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Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey

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Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
Current season
Minnesota Golden Gophers athletic logo
UniversityUniversity of Minnesota
ConferenceWCHA
Head coachBrad Frost
18th season, 499–109–41[1]
ArenaRidder Arena
Minneapolis
ColorsMaroon and gold[2]
   
Fight songMinnesota Rouser
AWCHA Tournament championships
2000
NCAA Tournament championships
2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
NCAA Tournament Runner-up
2006, 2014, 2019
NCAA Tournament Frozen Four
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023
NCAA Tournament appearances
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2023
Conference regular season championships
2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022
Current uniform

The Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey team plays for the University of Minnesota at the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. The team is one of the members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in Division I. The Golden Gophers have won six NCAA Championships as well as the final American Women's College Hockey Alliance Championship. In the WCHA, they have also been regular season champions 11 times[3] and tournament champions 8 times.[4] In addition to their overall success as a competitive team, the Gophers have also been ranked in the nation's top two teams for attendance since becoming a varsity sport, and the team holds the second largest single-game attendance record for women's collegiate hockey, drawing 6,854 fans for the first Minnesota women's hockey game on November 2, 1997.[5] The team also holds the distinction of having the longest winning streak in women's or men's college hockey at 62 games from February 17, 2012, to November 17, 2013, winning back-to-back NCAA titles during the stretch.[6]

In 2004–2005, Minnesota also won back-to-back NCAA Championships. Natalie Darwitz was a three-time All American, and three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier award. Darwitz left the program with the career scoring mark at Minnesota in three years and set two NCAA single-season record with 114 points (42 Goals, 72 Assists) and most assists in 40 games in her final season.[7] Minnesota Gophers women's hockey players have won the Patty Kazmaier Award three times (Krissy Wendell [2005], Amanda Kessel [2013], and Taylor Heise [2022]), as well as having all three finalists in 2013.[8]

Coaches

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The Gophers have had two head coaches to date: Laura Halldorson and Brad Frost. Halldorson was the head coach for eleven years, from the 1997–1998 season to the 2006–2007 season. Her overall coaching record was 278–67–22 with the Gophers, a winning percentage of .787. During that time, the Gophers won four of their WCHA championships and three of their national championships. They averaged 28 wins per season and appeared in eight out of ten national tournaments, reaching seven finals. The Gophers' experienced their best season under Halldorson in 2004–2005 with a 36–2–2 record.[9]

In the 2007–08 season, Brad Frost became the temporary head coach. He had previously been an assistant coach. In his first year as head coach, Frost led the Gophers to a 21-game winning streak, with the season's record ending with 27 wins, 7 losses, and 4 ties but also ended with a conference record of 21–5–2, which ranked second in the WCHA. The Gophers made another NCAA regional appearance and post-season Frost was awarded WCHA Coach of the Year. In the 2008–2009 season, his temporary coaching status was lifted and he was named permanent head coach of the Gophers. That same season he led the Gophers to a record of 32–5–3 and to another WCHA championship. Frost then coached the Gophers into back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four championships in 2012 and 2013, which were encompassed in their 62-game winning streak, including a 41–0–0 record in 2012–13.[10] The Golden Gophers have had a cross-state rivalry with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The Gophers handed the Bulldogs their first ever conference loss 4–3 in a sold-out game at Pioneer Hall on February 11, 2000.[11]

Team history

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Minnesota put its first women's team on the ice in 1997–98. Nadine Muzerall, a Canadian who graduated from Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire, was among its initial recruits.[12]

During the 2004–05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record (since tied) for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7.[13] After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16. Both marks have since been tied by Meghan Agosta.

