|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey today announced the 22-player U.S. Women’s Select Team that will compete in the Women’s Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., from November 4-9. Highlighting the roster are 18 members of the 2008 U.S. Women's National Team that won the gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship in April. "Our roster for the Four Nations Cup is a mix of both seasoned veterans and young rising talent," said Katey Stone, head coach for Team USA and also the head women's ice hockey coach at Harvard University. "We are looking forward to the event in Lake Placid and representing our country in the best possible manner." "We're excited to be bringing back a core group of players from the world championship team," said Michele Amidon, USA Hockey's director of women's hockey. "Lake Placid and the Olympic Center will be great hosts for this event as we look to build on our recent international success." The 18 world champion returnees includes two-time Olympian Natalie Darwitz (Eagan, Minn.), who led the 2008 IIHF World Women's Championship with 10 points (6-4) and was named the tournament's top forward by the directorate. Other leading returnees at forward include three-time Olympian Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.), who tallied seven points (5-2) in the 2008 IIHF World Women's Championship, and two-time Olympian Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.), who added seven assists in the event. In addition, Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass.), Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.), Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.), Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.), Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass.), Kelli Stack (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio) and Karen Thatcher (Blaine, Wash.) all return up front for the United States. Leading the defensive corps is three-time Olympian Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.), who was named the top defenseman at the world championship with five points (0-5). She will be joined by fellow gold-medalists Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.), Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.), Rachael Drazan (Orono, Minn.), Molly Engstrom (Siren, Wis.) and Kerry Weiland (Palmer, Alaska) Both goaltenders on the U.S. roster - Molly Schaus (Natick, Mass.) and Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis.) - played for Team USA in April at the world championship. Vetter posted a 1.72 goals-against average in four games en route to the gold medal, while Schaus recorded a 1.00 GAA in one victory for the United States. The four remaining members of the U.S. Women's Select Team also have international experience. Defenseman Anne Schleper (St. Cloud, Minn.) and forward Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) both helped the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team capture the gold medal at the first-ever IIHF World Women's U18 Championship in January. In addition, forwards Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) and Erica McKenzie (Hastings, Minn.) each have Four Nations Cup experience. Team USA will open competition at the Women’s Four Nations Cup on Tues., November 4, when it takes on Sweden. NOTES: Nine members of Team USA are currently part of the 2008-09 U.S. Women's Select Team that is based in Blaine, Minn., at the National Sports Center ... Twelve members of the team play NCAA Division I women's ice hockey, while one is attending prep school (Brianna Decker/Shattuck-St. Mary's). Four play for the University of Wisconsin, four for the University of Minnesota, two for Boston College and one each for Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire ... The team includes representation from 10 U.S. states ... Ten members of Team USA were part of the U.S. Women's Under-22 Select Team in August, while Decker was on the U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team ... USA Hockey will hold a training camp in Blaine, Minn., from October 27 – November 2 in preparation for the Women's Four Nations Cup … The Men's Under-18 Four Nations Cup will take place simultaneously with the Women's Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y. ... The United States has earned either first or second place in each of the 11 years it has competed in the Women's Four Nations Cup (Three Nations Cup from 1996-99), including second place the last four years (2004-07) … Joining Katey Stone on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Dave Flint, head women’s ice hockey coach at Northeastern University, and Brad Frost, head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota. Team USA 2008 Women's Four Nations Cup Schedule
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
