University of Minnesota Athletics
Former Gophers Make National Team Roster
8/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Three former University of Minnesota women's hockey players made the United States National Team roster, announced today by USA Hockey. Natalie Darwitz, Rachael Drazan and Gigi Marvin will compete with Team USA as they prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In all, 23 players were named to the team, while 21 advance as a member of the U.S. Olympic Team and a chance at a gold medal.
The squad, which will be centralized in the Twin Cities, will take part in the Qwest Tour, a 10-game, nine-city domestic tour that begins on Sept. 25 in St. Paul, Minn., and concludes just prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. In addition to the 10 Qwest Tour stops, Team USA will compete in two international tournaments, as well as three games against the Canadian National Team in Canada and additional games against Minnesota high school boys' teams.
Natalie Darwitz, one of Team USA's current captains, has a chance at her third-straight Olympic trek. Darwitz, who joined the Gopher coaching staff last August, is on leave to train for the Olympics. In her three years with the Maroon and Gold, Darwitz made her mark on the program. In 99 games played, the three-time, first-team All-American set the school record in career points with 246. Darwitz finished her Gopher career as a three-time, first-team All-WCHA, the WCHA Scoring Champion (2005) and a member of the WCHA All-Rookie Team. Also being named a Patty Kazmaier finalist all three years, she was in the top three as a junior in 2005. Darwitz helped the Gophers to back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005. She scored the game-winning goal for the Gophers in the 2005 win over Harvard with 1:08 remaining in the game and earned most valuable player honors en route to the program's third national championship.
Gigi Marvin finished her Gopher career with 195 career points, ranking sixth overall in school history. A team co-captain this past year, Marvin led the Gophers to their first NCAA Frozen Four appearance since 2006. A Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist, Marvin was also named the WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, Minnesota’s first honor since 2000. A Second-Team All-WCHA honoree, Marvin ranked third on the team in scoring with 65 points, including six points in NCAA competition and four points in post-season conference action. Of her 65 points, she led the Gophers with 21 power-play points. Marvin graduated in four years this spring with a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies and a minor in mass communications and was named a WCHA Scholar Athlete and an Academic All-WCHA selection in her senior campaign. If she makes the team, it would be Marvin's Olympic debut.
Rachael Drazan competed with the Gophers in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Transferring from Minnesota Duluth after her sophomore year, Drazan was a first-team All-WCHA honoree in 2007-08. As a junior, Drazan tallied 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points. She followed with 21 points her senior year and gained second-team All-WCHA honors. In 72 games with Minnesota, Drazan ranks in the Gopher top 10 in points by a defenseman (48). If Drazan makes the team, it would be her first Olympic trek.
