University of Minnesota Athletics
Season-Opener Pits Gophers vs. Lions
9/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 2 Minnesota (0-0-0) vs. Lindenwood (0-0-0) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Sept. 30 | 7:07 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Oct. 1 | 2:07 p.m. |
| Location | Ridder Arena | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Lindenwood |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram | #GWH |
Sept. 26, 2016
Minnesota Notes 
| Lindenwood Notes
MINNEAPOLIS - The back-to-back defending national champion University of Minnesota women's hockey team begins the 2016-17 season by hosting Lindenwood University at Ridder Arena this weekend. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. CT Friday and 2:07 p.m. CT Saturday.
An online video stream is available via BTN Plus ($); free audio and live stats are also available at GopherSports.com.
Please note the Open Streets Minneapolis event at the University of Minnesota runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Select Dinkytown streets will be closed for the event; SE 4th Street will be closed between 13th Ave. SE and 15th Ave. SE. Westbound traffic will be detoured one block to SE 5th Street, so fans are advised to plan accordingly in their travel to and from Ridder Arena.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Lindenwood
This year's series marks the first-ever meeting between the Gophers and Lions in women's hockey history. Lindenwood began competing at the NCAA Division I level in 2011-12 after finishing third in the 2011 ACHA National Tournament.
Scouting the Opponent: Lindenwood
During the 2015-16 season, Lindenwood finished fifth in College Hockey America, posting an overall record of 9-24-4 (5-11-4 CHA). The Lady Lions played under second-year head coach Scott Spencer, who returns for his third season in 2016-17. Lindenwood ended the 2015-16 season by dropping a three-game series against rival Robert Morris in the CHA Tournament.
Senior Shara Jasper led the team in points last season, posting 36 points (23g-13a) in 37 games. Sophomore Sarah Bobrowski is the team's top returner after recording 27 points (8g-19a) in 37 games a year ago. Senior goaltender Nicole Hensley played in 32 games, finishing with a record of 8-20-4, and posting a .922 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average. Freshman goaltender Jolene deBruyn played in six games, going 1-4-0 and averaging 3.02 goals against and a .930 save percentage.
Lindenwood returns 16 of 20 players from last season, including four seniors. The Lions also welcome eight newcomers, including Courtney Ganske (Killarney, Manitoba), Morgan Skinner (Victoria, British Columbia), Jalyn Elmes (Brandon, Manitoba), Lillian Marchant (Tustin, Calif.), Erin Near (New Hamburg, Ontario), Emma Hare (Penticton, British, Columbia), Kirsten Martin (Rosedale, British Columbia) and Taylor Girard (Macomb, Mich.). This weekend's series with the Gophers marks the team's season-opening series.
Gophers Tune Up with 5-4 Exhibition Win
The Gophers scored three third-period goals on the way to a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Whitecaps in a preseason exhibition game at Ridder Arena last Friday. Dani Cameranesi (1g-1a), Megan Wolfe (1g-1a), and Kippin Keller (1g-1a) led the Gophers with two points each. Sidney Peters made 18 saves on 20 shots over the first two periods before Serena D'Angelo recorded eight saves on 10 shots in the third period. The Whitecaps were led by Hannah Brandt (2g), Kendall Coyne (2a), and Jocelyn Lamoureux-Davidson (2a) as each registered multiple points.
Gopher Roster: Who's Back?
Minnesota returns 19 players from last year's NCAA championship team, including senior captains Lee Stecklein (C), Dani Cameranesi (A), and Kate Schipper (A), along with fellow seniors Kelsey Cline, Paige Haley, and Megan Wolfe. In the previous three years, these seniors have helped the Gophers to three-straight NCAA national championship game appearances and a 107-9-6 overall record. Meanwhile, Stecklein enters her final season with a career mark of 110-7-5 after missing the 2013-14 season while competing for Team USA at the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
Cameranesi enters her senior year after leading the team with a career-high 68 points (33 goals, 35 assists) a year ago. She was named the 2016 WCHA Scoring Champion with 53 points (24g-29a) in league games as well. In total, the Gophers return four of their top five and eight of their top 10 scorers from a year ago in Cameranesi (33g-35a), Sarah Potomak (15g-39a), Kelly Pannek (23g-26a), Kate Schipper (14g-26a), Cara Piazza (11g-23a), Lee Stecklein (8g-22a), Megan Wolfe (5g-24a), and Sydney Baldwin (5g-17a).
Gophers Add Six Newcomers
Minnesota has added six newcomers for the 2016-17 season in Lindsay Agnew (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Jr. Chiefs), Serena D'Angelo (Stoney Creek, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres), Kippin Keller (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka HS), Patti Marshall (Thief River Falls, Minn./Shattuck-St. Mary's), Katie Robinson (Kasson, Minn./Dodge County Wildcats), and Alex Woken (Fargo, N.D./Shattuck-St. Mary's). Agnew was recently named WCHA Preseason Co-Rookie of the Year, sharing the honor with Wisconsin freshmen Presley Norby and Abby Roque. Redshirt sophomore Nicole Schammel (Red Wing, Minn./Minnesota State) will also see her first action in Maroon & Gold after sitting out the 2015-16 season due to WCHA in-league transfer rules.