In 2009–10, Noora Räty was just the second freshman to be a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Räty led the NCAA in several goaltending categories. She led the NCAA in goals-against average (1.24), save percentage (.951) and shutouts (7), while ranking third in winning percentage (.792). Her won loss record for the year was 17–3–4. In addition, Räty was the WCHA goaltending champion and earned numerous honours including All-WCHA First Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team. During the season, she was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week four times and WCHA Rookie of the Week on two occasions. She set a school record for most assists in one season by a goaltender (3). Räty played on national championship teams in 2011–12 and 2012–13. The 2012–13 team finished 41–0–0, and the team won the last 49 games of Räty's career. Räty finished with both the career and single-season record for shutouts.[14]

Minnesota Duluth rivalry

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Minnesota Duluth, had been a traditional rival to the Gophers in men's hockey. In 1998, Minnesota Duluth announced that it was going to assemble a women's team for the 1999–2000 season. Duluth gave a three-year, $210,000 contract to Shannon Miller, who coached Canada to the 1998 Olympic final in Nagano. Miller recruited players from Canada, Finland and Sweden, including four Olympians. The rivalry was fuelled when Miller took two players from Minnesota: star forward Jenny Schmidgall, whose 93 points led the nation, and defenseman Brittny Ralph, who would serve as the Bulldogs' captain. In the 1999–2000 season, Duluth would lose just once to the Gophers in their first five meetings, which included a 2–0 Bulldogs victory in the final of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament.[12]

Arenas

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The Golden Gophers have called two ice rinks home. From their 1997–1998 season to their 2001–2002 season the Golden Gophers shared their home ice with the men's team at Mariucci Arena. The Golden Gophers moved into Ridder Arena in the 2002–2003 season, a facility dedicated solely to a women's hockey team, and named for team benefactors Robert Ridder and Kathleen Ridder.[15]

Year to Year

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This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Gophers. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey seasons.

Table key

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Key of colors and symbols
Color/symbol Explanation
National champions
Conference tournament champions
Conference regular season champions
Key of terms and abbreviations
Term or abbreviation Definition
W Number of wins
L Number of losses
T Number of ties
OT Number of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)
Finish Final position in conference standings
Tournament Results in conference tournament

Yearly results

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Last five year's list of Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey seasons
Season Coach Overall Conference Season Result
W L T W L T Finish Tournament
2019–20 Brad Frost 27 6 3 WCHA 17 5 2 2nd Won Quarterfinals vs. St Cloud State (4–2, 7–3)
Lost Semifinals vs Ohio State (4–3 OT)
2020 Tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic[16]
2020–21[a] Brad Frost 11 8 1 WCHA 11 7 1 4th Lost Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (3–5) Did not qualify[17]
2021–22 Brad Frost 29 9 1 WCHA 21 6 1 1st↑ Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas (4–0, 5–1)
Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth (5–1)
Lost Championship vs. Ohio State (2–3 OT)
Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth (1–2)[18]
2022–23 Brad Frost 30 6 3 WCHA‡ 22 3 3 2nd Won Quarterfinals vs. St. Thomas (7–0, 6–2)
Won Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (4–2)
Won Championship vs. Ohio State (3–1)
Won Semifinals vs. Minnesota-Duluth (3–0)
Lost Frozen Four vs. Wisconsin (3–2 OT)[19]
2023–24 Brad Frost 27 10 2 WCHA 19 7 2 3rd Won Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State (4–5, 7–1, 3–0)
Lost Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (4–3 OT)
Lost Quarterfinals vs. Clarkson (2–3 4OT)[20]

Notes

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Championships

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National

[edit]

Conference

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Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Regular Season Champions

  • 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022

Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Tournament Champions

  • 2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2023

Current roster

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As of July 29, 2024.[21]

