University of Minnesota Athletics
Future Gophers Named to USA U-18 Team
12/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
USA Hockey Roster | Hockey Canada Roster
MINNEAPOLIS -- The U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team for the 2017 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship will include three of Minnesota's 2017-18 signees in goaltender Alex Gulstene (Vancouver, British Columbia) and forwards Taylor Wente (Plymouth, Minn.) and Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior, Minn.), USA Hockey announced Friday morning.
Gophers associate head coach Joel Johnson continues as head coach of the U.S. Women's Under-18 Team, now in his third-straight season leading the squad.
The U.S. roster for the tournament includes 22 players total, seven defensemen, 13 forwards, and two goaltenders. Gulstene, Wente, and Zumwinkle are among 11 players who helped the 2016 U.S. Women's National U-18 Team earn a gold medal at the IIHF U-18 Women's World Championship in St. Catharines, Ontario.
The 2017 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship is set for Jan. 7-15 in Prerov and Zlin, Czech Republic. The U.S. is set to play Russia (Jan. 7), Sweden (Jan. 8) and Canada (Jan. 10) in the preliminary round, and the bronze-medal and gold-medal games are on Saturday, Jan. 14.
In addition, future Gophers Amy Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C.) and Olivia Knowles (Campbell River, B.C.) have been selected to represent Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team at the tournament. The duo is among seven players returning from Canada's 2016 silver medal team. Potomak and Knowles both skated for Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team in a three-game series against the United States in August in Calgary, Alberta as well.
All games from the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship will be streamed live. Details will be available prior to the tournament at teamusa.usahockey.com.
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