University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
No. 3 Gophers Set to Face No. 1 Wisconsin on the Road
2/7/2025 3:13:00 PM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - The third-ranked Gopher women's hockey team (22-6-1, 16-5-1 WCHA) is set to take on the top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (27-1-2, 21-1-2 WCHA) at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisc. this weekend. Puck drop is set for Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2:00 p.m. CT and Sunday, Feb. 9 at 12:00 p.m. CT.
Both games also will be streamed live on B1G+, with Saturday's matchup also broadcasting on FOX 9+.
Last Time Out
The Maroon and Gold are coming off a split series against No. 2 Ohio State at home. The Gophers took the first game 3-1 last Friday, their highest-ranked win of the season so far. The Buckeyes responded on Saturday with a 7-3 victory.Â
With 48 conference points, Minnesota officially clinched home ice for the WCHA Quarterfinals, which begin on Feb. 28.
Scouting the Badgers
Head coach Mark Johnson and the No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers sit at a 27-1-2 (21-1-2 WCHA) record after sweeping No. 6 Minnesota Duluth last weekend on the road. The Badgers' lone loss so far this season came against No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 16.
This weekend will mark the second series between Minnesota and Wisconsin for the 2024-25 season. The Badgers previously defeated the Gophers 5-0, then 4-3 at Ridder Arena in the Oct. 18-19 series.
Multiple Contributors
The Maroon and Gold have had various players make an impact throughout the season. Redshirt-senior Abbey Murphy leads the team with 50 points (24g-26a). Murphy has notched at least one point in 23 out of the Gophers' 29 games, including 16 multi-point games. She ranks third in the nation in points and points per game (1.72). Following Murphy is senior forward Ella Huber, who has recorded 35 points (9g-26a) this season, then fifth-year forward Natalie Mlynkova with 28 points (13g-15a). Junior Sydney Morrow leads Minnesota defenders with 22 points on the season (9g-13a), excelling on the power play as five of her goals came on the power play, tied for most on the team this season. Following Morrow is freshman defender Chloe Primerano and junior defender Nelli Laitinen with 16 points (4g-12a, 3g-13a, respectively), on the season so far.
Freshman goaltender Hannah Clark holds an 18-4-1 record on the season with a .910 save percentage and a 2.03 goals-allowed average. Heading into this weekend's matchup, Clark ranks fourth in the nation in goaltender winning percentage.
Milestones on the Horizon
The University of Minnesota women's hockey program sits at an all-time overall record of 799-182-64 and looks to reach the 800-win mark this weekend. Abbey Murphy has recorded 94 career goals, ninth all-time in program history, and is in pursuit of the century mark. Ella Huber has tallied 46 career goals and is on pace to reach the 50 mark this season.Â
WCHA Honors
Abbey Murphy and Sydney Morrow were named January's WCHA Forward of the Month and Defender of the Month, respectively. This marked the second-straight month for which a pair of Gophers earned conference honors, as Murphy and Chloe Primerano took home December's WCHA Forward and Defender of the Month honors, respectively.
Five Gophers have earned WCHA Weekly Awards throughout the 2024-25 season so far: forward Abbey Murphy (Nov. 18, Dec. 9), goaltender Hannah Clark (Nov. 18), defender Chloe Primerano (Dec. 9, Jan. 20), defender Sydney Morrow (Jan. 6), and defender Gracie Graham (Jan. 13).
National Honors
Abbey Murphy was named National Player of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners Association in back-to-back months (December, January). She became the first Gopher to earn multiple National Player of the Month honors in one season since Taylor Heise during the 2022-23 season.
Gophers in International Play
Junior forward Josefin Bouveng and sophomore forward Emma Kreisz are both competing in this week's IIHF Olympic Qualifying tournaments in Europe. Bouveng is representing her home nation of Sweden while Kreisz is representing her native Hungary. They will each be helping their national squad clinch a 2026 Winter Olympics bid.Â
Minnesota alumnae Taylor Heise and Kelly Pannek are suiting up with Team USA in the final stretch of the 2024-25 Rivalry Series against Canada.Â
Gophers in the Pros
Nine Gopher women's hockey alumnae are rostered (including reserves) across four PWHL squads: Hannah Brandt and Emily Brown (Boston Fleet); Taylor Heise, Lucy Morgan, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota Frost); Abigail Boreen (Victoire de Montréal); Olivia Knowles (New York Sirens).Â
Minnesota Adds Six to the 2025-26 Freshman Class
Head coach Brad Frost and the Golden Gopher women's hockey program announced the addition of six incoming student-athletes to the 2025-26 signing class: defender Sydney Bailey (Rogers, Minn.), forward Sienna D'Alessandro (Pointe-Claire, Quebec), forward Bella Fanale (Webster, N.Y.), goaltender Layla Hemp (Chanhassen, Minn.), forward Avery Hovland (West Fargo, N.D.), and forward Tereza Plosova (Šimonovice, Czechia).
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.