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Minnesota Set for Season Opener at UConn
9/26/2024 3:34:00 PM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 2/3 ranked University of Minnesota women's hockey team drops the puck on the 2024-25 season, the 28th in program history, against the No. 9 UConn Huskies on Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs, Conn. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday and 2:00 p.m. CT on Saturday. Each game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Scouting the Huskies
The Huskies are also set to start their 2024-24 season this weekend. The program is coming off a historic 2023-24 campaign, winning the first-ever Hockey East Championship in school history, as well as notching its first bid to the NCAA Tournament. UConn head coach Chris McKenzie was named the 2024 winner of the CCM/AHCA Division I Women's Coach of the Year Award in recognition of the program's success under his helm during the season. In both the USCHO and USA Hockey/The Rink Live's national polls, the Huskies ranked No. 9.Â
2024-25 Roster Preview
Minnesota returns 16 players from last year's roster, including Top-10 Patty Kazmaier Award finalist Abbey Murphy, who scored the most goals (33) and tallied third-most points in the nation in 2023-24. Peyton Hemp returns for her fourth season donning the Maroon and Gold after playing in all 39 games and scoring 14 goals last season. Ella Huber enters her fourth year after a career year last season, notching 42 points (18g-24a) in 2023-24. Josefin Bouveng and Nelli Laitinen both return to the lineup after stellar sophomore campaigns. Veteran Skylar Vetter returns in net with 11 career shutouts and the team record for saves in a single game (52). Ten newcomers join the team in 2024-25, including three transfers and six freshmen.
Fresh Faces
The Gophers welcome ten newcomers in a 2024-25 class. Chloe Primerano, Kate Kosobud, Carly Humphrey, and Gracie Graham make up the freshman defensive group, joined by standout transfers Sydney Morrow and Krista Parkkonen suiting up in Maroon and Gold for their junior seasons. Freshmen Ayla Puppe and Kendra Distad, as well as graduate transfer Natalie Mlynkova make up a strong incoming forward group. Freshman Hannah Clark joins the 'U' in net to round out the class.
O' Captains, Our Captains
In the lead up to the start of the season, the team announced four captains for 2024-25: Peyton Hemp, Abbey Murphy, Ella Huber, and Nelli Laitinen. All four Gophers will don the 'C' on their jerseys throughout the year, with Hemp wearing the letter for the second consecutive season. Murphy and Huber previously held assistant captain positions in 2023-24. Laitinen will don a letter for the first time in her collegiate career.
Between the Pipes
Skylar Vetter returns for her fourth season in the Maroon and Gold in 2024-25 after posting a 12-7-2 record with a .921 SV% last season. Vetter earned WCHA Goaltender of the Week honors twice last season (Jan. 8 and Feb. 12), and was a HCA National Goaltender of the Year Semifinalist during the 2022-23 season. Sophia Johnson also makes her return to the 'U' for her third collegiate season. Hannah Clark joins the goaltending group as a freshman out of Oshawa, Ontario.Â
Home Grown
The 2024-25 Gopher Women's Hockey roster includes 16 players who hail from Minnesota. Illinois, Connecticut, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are also represented on this year's roster. The Minnetonka area continues to see strong representation in Maroon and Gold, with Ava Lindsay, Maggie Nicholson, Elly Klepinger, and Sophia Johnson all hailing from Minnetonka or Excelsior, Minn.
Behind the Bench
Head coach Brad Frost is back for his 18th season as the bench boss of Gopher Women's Hockey. Under Frost's guidance, the program has posted a 499-109-41 record with four national titles and seven conference titles. Associate head coach Greg May, assistant coaches Mitch Baker and Jessica Scott all return to their roles for their second season.
National Recognition
The Gophers enter the 2024-25 season ranked second in the USA Hockey/The Rink Live national poll and third in the USCHO national poll. In September, Abbey Murphy and Nelli Laitinen were both named members of the Preseason All-WCHA Team by the WCHA coaches with Natalie Mlynkova and Chloe Primerano also receiving votes. Primerano was named WCHA Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Quest for Eighth National Title
Minnesota has won seven national championships (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016) and looks for a historic eighth title national crown in 2024-25.