The 2000-01 MIAC women's hockey season begins on November 3. There are two additions to the conference this season, as Hamline University and St. Olaf College have added women's hockey teams for the 2000-01 year, bringing the total to ten teams. Women's hockey is in its third year as a MIAC sport.

Augsburg College brings a much different look to the ice this season, after graduating their top five scorers from last year's squad. The Auggies however have a well-balanced talented team, which returns for the 2000-01 season. Keep an eye on St. Mary's and Gustavus to challenge for the conference title. Gustavus brings depth and a physical nature to the ice this season. St. Mary's has a new coach and several returning veteran defenders.

Co-MIAC Champions were crowned in 2000 when Augsburg College and Saint Mary's University both finished the regular-season with MIAC records of 12-1-1. The Auggies defeated both the College of St. Benedict and Gustavus Adolphus College in two-game series' to earn the MIAC Playoff title and the automatic bid to the AWCHA National Championship Tournament.

At the inaugural AWCHA Division III National Championship, the Auggies were paired up with Middlebury College in a two-game series. Augsburg was defeated in both games, and finished with runner up honors in the national championship series.


| Augsburg | Bethel | Concordia | Gustavus | Hamline | St. Benedict | St. Catherine | St. Mary's | St. Olaf | St. Thomas |


Augsburg College
Head Coach: Jill Pohtilla (6th season)
1999-2000 Record: 21-7-1 (12-1-1 MIAC / t-1st)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Stephanie Johnson (F, Sr., Anoka, Minn.), 10G-6A—16P in 1999-2000
Amber Nadreau (F, Sr., Anchorage, Alaska/Grace Christian HS), 7G-8A—15P in 99-00
Laura McGowan (F, Jr., Fridley, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS), 10G-4A—14P in 99-00
April Leger (F, Jr., Austin, Minn.), 6G-4A—10P in 99-00
Kristi Brusletto (D, Jr., Basalt, Colo.), 2G-9A—11P in 99-00
Jodi Winters (G, So., Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS), backup goalie in 99-00
Season Preview:
Last year, Augsburg College experienced an incredible season in women’s hockey. The Auggies claimed the MIAC regular-season co-championship with St. Mary’s, then won the first MIAC postseason playoff championship, sweeping St. Benedict and archrival Gustavus. The wins sent the Auggies to the first American Women’s College Hockey Alliance Division III national championships in Boston, Mass.

But in Boston, the Auggies ran into the buzzsaw that is Middlebury (Vt.) College. The Panthers promptly sent the Auggies home with second-place national honors with 5-1 and 8-1 decisions.

Those losses, hand-in-hand with the experience of reaching small-college women’s hockey’s first national championship, will be an effective motivator for the Auggies to reach similar heights this season.

Augsburg has won a share of the first two MIAC regular-season championships, but with the rest of the league improving by leaps and bounds, it will be tougher for Augsburg to duplicate its sweep through the conference race again and possibly return to the Division III national championships.

While this year’s Auggie squad is talented, it’s not deep. Just 16 letterwinners return, and the team’s top five scorers from last season are gone. But there is strength in the team’s overall balance, Head Coach Jill Pohtilla said.

Leading the way on the forward lines will be Stephanie Johnson (Sr., Anoka, Minn.), who had 16 points (10 goals, 6 assists) last year as an offensive anchor. Amber Nadreau (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska/Grace Christian HS) has been a solid four-year player for the Auggies, and returns with her 15 points (7-8) from last year. Juniors Laura McGowan (Jr., Fridley, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS; 10-4—14 in 99-00) and April Leger (Jr., Austin, Minn.; 6-4—10) also return to the forward lines.

With just one senior lost from the defensive pairings, the returning defenders are strong and experienced. Kristi Brusletto (Jr., Basalt, Colo.; 2-9—11) and Annie Mattison (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska/East HS; 3-7—10) will lead the returners on defense. In goal, Augsburg has to find a replacement for four-year starter Meg Schmidt, who earned All-MIAC honors twice in the nets for the Auggies. Jodi Winters (So., Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) will be the likely season-opening starter in goal.

One of the key additions to the Auggie season may not be on the ice, but on the bench. Pohtilla added veteran high school coaches Barb Halbrehder and Bill Halbrehder as assistant coaches this season. The couple has coached and taught together in North St. Paul, Minn., for more than a decade. Bill Halbrehder coached boys’ hockey at North St. Paul for 21 years, as well as coaching soccer for 25 seasons. For the last 12 years, Barb Halbrehder was the girls’ soccer coach at North St. Paul, and prior to that, coached soccer, track and field and gymnastics at Tartan HS.



