University of Minnesota Athletics
Courtney Kennedy - M Club Hall of Fame
Courtney Kennedy
Class of 2008
Hockey: 1998-2001
One of the top blueliners to ever don the Maroon and Gold, Courtney Kennedy is regarded among the all-time greats of Golden Gopher women’s hockey. A first team All-American and Patty Kazmaier top-three finalist as a senior in 2001, Kennedy still ranks second in school history in career points by a defenseman (112), goals by a defenseman (35) and assists by a defenseman (77), despite playing in just 106 games over three seasons at Minnesota.
The Gophers’ team MVP in 2001, Kennedy earned first team All-WCHA honors and was named both the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year as well as the overall WCHA Player of the Year while leading Minnesota to its first WCHA title.
Kennedy began her college career at Colby College in 1998 before transferring to Minnesota, where she became perhaps the most dominant blueliner of her era. She earned second team American Women’s College Hockey Alliance All-America accolades as a sophomore in 1999 while helping lead the Gophers to a third place national finish in the AWCHA tournament.
Team and individual accomplishments continued during the 2000 season as Minnesota claimed its first women’s hockey national championship behind Kennedy’s phenomenal plus/minus rating of +50. Kennedy was rewarded for scintillating junior season with second team All-WCHA honors and a spot on the AWCHA All-Tournament team.
Following her Gopher career, Kennedy went on to become a force on the blue line for Team USA. A two-time Olympian, she helped lead the USA to a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. Kennedy also won a gold medal as a member of Team USA’s 2005 world championship squad.