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/ Women's Hockey
Three Gophers Round Out WCHA Top 25 Anniversary Team
2/21/2024 11:43:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – University of Minnesota alumni Taylor Heise, Hannah Brandt and Lee Stecklein have all been named to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Top 25 Team, announced by the WCHA on Wednesday.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, the WCHA announced members of the 25th Anniversary Top 25 Team in celebration of the conference's 25th season. Heise, Brandt and Stecklein are part of the final group of five members announced.
Heise, a native of Lake City, Minn., played for the 'U' for five seasons from 2018-23. In that span, she helped the Gophers reach the national tournament four times, including two semifinal appearances. Heise had an exceptional senior year, becoming the third Golden Gopher to ever win the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. During the 2021-22 season, she scored 66 points (29g, 37a) to lead the nation, including five short-handed goals which ranks third in Minnesota history in a single season.
In 173 career games, Heise racked up 227 points, sixth-most in school history. Her 97 career goals ties for seventh in the history books, while her 130 career assists is fifth all-time. A two-time first-team All-American, Heise led the team in points in back-to-back years. In her fifth year, she topped her Patty Kazmaier Award-winning season totals with 67 points, including 30 goals and 37 assists.
On the international stage, Heise is a member of the U.S. Women's National Team, appearing in two IIHF Women's World Championships to date. She helped Team USA earn a silver medal in 2022 on her way to being named Best Forward and Tournament MVP. In 2023, she contributed 12 points to Team USA and won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. Heise currently plays with PWHL Minnesota where she was the first overall draft pick in the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft.
Brandt played for the 'U' for four seasons from 2012-16, leading Minnesota to four straight NCAA National Championship appearances and three National Championship titles. The Vadnais Heights, Minn. native was a four-time Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist and two-time top-three finalist. Brandt burst onto the college scene as a freshman, setting a Minnesota freshman record and ranking second in the nation in scoring with 82 points (33g, 49a).
A three-time first-team All-American, Brandt ranks number one in career points for the Maroon and Gold at 286, second in career goals (115) and first in career assists (170). She has a career plus/minus of +236 in her four years which is 64 points better than the next closest Gopher in school history. Brandt was also a two-time WCHA scoring champion and Player of the Year.
Brandt has earned a spot on seven IIHF Women's World Championship teams for Team USA, winning three gold medals and two silver. She also represented Team USA at two Olympic Games, getting a gold medal in 2018 and silver in 2022. Brandt signed to play with PWHL Boston in 2023 after playing for Team Sonnet in the PWHPA in the season prior.
Stecklein, a native of Roseville, Minn., spent four seasons playing for the Gophers from 2012-17. With the help of her defense, the 'U' won three National Championships during her career. A three-time All-American, she ranks No. 7 in Minnesota history for points (93) and assists (73) by a defender. In her final season in 2016-17, Stecklein was named team captain, a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient.
On the international stage, Stecklein has represented Team USA in three Olympic Games, winning one gold and two silver medals. She has played in eight IIHF World Championships, earning six gold medals and two silver. She redshirted her sophomore season at the 'U' to train with the National Team and compete in the 2014 Olympics as the youngest member of Team USA. Stecklein currently plays with PWHL Minnesota and has scored six points for the season.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, the WCHA announced members of the 25th Anniversary Top 25 Team in celebration of the conference's 25th season. Heise, Brandt and Stecklein are part of the final group of five members announced.
Heise, a native of Lake City, Minn., played for the 'U' for five seasons from 2018-23. In that span, she helped the Gophers reach the national tournament four times, including two semifinal appearances. Heise had an exceptional senior year, becoming the third Golden Gopher to ever win the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. During the 2021-22 season, she scored 66 points (29g, 37a) to lead the nation, including five short-handed goals which ranks third in Minnesota history in a single season.
In 173 career games, Heise racked up 227 points, sixth-most in school history. Her 97 career goals ties for seventh in the history books, while her 130 career assists is fifth all-time. A two-time first-team All-American, Heise led the team in points in back-to-back years. In her fifth year, she topped her Patty Kazmaier Award-winning season totals with 67 points, including 30 goals and 37 assists.
On the international stage, Heise is a member of the U.S. Women's National Team, appearing in two IIHF Women's World Championships to date. She helped Team USA earn a silver medal in 2022 on her way to being named Best Forward and Tournament MVP. In 2023, she contributed 12 points to Team USA and won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. Heise currently plays with PWHL Minnesota where she was the first overall draft pick in the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft.
Brandt played for the 'U' for four seasons from 2012-16, leading Minnesota to four straight NCAA National Championship appearances and three National Championship titles. The Vadnais Heights, Minn. native was a four-time Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist and two-time top-three finalist. Brandt burst onto the college scene as a freshman, setting a Minnesota freshman record and ranking second in the nation in scoring with 82 points (33g, 49a).
A three-time first-team All-American, Brandt ranks number one in career points for the Maroon and Gold at 286, second in career goals (115) and first in career assists (170). She has a career plus/minus of +236 in her four years which is 64 points better than the next closest Gopher in school history. Brandt was also a two-time WCHA scoring champion and Player of the Year.
Brandt has earned a spot on seven IIHF Women's World Championship teams for Team USA, winning three gold medals and two silver. She also represented Team USA at two Olympic Games, getting a gold medal in 2018 and silver in 2022. Brandt signed to play with PWHL Boston in 2023 after playing for Team Sonnet in the PWHPA in the season prior.
Stecklein, a native of Roseville, Minn., spent four seasons playing for the Gophers from 2012-17. With the help of her defense, the 'U' won three National Championships during her career. A three-time All-American, she ranks No. 7 in Minnesota history for points (93) and assists (73) by a defender. In her final season in 2016-17, Stecklein was named team captain, a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient.
On the international stage, Stecklein has represented Team USA in three Olympic Games, winning one gold and two silver medals. She has played in eight IIHF World Championships, earning six gold medals and two silver. She redshirted her sophomore season at the 'U' to train with the National Team and compete in the 2014 Olympics as the youngest member of Team USA. Stecklein currently plays with PWHL Minnesota and has scored six points for the season.
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