University of Minnesota Athletics
Three Gopher Recruits Earn Gold Medal with USA Hockey
1/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Three University of Minnesota women's hockey signed recruits were integral members of the U.S. Under-18 World Championship gold medal team. Sarah Erickson (LaPorte, Minn.), Alyssa Grogan (Eagan, Minn.) and Anne Schleper (St. Cloud, Minn.) helped the U.S. Team defeat the Canadian Under-18 Team, 5-2, en route to a perfect 5-0 run and the gold medal.
Erickson was named the team captain of the first ever U.S. Under-18 Team and was named one of Team USA's best players of the tournament. Erickson, who plays for Bemidji High School, finished the tournament tied for 11th in points. In five games played, the forward netted five goals and four assists for nine points. She also held a plus/minus rating of +6. Erickson's five goals also tied for sixth overall in the tournament. Grogan won the Directorate Award as the tournament's top goaltender. In five games played, Grogan, a senior with Eagan High School, held a goals against average of 1.00 and a 92.9 % save percentage. She started in all five games and earned a shutout against Switzerland and combined with goalie Rebecca Ruegsegger for two additional shutouts. Like Erickson, Schleper was also named one of Team USA's best players of the tournament. A defenseman who attends St. Cloud Cathedral, Schleper scored a goal and two assists for the Red, White and Blue. Her lone goal of the tournament was a power-play tally. She finished the tournament with the fifth-best plus/minus rating of +11.
Erickson, Grogan and Schleper, along with Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux and Kelly Seeler will join the Gopher team next year.