Bethel College
Head Coach: Jeff Palmer (3rd season)
1999-2000 Record: 3-16 (1-13 MIAC / 8th)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Jessie Alward, Junior, Forward, All-MIAC honorable mention, captain, 4 goals, 1 assist
Emily Louwsma, Junior, Forward, captain, team leader in scoring, 5 goals, 9 assists
Brandi Schmidgall, Junior, Forward, two-year starter, 5 goals, 6 assists
Megan Leafblad, Junior, Forward, two-year starter, 1 goal, 3 assists
Heidi Anderson, Sophomore, Forward, 6 goals, 4 assists
Jessie Zaugg, Sophomore, Defense
Season Preview:
As the Royals enter their second year as competing as an official varsity sport, head coach Jeff Palmer is excited about the strong nucleus of players that he returns and an impressive group of incoming players.

An quality group of juniors, who were with the program when it started as a club team in 1998-99, will look to continue their improvement and put a competitive squad on the ice. Captains Jessie Alward (Eagle River, WI) and Emily Louwsma (Eden Prairie, MN) are both quality players and anticipate a move up in the challenging MIAC. Alward garnered the first postseason honor for a Bethel women’s hockey player, earning honorable mention All-MIAC.

Coach Palmer is excited as he looks to his third year leading the Bethel program, "The Bethel women’s hockey team, with their never-say-die attitude and strong goaltending should be a pleasant surprise in the conference this year."

Complete preview found at: www.bethel.edu/Athletics/W_Hockey/01preview.html


Concordia College
Head Coach: Deb Lien (12nd season / 9-15-1)
1999-2000 Record: 12-6 (4-6 MIAC / 8th)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Anna Grafstrom (C, Jr, 5-4, Roseau MN)
Katie Jacques (W, So, 5-9, Tempe AZ/Corona Del Sol)
Sandra Johansson (D, Jr, 5-9, Jonstorp Sweden/Tycho Brahe) 99-00 Team Leading Scorer
Annie Knierim (W, So, 5-10, Glasgow MT)
Shyla Wilson (G, So, 5-6, Cohasset MN/Grand Rapids) 99-00 All-MIAC HM, Led MIAC saves, 2nd in Save Pct.
Season Preview:
The 200-2001 season will be the second year as a varsity program for the Concordia College women's hockey team, and coach Deb Lien is hoping to build up from where the team left off last season.

This years team will have a strong backbone with returning All-MIAC Honorable Mention goalie Shyla Wilson (So., Cohasset, MN). Wilson stopped a titanic 750 shots in 20 games last season. She led the MIAC in saves and was second in the league in save percentage. The Cobbers also are hoping that a year of seasoning will help their offensive production as they return their top six scorers from a year ago. Leading the offensive charge will be Sandra Johansson (Jr., Jonstorp, Sweden) , Annie Knierim (So., Glasgow, MT) and Katie Jacques (So., Tempe, AZ). The big question mark will be on the blue line where the shifting of Johansson should strengthen the corps. Hope Aune (Sr., Brainerd, MN) and newcomer Anna Birgenheier (Sheridan, WY) will be counted on to add depth to the defense. The offense will feature Knierim and Jacques along with Lindsay Kurtis (Fr., Phoenix, AZ).


Gustavus Adolphus College
Head Coach: Mike Carroll (2nd season / 18-10-1)
1999-2000 Record: 18-10-1 (12-3 MIAC / 3rd)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Michelle Zaske, F, SR (28 GP, 21 G, 22 A, 43 Pts.)
Nikki Norton, F, JR (29 GP, 22 G, 12 A, 34 Pts.)
Nicole Guimond, F, SO (29 GP, 14 G, 14A, 28 Pts.)
Ann Marie Giefer, D, SR (29 GP, 6 G, 11 A, 17 Pts., All-Conference)
Season Preview:
Head Coach Mike Carroll welcomes back 11 players from a squad that compiled a mark of 18-10-1 overall and 12-3-0 in the MIAC and advanced to the finals of the MIAC Playoffs before falling to Augsburg. Coach Carroll is very happy with how the team has looked in preseason practices and is excited about the depth and physical nature of his team. Carroll stated, “Expectations are very high. We are a much better hockey team top to bottom than we were last year.” With 11 returners and 14 newcomers, Coach Carroll concedes that this team will need to develop some chemistry, however he added that the atmosphere early this season has been upbeat with a lot of competition for positions and playing time.

The Blue Line will be anchored by senior all-conference performer Ann Marie Giefer, who will provide a veteran pesence along with sophomore Kendall Baumgartner. The rest of the unit will be talented, but inexperienced. The newcomers include Ellen Doyle from Eagan and Katie Rosengren from Orono, who both played in the Minnesota State High School All-Star series last spring as well as Jacqui McKenna from Lakeville (Holy Angels High School). Carroll is excited about the talent and aggressive play that this trio of newcomers brings to the defense.

