Sullivan* (Sr., F, Flower Mound, Texas)

St. Cloud State University

Hanna Brodt* (Jr., F, Roseville, Minn.); Julie Friend* (Sr., G, Minnetonka, Minn.); Audrey Hanmer* (Sr., D, Wyoming, Minn.); Lauren Hespenheide (So., F, Shakopee, Minn.); Caroline Markström (So., D, Kovland, Sweden); Christa Moody (So., D, Battle Creek, Mich.); Abby Ness* (Sr., F, Roseau, Minn.); Payge Pena (So., F, Maple Ridge, British Columbia); Jenna Redford* (RS-So., D, Soldotna, Alaska); Vanessa Spataro* (Jr., F, Stouffville, Ontario)

University of Wisconsin

Brittany Ammerman* (RS-Sr., F, River Vale, N.J.); Ann-Renée Desbiens (So., G, La Malbaie, Quebec); Kim Drake* (Jr., F, Mosinee, Wis.); Sydney McKibbon (So., F, Oakville, Ontario); Sarah Nurse (So., F, Hamilton, Ontario); Jenny Ryan (So., D, Victor, N.Y.)

The post WCHA announces 2014-15 postseason awards appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Minnesota State takes control of MacNaughton race into final weekend

MANKATO, Minn. — With a 4-2 win against the Michigan Tech Huskies Saturday night at the Verizon Wireless Center, the Minnesota State Mavericks took control of the regular season championship race in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

With one week remaining, the Mavericks lead the Huskies by three points. MSU plays at Bemidji State next weekend while the Huskies play a home-and-home series against Northern Michigan.

One point for MSU next weekend clinches at least a share of the MacNaughton and the top overall seed for the conference playoffs.

Perhaps more importantly for the Mavericks, the victory snapped a three-game winless streak. A first-ever MacNaughton Cup is something coach Mike Hastings and his team have had their eyes on since falling a point shy of sharing the league title with Ferris State last season, but MSU, led by seven seniors, has bigger goals in mind.

“[The goals] remain separate,” Hastings said. “This group has done a good job of focusing on just today. They’ve done a good job of forgetting if yesterday didn’t go well and I haven’t seen them look too far ahead. Hopefully we go right back to that on Monday.”

Over their three-game winless streak (0-1-2) that spanned three weeks, the Mavericks scored three goals total, including one in a 1-1 tie to the Huskies on Friday night. MSU outshot Tech 44-23 and would have had a chance to clinch the regular season championship had they won the game.

The Mavericks fell behind early on Saturday, but tied the game 15 seconds later on a goal by junior Dylan Margonari and didn’t trail the rest of the game.

“We got more than one by [Tech goaltender Jamie Phillips],” Hastings said. “I thought last night, we hit a lot of shin pads and didn’t find lanes. I thought we had a little more traffic in front of him tonight.”

The Mavericks got goals from defensemen Jon Jutzi and Carter Foguth. Casey Nelson and Zach Palmquist had assists.

“They were better at the offensive blue line creating some offense for us,” Hastings said.

The Huskies got out of Mankato with a point largely because of Phillips, who was fantastic on Friday. He was good Saturday too but didn’t get much in the way of help in front of his own net. The four goals allowed was a season-high.

“I believe it,” Hastings said.

Elsewhere around the WCHA:

Bemidji State and Ferris State tied at 1-1. The Beavers took three out of four points in Big Rapids, keeping the Beavers four points ahead of the Bulldogs in the race for fourth place in the league and the final home-ice spot in the playoffs in two weeks.

BSU was helped by Lake Superior State, which scored a 3-0 win over Northern Michigan in Marquette. The Wildcats, which entered the game tied with Bemidji State for the final home ice spot, now trail the Beavers by a point heading into the final weekend.

Alabama-Huntsville was swept at home by Alaska, losing 4-3 in overtime on Saturday. Defenseman Colton Parayko scored 15 seconds into overtime for the game-winner. Alaska is 12-12-2 in WCHA play this season, which would put them in the home-ice mix. But NCAA and school sanctions have prohibited the Nanooks from participating in league playoffs this season. Huntsville, one year after finished 2-25-1 in league play, has seven wins this year and will likely make the WCHA playoffs.

Bowling Green won 4-3 in Anchorage on Friday and is locked into third place in the standings.

WCHA standings heading into the final weekend:

Minnesota State 20-3-3 — 43 points
Michigan Tech 19-5-2 — 40
Bowling Green 15-7-3 — 33*
Bemidji State 11-10-5 — 27

——————————————–

Northern Michigan 11-11-4 — 26
Ferris State 11-14-1 — 23
Alabama-Huntsville 7-18-1 — 15
Lake Superior State 7-18-1 — 15

——————————————–

#Alaska 12-12-2 — 26
Alaska-Anchorage 4-19-2 — 10*

*Saturday result pending
#Banned from post-season play

The post Mavs top Huskies, Cup in sight appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.