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Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Minnesota Lands Second in WCHA Preseason Poll
11/16/2020 1:02:00 PM | Women's Hockey
Freshman Abbey Murphy has been chosen as the Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Golden Gopher women's hockey team has been selected to finish second in the 2020-21 league standings according to the WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released Monday.
The Gophers received 31 points and three first-place vote in the preseason poll, three points behind Wisconsin, which collected 34 points and four first-place votes. Ohio State finished third with 28 points ahead of fourth-place Minnesota Duluth (21 points). Bemidji State (14), Minnesota State (13) and St. Cloud State (6) rounded out this year's poll.
Two Gophers were honored with individual preseason accolades as freshman defense Abbey Murphy was named the Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year and senior defense Emily Brown landed a place on the Preseason All-WCHA Team.
Fellow Gopher rookie Anne Cherkowski received a vote for Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year while senior Grace Zumwinkle picked up a vote for Preseason Player of the Year as well. Taylor Heise, Olivia Knowles, and Zumwinkle all received votes for the Preseason All-WCHA team.
The Gophers are set to open the 2020-21 season by hosting Ohio State at Ridder Arena at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 21 and 2 p.m. CT Sunday, Nov. 22. Both games will be streamed online via BTN+. For the start of the 2020-21 season, there will be no ticket sales for Gopher women's hockey home games.
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year: Daryl Watts, Sr., F, Wisconsin (3 votes)
Others receiving votes: Emma Maltais, Sr., F, Ohio State (2); Grace Zumwinkle, Sr., F, Minnesota (1); Gabbie Hughes, Jr., F, Minnesota Duluth (1)
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year: Abbey Murphy, Fr., F, Minnesota (4 votes)
Others receiving votes: Anne Cherkowski, Fr., F, Minnesota (1); Emma Gentry, Fr., F, St. Cloud State (1); Casey O'Brien, Fr., F, Wisconsin (1).
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forward: Emma Maltais, Sr., Ohio State
Forward: Daryl Watts, Sr., Wisconsin
Forward: Sophie Shirley, Jr., Wisconsin
Defense: Ashton Bell, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
Defense: Emily Brown, Sr., Minnesota
Goaltender: Andrea Braendli, Jr., Ohio State
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically by position):
Forwards – Clair DeGeorge, Sr., Bemidji State; Taylor Heise, Jr., Minnesota; Gabbie Hughes, Jr., Minnesota Duluth; Klara Hymlarova, So., St. Cloud State; Grace Zumwinkle, Sr. Minnesota.
Defense – Grace Bowlby, Sr., Wisconsin; Sophie Jaques, Jr., Ohio State; Olivia Knowles, Sr., Minnesota; Anna Wilgren, Jr., Minnesota State.
Goaltender – Calla Frank, So., Minnesota State; Emma Polusny, Sr., St. Cloud State.
2020-21 WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Wisconsin (4 first place votes) - 34
2. Minnesota (3 first place votes) - 31
3. Ohio State - 28
4. Minnesota Duluth - 21
5. Bemidji State - 14
6. Minnesota State - 13
7. St. Cloud State - 6
Predicted order of finish. Based on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
Note: Coaches could not vote for their own teams.
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The Gophers received 31 points and three first-place vote in the preseason poll, three points behind Wisconsin, which collected 34 points and four first-place votes. Ohio State finished third with 28 points ahead of fourth-place Minnesota Duluth (21 points). Bemidji State (14), Minnesota State (13) and St. Cloud State (6) rounded out this year's poll.
Two Gophers were honored with individual preseason accolades as freshman defense Abbey Murphy was named the Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year and senior defense Emily Brown landed a place on the Preseason All-WCHA Team.
Fellow Gopher rookie Anne Cherkowski received a vote for Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year while senior Grace Zumwinkle picked up a vote for Preseason Player of the Year as well. Taylor Heise, Olivia Knowles, and Zumwinkle all received votes for the Preseason All-WCHA team.
The Gophers are set to open the 2020-21 season by hosting Ohio State at Ridder Arena at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 21 and 2 p.m. CT Sunday, Nov. 22. Both games will be streamed online via BTN+. For the start of the 2020-21 season, there will be no ticket sales for Gopher women's hockey home games.
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year: Daryl Watts, Sr., F, Wisconsin (3 votes)
Others receiving votes: Emma Maltais, Sr., F, Ohio State (2); Grace Zumwinkle, Sr., F, Minnesota (1); Gabbie Hughes, Jr., F, Minnesota Duluth (1)
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year: Abbey Murphy, Fr., F, Minnesota (4 votes)
Others receiving votes: Anne Cherkowski, Fr., F, Minnesota (1); Emma Gentry, Fr., F, St. Cloud State (1); Casey O'Brien, Fr., F, Wisconsin (1).
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forward: Emma Maltais, Sr., Ohio State
Forward: Daryl Watts, Sr., Wisconsin
Forward: Sophie Shirley, Jr., Wisconsin
Defense: Ashton Bell, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
Defense: Emily Brown, Sr., Minnesota
Goaltender: Andrea Braendli, Jr., Ohio State
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically by position):
Forwards – Clair DeGeorge, Sr., Bemidji State; Taylor Heise, Jr., Minnesota; Gabbie Hughes, Jr., Minnesota Duluth; Klara Hymlarova, So., St. Cloud State; Grace Zumwinkle, Sr. Minnesota.
Defense – Grace Bowlby, Sr., Wisconsin; Sophie Jaques, Jr., Ohio State; Olivia Knowles, Sr., Minnesota; Anna Wilgren, Jr., Minnesota State.
Goaltender – Calla Frank, So., Minnesota State; Emma Polusny, Sr., St. Cloud State.
2020-21 WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Wisconsin (4 first place votes) - 34
2. Minnesota (3 first place votes) - 31
3. Ohio State - 28
4. Minnesota Duluth - 21
5. Bemidji State - 14
6. Minnesota State - 13
7. St. Cloud State - 6
Predicted order of finish. Based on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
Note: Coaches could not vote for their own teams.
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