Women's college hockey preview: Minnesota Gophers

Months removed from a grueling four-overtime loss in the NCAA quarterfinals to Clarkson a year ago, the University of Minnesota women's hockey team is ready to embark on a new journey in 2024-2025. That journey hopes to lead them to the national championship game.

The Gophers finished 27-10-2 a year ago, their most losses in six years and only the third time in head coach Brad Frost's 17 seasons that his team has lost games by double digits. But the team brings back nearly all of their scores from a year ago and is picked to finish third in this year's preseason coaches poll behind Wisconsin and Ohio State. That gives the Gophers something to prove when they return to the ice this fall.

The team is led by senior Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, IL), who led the team with 33 goals and 29 assists last season. She also earned a plus-34. Linemate Josefin Bouveng (Vassunda, Sweden) also returns after a 50-point season (19g, 31a) as a sophomore. Ella Huber, another Illinois product, is also entering her senior season after a productive junior campaign in which she scored 18 goals and 42 points.

The hope is that each of these high scorers will increase their production even more with another year under their belts, and after a disappointing season a year ago.

Former Ms. Field hockey winner Peyton Hemp returns for her senior season after an impressive junior campaign in which she scored 14 goals and 16 assists and skated in all 39 games. Other Minnesota products returning and looking to contribute include Ava Lindsey (Minnetonka), Madison Kaiser (Holy Family), Audrey Wethington (Blake), Maggie Nicholson (Minnetonka), Lauren OHara (Centennial), Allie Franco (Hill-Murray) and Emma Conner (Edina).

Newcomers

Head coach Brad Frost brings in a strong freshman class led by 2024 Ms. Hockey winner Ayla Puppe (Northfield). Puppe scored 110 points in her senior season for Northfield, leading them to the state tournament. She is an exceptional skater with good hands, but will have to adapt to a more physical college game. Kendra Distad had a stellar career at Minnetonka and gives the Gophers a player who is strong on her boundaries and isn't afraid to compete for the pucks. Her game should translate well to college ice.

On the defensive side, Kate Kosobud (Moorhead, MN) comes in to help strengthen the blue line. Kosobud, finalist of Ms. Hockey in 2024, is a solid defender who can also apply pressure in the offensive zone. She is a key player at both ends of the ice. Carly Humphrey (Elk River, MN) also joins the blue line corps after a stellar career at Elk River/Zimmerman and is a strong defender with some offensive upside. Out-of-state defensive recruits include Chloe Primerano from British Columbia. Playing for Team Canada's U18 squad, Primerano scored eight goals and eight assists in six games and should step in and provide the Gophers with solid scoring and playmaking ability from the blue line. She doesn't turn 18 until January. Gracie Graham is another product of Canada, playing for Team Canada's U18 squad, scoring a goal and adding five assists in six games. In her final pre-season, she had 19 goals and 40 assists in 29 games.

Goals

Former Lakeville North netminder Skylar Vetter split time with Lucy Morgan last season, starting 21 games. Morgan graduated and left the net open for Vetter, who finished with a 2.26 goals against average and a .921 save percentage. Former Minnetonka goaltender Sophia Johnson enters her junior year and will compete for playing time between the pipes, and Frost also brings in Hannah Clark, an Ontario native who has put up solid numbers for Team Canada in the World Junior Championship (.935 GAA).

Outlook

As always, the Gophers will be a contender on the national stage. They are currently ranked No. 2 behind border rival Wisconsin. Staying healthy, getting quality goaltending and seeing some players make big leaps from last season will go a long way in determining the Gophers' success. Last season they outscored their opponents 135-80 and their special teams were excellent. That should only get better now that most players are returning. Their seven top scorers return, having combined for 105 goals and 150 assists last season. Expect the Gophers to score a lot of goals this season and make a deep run come playoff time. They would have to fight for a national title there at the end, which would be their first since winning in a row in 2015 and 2016.

4		Gr.	F	R	5′ 7”	Edina, Minn.	Blake School
5		Fr.	D	R	5′ 8”	Moorhead, Minnesota.	Moorhead H.S
6		Fr.	F	R	5′ 8”	Northfield, Minn.	Northfield H.S
7		jr.	D	L	5′ 7”	Lohja, Finland	Haukilahti HS	Kiekko-Espoo
8		Fr.	D	L	5′ 8”	North Vancouver, British Columbia	RINK Kelowna
9		So.	F	R	5′ 6”	Minnetonka, Minn.	Minnetonka HS
11		jr.	F	L	5′ 9”	Vassunda, Sweden	Sjlins Gymnasium Sdermalm	Bryns IF		J
13		So.	F	L	5′ 9”	Budapest, Hungary	Stanstead College
14		Gr.	D	L	5′ 9”	Minnetonka, Minn.	Minnetonka HS
15		Sr.	F	R	5′ 5”	Andover, Minn.	Andover HS
16		jr.	F	L	5′ 7”	Oakdale, Minnesota.	Hill-Murray School
17		Fr.	F	R	5′ 6”	Burnsville, Minnesota.	Minnetonka HS
18		R-Sr.	F	R	5′ 5”	Evergreen Park, Illinois.	Mother McAuley HS	Chicago Mission
20		R-Jr.	F	L	5′ 8”	Edina, Minn.	Edina HS
21		So.	F	R	5′ 11”	Blaine, Minn.	Centennial HS
22		So.	D	L	5′ 9”	Corcoran, Minnesota.	Minnetonka HS
24		Fr.	D	L	5′ 7”	Elk River, Minnesota.	Elk River H.S
26		Sr.	F	L	5′ 6”	Northfield, Illinois.	New Trier HS	Chicago Mission
29		jr.	F	L	5′ 7”	Andover, Minn.	Holy Family Catholic HS
31		Sr.	G	L	5′ 8”	Lakeville, Minnesota.	Lakeville North HS
32		jr.	D	R	5′ 7”	Darien, Conn.	Shattuck-St. Marias	Colgate University
35		jr.	G	L	5′ 8”	Minnetonka, Minn.	Minnetonka HS
47		Fr.	D	L	5′ 10”	Kelowna, British Columbia	RINK Kelowna
56		Fr.	G	L	5′ 9”	Oshawa, Ont	Maxwell Heights High School
64		jr.	D	L	5′ 6”	Lappeenranta, Finland	Kimpinen HS	University of Vermont
96		5th	F	L	5′ 3”	Zln, Czech Republic		University of Vermont