No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height DoB Hometown Previous team
4 Minnesota Audrey Wethington Graduate F 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2002-04-01 Edina, Minnesota Blake School
5 Minnesota Kate Kosobud Freshman D 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2006-06-12 Moorhead, Minnesota Moorhead High School
6 Minnesota Ayla Puppe Freshman F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2006-03-29 Northfield, Minnesota Northfield High School
7 Finland Nelli Laitinen (C) Junior D 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2002-04-29 Lohja, Finland Kiekko-Espoo
8 British Columbia Chloe Primerano Freshman D 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2007-01-02 North Vancouver, British Columbia RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna
9 Minnesota Ava Lindsay Sophomore F 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2005-02-20 Minnetonka, Minnesota Minnetonka High School
11 Sweden Josefin Bouveng Junior F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2001-05-15 Vassunda, Sweden Brynäs IF
13 Hungary Emma Kreisz Sophomore F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2003-09-02 Budapest, Hungary Stanstead College
14 Minnesota Maggie Nicholson Graduate D 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2002-03-21 Minnetonka, Minnesota Minnetonka High School
15 Minnesota Peyton Hemp (C) Senior F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2003-05-15 Andover, Minnesota Andover High School
16 Minnesota Allie Franco Junior D 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2004-01-27 Oakdale, Minnesota Hill-Murray School
17 Minnesota Kendra Distad Freshman F 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2006-02-25 Burnsville, Minnesota Minnetonka High School
18 Illinois Abbey Murphy (C) Senior (RS) F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2002-04-14 Evergreen Park, Illinois Chicago Mission
20 Minnesota Emma Conner Junior (RS) F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2002-10-01 Edina, Minnesota Edina High School
21 Minnesota Lauren O'Hara Sophomore F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 2005-03-02 Blaine, Minnesota Centennial High School
22 Minnesota Elly Klepinger Sophomore D 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2005-02-08 Corcoran, Minnesota Minnetonka High School
24 Minnesota Carly Humphrey Freshman D 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2006-03-03 Elk River, Minnesota Elk River High School
26 Illinois Ella Huber (C) Senior F 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2002-12-18 Northfield, Illinois Chicago Mission
29 Minnesota Madison Kaiser Junior F 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2004-07-10 Andover, Minnesota Holy Family Catholic High School
31 Minnesota Skylar Vetter Senior G 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2003-05-14 Lakeville, Minnesota Lakeville North High School
32 Connecticut Sydney Morrow Junior D 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2004-02-12 Darien, Connecticut Colgate University
35 Minnesota Sophia Johnson Junior G 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2004-04-16 Minnetonka, Minnesota Minnetonka High School
47 British Columbia Gracie Graham Freshman D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 2006-01-09 Kelowna, British Columbia RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna
56 Ontario Hannah Clark Freshman G 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2006-05-12 Oshawa, Ontario Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
64 Finland Krista Parkkonen Junior D 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2002-06-25 Lappeenranta, Finland University of Vermont
96 Czech Republic Natálie Mlýnková Graduate F 5' 3" (1.6 m) 2001-05-24 Zlín, Czech Republic University of Vermont


Captains

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Season Captains
1997–98 Julie Otto, Kris Scholz
1998–99 Amber Hegland, Kris Scholz
1999–00 Shannon Kennedy, Kris Scholz
2000–01 Tracy Engstrom, Kris Scholz
2001–02 Tracy Engstrom, Laura Slominski
2002–03 Ronda Curtin, Kelsey Bills, Winny Brodt
2003–04 Kelsey Bills, La Toya Clarke
2004–05 Kelly Stephens, Krissy Wendell
2005–06 Andrea Nichols, Chelsey Brodt, Bobbi Ross
2006–07 Andrea Nichols, Bobbi Ross
2007–08 Bobbi Ross, Whitney Graft
2008–09 Melanie Gagnon, Gigi Marvin
2009–10 Michelle Maunu, Brittany Francis, Emily West, Terra Rasmussen
2010–11 Emily West, Terra Rasmussen, Sarah Erickson, Jen Schoullis, Anne Schleper
2011–12 Sarah Erickson, Jen Schoullis
2012–13 Megan Bozek, Bethany Brausen
2013–14 Bethany Brausen, Sarah Davis, Baylee Gillanders, Kelly Terry
2014–15 Rachel Ramsey, Rachael Bona, Meghan Lorence, Lee Stecklein
2015–16 Hannah Brandt, Lee Stecklein
2016–17 Lee Stecklein, Dani Cameranesi, Kate Schipper
2017–18 Sydney Baldwin, Cara Piazza
2018–19 Kelly Pannek
2019–20 Patti Marshall
2020–21 Emily Brown, Grace Zumwinkle
2021–22 Emily Brown, Olivia Knowles
2022–23 Abigail Boreen, Taylor Heise, Gracie Ostertag, Grace Zumwinkle
2023–24 Peyton Hemp
2024–25 Peyton Hemp, Abbey Murphy, Ella Huber, Nelli Laitinen[22]

