University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Meet the Newcomers: Gracie Ostertag
7/25/2018 1:01:00 PM | Women's Hockey
Gracie Ostertag joins the Gopher women's hockey team as a freshman defense from Shattuck-St. Mary's.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Freshman Gracie Ostertag joins the Maroon & Gold from Shakopee, Minn., and Shattuck-St. Mary's. A four-time national champion with the Sabres, Ostertag was part of U-16 national championships as a freshman and sophomore and U-19 national championships as a junior and senior. She was also a three-time gold medalist with the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team at the 2018, 2017, and 2016 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championships.
Gopher Sports: How did you first get into hockey?
Gracie Ostertag: My older brother, Matt, played hockey. I saw him playing on the ice with a bunch of older boys. They were super physical, and I told my dad I wanted to play, too. I started playing when I was about six years old.
GS: What's your earliest hockey memory?
GO: One of my best early memories was in U12 hockey when my friends and I made it to the state championship game against Edina, because Edina was always better than us. We only had 10 players on the team, so for us to make it that far was amazing, even though we still lost.
GS: Did you play any other sports growing up?
GO: I played lacrosse, volleyball, and gymnastics.
GS: What was it about hockey that made you want to focus on it as your main sport?
GO: I met some really great people with the teammates I had, and I just like the physical aspect of the game. I was so competitive, and I love the feeling of skating.
GS: How did you decide to attend Shattuck-St. Mary's and what was that experience like?
GO: Shakopee High School, where I grew up, their program wasn't as competitive. I was at a really competitive level, and I was determined to play Division I college hockey. We knew that Shattuck was really close by, and I told my dad I really wanted to go there. The hockey program there is amazing. I got to train every day and had the best coaches available. I loved Shattuck. It's a lot different from a normal high school because you're with your classmates 24/7. You live with them, you eat with them, you train with them, you go to school with them. It was definitely an experience I'm grateful for.
GS: Do you feel like attending Shattuck helped prepare you for college?
GO: Definitely. The time management part was huge because you're always so busy. Our school days were from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., so you really didn't have much time to screw around. You have to get straight to work.
GS: What are you most looking forward to playing for the Gophers?
GO: Representing my home state. I know a lot of the girls on the team already, but I'm excited to get really close with them and I love the coaching staff here. I'm just excited to work with everyone.
GS: When did you realize that playing at the Division I level was possible for you?
GO: My eighth grade year, I got my first email from a college. It wasn't Minnesota, but I think that really motivated me. It made me realize that I had the potential to actually play Division I in college.
GS: Who do you look up to as a role model in hockey?
GO: One of my first camps was in Maine, at the Top 66 camp, and Kacey Bellamy really stuck out ot me. I don't know what it was about her, but I feel like she was a really good stay-at-home defenseman, and that's the way I play. I looked up to her and all the advice she gave me. I also had the chance for her to coach me in Maine, which was really cool to learn all of her standpoints and get her opinions on my game.
GS: You won three gold medals with the U.S. Under-18 Team at the IIHF World Championships. What was that experience like?
GO: I was fortunate because the last three years we were really successful. We won the gold medal all three years, but learning from the older players, their attitudes on positivity was huge. You learn so much from them and the coaching staff because you get to experience different coaches from different colleges. To take their input and apply it to your game is super amazing.
GS: If you had a day free of all obligations, how would you spend your time?
GO: If I was at home, I would bike around the neighborhood and just enjoy being outside. I'd sit around my pool for a few hours, and hang out with my mom. My mom and I are really close.
GS: What do you like best about hockey?
GO: The bonds I've formed with people that I've played with and how I've maintained all of those relationships as I've grown older are really special.
GS: What's one part of your game that you feel really confident in and a part of your game you would like to work on?
GO: My physical aspect in the defensive zone is something I'm confident in. I'm really good at breaking the puck out and seeing what's available. I'd like to work on my stick-handling more and being more offensive. Taking more chances and risks, not to the point where you get burned, but stepping up and feeling more confident in myself.
Faceoff with Gracie Ostertag
Favorite hobby: Watching Netflix
Hot coffee or iced coffee: Neither, I don't drink coffee.
Favorite movie: Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Favorite band: Imagine Dragons right now, but it changes
If you could play another sport in college what would it be?: Gymnastics
Favorite animal: Dog
Best player you've ever played against: Kendall Coyne
Favorite Netflix series: Sons of Anarchy
One word to describe yourself: Compassionate
Last song you sang along to: Moonlight? I don't know who sings it.
One thing on your bucket list: I want to visit Europe some day.
Biggest pet peeve: Hypocrites
One food you could not live without: Sloppy Joe's
One food you refuse to eat: Cucumbers.
Advice for a young athlete: Work hard in silence. Even when coaches aren't watching you, keep working hard because you're only cheating yourself if you don't.
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Something about you that people would be surprised to learn about you: I've never broken a bone.
If you could trade lives with someone for a day, who would it be: Lauren Oshie
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