Frost Approaches 300th Win
Head coach Brad Frost is back for his 10th season at the helm of the Gopher women's hockey program. Last season Frost became the winningest coach in Gopher women's hockey history, surpassing Laura Halldorson (278-67-22) for career coaching wins. He enters the season with an all-time mark of 293-45-22 (.844), just seven wins away from his 300th coaching victory.
Cameranesi Ranks in Among Top-10 Scorers
Dani Cameranesi enters her senior season as the Gophers' active career scoring leader with 169 career points (75 goals, 94 assists) to rank ninth in Minnesota history. She trails eighth-ranked Gigi Marvin (87g-108a) by 26 points. Cameranesi's 75 goals are tied for 10th in Gopher women's hockey history, and her 28 power-play goals are tied for sixth all-time.
A Look at the 2016-17 Schedule
The Gophers begin their back-to-back NCAA title defense with an unfamiliar opponent in Lindenwood as the teams meet for the first time in program history on Friday, Sept. 30 at Ridder Arena. Next weekend, the Gophers dive into the always-challenging WCHA schedule by traveling to Bemidji State (Oct. 6-7). The team's home-opening conference series pits the Gophers against the Bulldogs when Minnesota Duluth visits Minneapolis (Oct. 14-15).
Minnesota's non-conference slate includes a road series at Boston University (Dec. 9-10) and a non-conference meeting with Minnesota State in this year's U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum game when the teams face off at Braemar Arena in Edina, Minn., Sunday, Jan. 8.
After the regular season concludes, the first round of the WCHA playoffs is set for Feb. 24-26 with the top four teams in the regular-season standings hosting four best-of-three series. The WCHA Final Face-off then returns to Ridder Arena March 4-5. The NCAA postseason begins with quarterfinal games March 10-11, and the 2017 NCAA Women's Frozen Four will be held in St. Louis, Mo., hosted by Lindenwood University March 17-19.
WCHA Tabs Minnesota to Finish Second
The Gophers were chosen to finish second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's preseason poll of the league's eight head coaches. The Gophers collected two first-place votes and 44 points in the annual preseason poll. Wisconsin led the way with four first-place votes and 48 points, and North Dakota (36 points) and Minnesota Duluth (30 points) rounded out the top four teams in third and fourth place, respectively.
Trio Set to Captain Minnesota
Senior Lee Stecklein will continue her duties from last season as captain, while seniors Kate Schipper and Dani Cameranesi will serve as assistant captains.
As a co-captain during 2015-16, Stecklein was named a Second Team All-American, All-USCHO Second Team, and an All-WCHA First Team honoree. The Roseville, Minn., native also was named an AHCA/CCM Second Team All-American, All-USCHO First Team, and All-WCHA First Team honoree during her sophomore season after missing the 2013-14 season while competing with the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
Schipper posted a career-best 40 points (14g-26a) during the 2015-16 season, ranking fifth on the team in points. During her sophomore season, she totaled 22 points (7g-15a). Schipper led the team with three points (1g-2a) in the 2015 NCAA Quarterfinal game against RIT, leading the Gophers to their fourth consecutive Frozen Four appearance. The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native enters her senior season with 91 career points (28g-63a) in 120 games played.
Cameranesi enters her senior season as a two-time Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist (2015, 2016) and a two-time Second Team All-American (2015, 2016). Last season, she led the Gophers and the WCHA with a career-best 68 points (33g-35a), and was named to the All-WCHA First Team and All-USCHO Second Team. A native of Plymouth, Minn., Cameranesi already ranks ninth in program history with 169 career points (75g-94a).
Minnesota in Season-Openers
The Gophers are 18-1-0 all-time in season-openers, including an 11-1-0 mark in season-opening games at home. Last season, Minnesota defeated Penn State, 2-0, on the road to open the 2015-16 season.
Home, Sweet Home
Dating back to the 2011-12 season, the Gophers have compiled a record of 95-4-7 in home games at Ridder Arena. In the last five seasons, Minnesota has a .929 winning percentage at home.
Looking Back at Minnesota's Seventh National Title
National champion Minnesota (35-4-1) won back-to-back titles for the third time in program history by defeating Boston College, 3-1, in the 2016 NCAA championship game. The game marked the Gophers' fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA title game. Minnesota has won four of the last five national titles and seven national titles overall (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016).
Sarah Potomak scored just 13 seconds into the championship game and the Gophers added third-period goals by Amanda Kessel and Kelly Pannek before Boston College got on the board with its lone tally as Minnesota (35-4-1) took home its seventh national title with a 3-1 win over the previously undefeated Eagles (40-1-0) at New Hampshire's Whittemore Center Arena last March. Goaltender Amanda Leveille made 32 saves to combine for 69 saves on 72 shots on goal in the two Frozen Four games.
Gopher Fans are Nation's Best
Minnesota led the nation in attendance for the fourth straight year last season, averaging 1,671 fans per game. At home at Ridder Arena, the Gophers also led the NCAA with 2,125 fans per game.
Season tickets, pick-your-packs, and single-game tickets for the 2016-17 chapter of Gopher women's hockey are on sale now through MyGopherSports.com. Minnesota looks to lead the nation in attendance for the fifth-straight year on its quest for the program's eighth national championship.
Up Next: Gophers Open WCHA Play
Minnesota travels to Bemidji State to begin WCHA play on the road next weekend. The Gophers and Beavers face off at 3 p.m. CT Friday, Oct. 7 and 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
###