Olympians

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Gopher players who have participated in the women's ice hockey tournament at the Winter Olympic Games
Year Country Player Result
2002 United States Natalie Darwitz  Silver
Courtney Kennedy
Lyndsay Wall
Krissy Wendell
2006 United States Natalie Darwitz  Bronze
Courtney Kennedy
Kelly Stephens
Lyndsay Wall
Krissy Wendell (Captain)
Finland Noora Räty 4th
2010 United States Natalie Darwitz  Silver
Gigi Marvin
Finland Noora Räty  Bronze
2014 United States Megan Bozek  Silver
Amanda Kessel
Gigi Marvin
Anne Schleper
Lee Stecklein
Finland Mira Jalosuo 5th
Noora Räty
2018 United States Hannah Brandt  Gold
Dani Cameranesi
Amanda Kessel
Gigi Marvin
Kelly Pannek
Lee Stecklein
Finland Mira Jalosuo  Bronze
Noora Räty
2022 United States Megan Bozek  Silver
Hannah Brandt
Dani Cameranesi
Amanda Kessel
Abbey Murphy
Kelly Pannek
Lee Stecklein
Grace Zumwinkle
Finland Nelli Laitinen  Bronze
Sweden Josefin Bouveng

Source: [23]

Awards and honors

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Golden Gophers in elite hockey leagues