The offense will be bolstered by the return of return of senior co-captain Michelle Zaske, who tallied 21 goals and 22 assists a year ago, along with junior Nikki Norton (22g, 12a) and sophomore Nicole Guimond (14g, 14a). Senior Noelle Skalko, an all-conference selection in 1998-99, who did not play last season, returns to bolster the attack. Skalko compiled 44 goals and 53 assists for 97 points in her first two seasons with the Gusties. Coach Carroll also welcomes a talented group of newcomers including sophomore Kenzie Stensland , who played Division I hockey at Ohio State last season, freshman Jess Brandanger from Bloomington Jefferson High School, Becca Levine from Anoka High School, and Katie Deschneau from Mounds View High School. Carroll is excited about having significantly more depth and talent up front this season and he feels that this will allow his team to be stronger in the third period than they were a year ago.

Goaltending will again be a question mark for the Gusties. Junior Sarah Pinkham, who played in 19 games last season is competing with newcomers Michelle Schaefer, a junior transfer from Minnesota State, Mankato and Molly O’ Donnell a freshman from Minneapolis South High School. Carroll feels that one of these three will need to step up and fill the hole in the nets if the Gusties are going to be as successful as they want to be this season.


Hamline University
Head Coach: Rob Burke (1st season)
1999-2000 Record: N/A (First season in MIAC)
Season Preview:
The 2000-2001 Pipers will look to be increasingly competitive in the tough MIAC Conference, bringing together the experience of last year’s returners and a healthy lot of new faces.

As they further establish team cohesiveness and draw on valuable experience gained last season, this year’s team now sets their sights on becoming a “well-rounded” unit... working together to play the competitive brand of hockey so typical of the MIAC Conference.

1st year Head Coach Rob Burke is excited about the upcoming season and the potential of this year’s squad. Burke, who coached Hockey at the Collegiate and club level on the East coast for the last 3 years, brings a wealth of fresh ideas, knowledge and motivation to the Hamline Hockey scene.

With a new coach on board and a full compliment of motivated athletes who have prepared well in the off-season, this year’s Pipers look to make steady strides towards team progress and increased success in MIAC play.


College of St. Benedict
Head Coach: Tom Peart (2nd season)
1999-2000 Record: 14-12-1 (6-7-1 MIAC / 4th)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Paula Vogt, SR, F, captain, great leader, hard shooter and two-way player, All-MIAC.
Katie Rollwagen, JR, W, asst captain, excellent around the net and in the corners, All-MIAC.
Liz Hancock, JR, D, asst captain, aggressive, dedicated player, consistent defender.
Shannon Kegley, JR, F, asst captain, fast, highly skilled player, great touch around the net, All-MIAC.
Season Preview:
The College of St. Benedict Blazers move into their fourth season of play with an extremely positive outlook. Following a successful third season that saw the program grow in leaps and bounds the Blazers look to build on a 36-35-3 overall record. 2nd year Head Coach Tom Peart, along with Assistant Coach Bill Kelly, and student assistant coaches Ben Shanahan, Corey Christensen and Karsten Williams, put great effort into recruiting and brought in 9 talented first year players and a very influential Division I transfer from UMD to go with 10 returning letter winners. St. Ben's is ready to step up and become one of the premier women's Division III College ice hockey programs in the state.


College of St. Catherine
Head Coach: Jeff Smith (3rd season)
1999-2000 Record: 15-8-1 (5-8-1 MIAC / 5th)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Mahrya Honer JR Forward 99-00 All-Conf., 98-99 Hon. Men. All-Conf., 1st in MIAC - goals and pts (20 g, 13 ast, 33 pts)
Kim Hayes SO Forward 99-00 All-Conf. Hon. Men., CSC Co-Rookie of the year,1st in MIAC for assists with 20
Courtney Adney SO Forward 99-00 All-Conf. Hon. Men, (MIAC 9goals, 14 assists, 23 points; Overall 21-28-49
Beth Janni JR Defenese, Co-Captain
Season Preview:
The College of St. Catherine hockey team reached new heights during the 1999-2000 season and it is striving to reach even greater peaks in 2000-2001. After a fifth place finish in the MIAC and two points from earning a playoff berth, the team is aiming to improve on its 5-8-1 conference record (15-8-1 overall) and again be vying for a spot in the playoffs.


