University of Minnesota Athletics
COURTNEY KENNEDY SELECTED TO U.S. NATIONAL TEAM
8/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The team will participate in the 2001-02 VISA Skate To Salt Lake City Tour in preparation for the XIX Olympic Winter Games to be held Feb. 9- 24, 2002, in Salt Lake City. Prior to the Olympic Winter Games, the current 25-player roster will be trimmed to 20 players who will comprise the 2002 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team.
Kennedy, a native of Woburn, Mass., played three seasons with the Golden Gophers. She completed her career in 2001 as one of three finalists for the prestigious Patty Kazmaier Award, earning first-team All-America honors on defense and by being tabbed the WCHA-Women's League Player of the Year. She led the Gophers to the AWCHA national title in 2000 and the WCHA-Women's League title last season.
The 20001-02 USA Hockey Women's National Team was selected following the 2001 USA Hockey Women's National Team Festival, held Aug. 13-22 in Lake Placid. The Festival featured 45 of the top women's players in the nation. Former Gophers Winny Brodt and Ambria Thomas were among the participants of the Festival, who were not selected to the National Team.
"We are excited about the talented roster we have assembled for the 2001-02 USA Hockey Women's National Team," said U.S. Women's National and Olympic Team head coach Ben Smith. "The competition was excellent at the Festival, and all the players exhibited an unprecedented high level of hard work, skill and commitment. We now look forward to beginning the pre-Olympic tour in anticipation of Salt Lake City."
The VISA Skate To Salt Lake City Tour features a 39-game schedule against national and international competition. The tour begins on Sept. 2-7 with a trip to Beijing, China. On Oct. 6, the team will play in St. Paul, Minn., at the Xcel Energy Center against an all-star team from the WCHA-Women's League. The WCHA team has yet to be announced.