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= CWHL All-Star = NWHL All-Star = Clarkson Cup Champion = Isobel Cup Champion = Walter Cup Champion
Player Pos. Team(s) League(s) Clarkson Cup Isobel Cup Walter Cup
Sydney Baldwin D EHV Sabres Wien
Minnesota Whitecaps
EWHL
PHF
Lauren Bench G PWHL Minnesota PWHL 1 (2024)
Abigail Boreen F PWHL Minnesota
Montreal Victoire
PWHL 1 (2024)
Megan Bozek D Toronto Furies
Buffalo Beauts
Markham Thunder
Dream Gap Tour
KRS Vanke Rays
CWHL
PHF
CWHL
PWHPA
ZhHL
1 (2018) 1 (2017)
Hannah Brandt F Minnesota Whitecaps
Dream Gap Tour
PWHL Boston
PHF
PWHPA
PWHL
1 (2019)
Winny Brodt-Brown D Minnesota Whitecaps WWHL, PHF 1 (2010) 1 (2019)
Chelsey Brodt-Rosenthal D Minnesota Whitecaps WWHL, PHF 1 (2010) 1 (2019)
Emily Brown D PWHL Boston PWHL
Jordyn Burns D Buffalo Beauts PHF 1 (2017)
Dani Cameranesi F Buffalo Beauts
Dream Gap Tour
PHF
PWHPA
Kelsey Cline F/D Minnesota Whitecaps PHF
Sarah Davis F Calgary Inferno CWHL 1 (2016)
Taylor Heise F PWHL Minnesota PWHL 1 (2024)
Amanda Kessel F Metropolitan Riveters
Dream Gap Tour
PHF
PWHPA
Olivia Knowles D Minnesota Whitecaps
PWHL Toronto
PHF
PWHL
Monique Lamoureux F Boston Blades
Dream Gap Tour
CWHL
PWHPA
1 (2015)
Amanda Leveille G Buffalo Beauts
Minnesota Whitecaps
PWHL Minnesota
PHF
PHF
PWHL
2 (2017, 2019) 1 (2024)
Meghan Lorence F Minnesota Whitecaps PHF
Patti Marshall D Brynäs IF
Minnesota Whitecaps
SDHL
PHF
Gigi Marvin D Boston Blades
Boston Pride
Dream Gap Tour
PWHL Boston
CWHL
PHF
PWHPA
PWHL
2 (2013, 2015) 1 (2016)
Milica McMillen D Metropolitan Riveters PHF
Andrea Nichols F Minnesota Whitecaps WWHL
Savannah Norcross F PWHL New York PWHL
Kelly Pannek F Dream Gap Tour
PWHL Minnesota
PWHPA
PWHL
Sarah Potomak F Dream Gap Tour PWHPA
Noora Räty G Kiekko-Vantaa
Kunlun Red Star WIH
KRS Vanke Rays
Mestis
CWHL
CWHL, ZhHL
Caitlin Reilly F EHV Sabres Wien EWHL
Katie Robinson F TPS Liiga
Allie Sanchez F Minnesota Whitecaps WWHL
Nicole Schammel F Minnesota Whitecaps
Dream Gap Tour
PHF
PWHPA
Kate Schipper F Minnesota Whitecaps PHF 1 (2019)
Anne Schleper D Buffalo Beauts PHF 1 (2017)
Sydney Scobee G Dream Gap Tour PWHPA
Lee Stecklein D Minnesota Whitecaps
Dream Gap Tour
PWHL Minnesota
PHF
PWHPA
PWHL
1 (2019) 1 (2024)
Kelly Terry F Toronto Furies CWHL
Alex Woken F Mad Dogs Mannheim
Minnesota Whitecaps
Bundesliga
PHF
Grace Zumwinkle F PWHL Minnesota PWHL 1 (2024)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Brad Frost, Women's Hockey Head Coach". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  2. ^ "Colors and Type | University Relations". Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  3. ^ "Gophers Win WCHA Regular-Season Title". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved February 22, 2022. Minnesota defeats St. Thomas, 7-1 to clinch the program's 11th regular-season conference title.
  4. ^ "WCHA Playoff Champions" (PDF). WCHA.com. WCHA. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  5. ^ "Box Score, Augsburg at Minnesota". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. November 2, 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Naila-Jean Meyers (March 25, 2013). "Minnesota Women's Hockey Wins 49 in a Row to Win Title". Thequad.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "Natalie Darwitz | Easton Hockey". eastonhockey.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  8. ^ Christensen, Joe (March 7, 2013). "All three finalists for hockey's Patty Kazmaier Award are Gophers". StarTribune.com. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "2004–05 Women's Ice Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  10. ^ Women's Hockey (November 17, 2013). "Historic Winning Streak Ends at 62". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "UMD Bulldogs - View Memorable Moments". www.umdbulldogs.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Minnesota's upstart women battled back twice to win the - 04.03.00 - SI Vault". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
  13. ^ "2010 NCAA Ice Hockey Division I Women's Records" (PDF). NCAA.
  14. ^ "Räty sets two records as Gophers advance in playoffs". Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  15. ^ "Minnesota Mourns Loss of Kathleen Ridder". University of Minnesota Athletics. April 5, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  16. ^ "2019–20 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  17. ^ "2020–21 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  18. ^ "2021–22 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  19. ^ "2022–23 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  20. ^ "2023–24 Women's Hockey Schedule". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  21. ^ "2024–25 Women's Hockey Roster". University of Minnesota Athletics. July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  22. ^ Women's Hockey (September 20, 2024). "Gophers Name Women's Hockey Captains for 2024-25 Season". GopherSports.com. University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  23. ^ "Golden Gophers in the Olympics". University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
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Media related to Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by Last NCAA team to finish the year undefeated or unbeaten in any sport
March 24, 2013
Succeeded by