Saint Mary's University
Head Coach: Duncan Ryhorchuk (1st season)
1999-2000 Record: 12-5-1 (5-4-1 MIAC / 5th)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Missy Westergren (F, Jr., Lonsdale, Minn., all-conference, 22 goals, 23 assists, 45 points)
Kelly O'Neil (F, Sr., Richfield, Minn., 14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points)
Christy Hicks (F, So., Bloomington, Minn., 12 goals, 12 assists, 24 points)
Missie Meemken (G, So., St. Cloud, Minn., all-conference, 12-6-3, 1.59 GAA, .935 save %)
Season Preview:
You'll have to forgive Saint Mary's University women's hockey coach Duncan Ryhorchuk if his preseason answers seem a bit vague. It's not that he's trying to avoid the questions -- he really doesn't know.

After all, Ryhorchuk has only been on the job a little over a month. "This first month has been kind of crazy," admitted Ryhorchuk, who was to be Jeff Vizenor's top assistant this year, but was promoted to the head job when Vizenor accepted a position as assistant women's hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Adjusting to a new coach takes some time. I don't do things exactly the same way Jeff did -- the drills are different, the practices are a little different, the communication is a little different.

"I think the players are starting to get a little more comfortable with the way I do things."

Ryhorchuk does have the luxury of returning three of the top three scorers from a year ago -- Missy Westergren (Lonsdale, Minn.) (22 goals, 23 assists), Kelly O'Neil (Richfield, Minn.) (14 goals, 15 assists) and Christy Hicks (Bloomington, Minn.) (12 goals, 12 assists).

He also has a defensive corps led by veterans Mo Hayes (Cottage Grove, Minn.) (4 goals, 14 assists) and Monica Deringer (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), and he has no worries between the pipes, as both Missie Meemken (St. Cloud, Minn.) (12-63, 1.59 GAA, .935 save %) and Nitara Frost (North Mankato, Minn.) (6-0-0, 0.83 GAA, .907 save %) are back.

"We've got a lot of potential," understated Ryhorchuk. "Everyone is working very hard right now and the improvement (from the first day of practice) is encouraging.

"We're making progress."


St. Olaf College
Head Coach: Tom Osiecki (1st season)
1999-2000 Record: N/A
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Nadia Nickerson (Sr., Powell, WY)
Leslie Taylor (Mendota Heights, MN)
Allison Lofton (Sr., Winchester, VA)
Season Preview:
After only being able to participate on a club hockey team, St. Olaf women hockey players now have their first chance to don the black and gold for varsity competition. Under the experienced coaching of Tom Osiecki, and the leadership of seniors Nadia Nickerson (Powell, WY), Leslie Taylor (Mendota Heights, MN) and Allison Lofton (Winchester, VA) the St. Olaf Women’s Hockey Team eagerly anticipates their inaugural season.


University of St. Thomas
Head Coach: Kevin Gorg (3rd season / 18-23-1)
1999-2000 Record: 10-11-1 (4-9-1 MIAC / 6th)
Key Returners: (Name, Yr, Pos, Highlight)
Erica Buck, SR, W, All-MIAC, 12g-22a/34 points
Michelle Campbell, SR, 12g-4a/16 points, 1998-99 All-MIAC
Karissa Stapf, SO, GK, 5-5-0, .890 save %, 3.35 GAA
Tina Simonson, SR, F, 2X co-captain, 5g-2a/7 points
Kelly Kopel, SO, F, 13g-21a/34 points
Heather Martin, JR, F, 13g-15a/28 points
Sina Zimmerman, JR, D, 9g-8a/17 points
Season Preview:
Year three of St. Thomas women's varsity ice hockey is expected to again show gradual improvement. The Tommies lost their final six games of 1999-2000 to finish 10-11-1, despite losing just 7-6 at Augsburg. UST coach Kevin Gorg has 12 returning players and at least 12 newcomers.

The Toms return five players who scored nine or more goals last season -- seniors Erica Buck (12 goals, 34 points) and Michelle Campbell (12 goals, 16 points); juniors Heather Martin (13 goals, 28 points) and Sina Zimmerman (nine goals, 17 assists); and sophomore Kelly Kopel (13 goals, 34 points. A freshman expected to help with the scoring load is 5-10 Jessica Christopherson of Coon Rapids, the starting soccer goalkeeper on St. Thomas' nationally-ranked womne's soccer team.

One of the Toms' two goalkeepers is back -- soph Karissa Stapf. Two freshmen also in the mix are honorable-mention all-staters Jordan Benson of Coon Rapids and Danielle Mikolai of Centennial.

Gorg looks for an improved defense, led by sophomore transfer Alison Holland, an All-MIAC honoree last season at St. Ben's.

The key stretch of the season for the Toms will come from January through mid-February, when they play St. Ben's, St. Mary's, Augsburg and Gustavus and also have non-conference games vs. UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point.


1999-00 - Standings, Results, Awards, Players of the Week, Preseason Preview, Augsburg 2nd DIII AWCHA Championship