Defending champion Minnesota dominated the D-I women’s preseason All-USCHO teams by placing five players across all three teams, including three players on the first team. The three teams, announced by USCHO.com on Monday, include six 2002 Olympic medalists, four of which are on the first team. The previous two Frozen Four MVPs, Minnesota’s Krissy Wendell and Minnesota-Duluth’s Caroline Ouellette, highlighted the first team.
The WCHA controlled the first team by earning five of six spots, but both the ECAC and WCHA placed nine players across all three teams. D-I women’s hockey’s youngest conferences, Hockey East and College Hockey America, did not place any players on the first three teams, but all four women’s hockey conferences earned representation on the preseason All-USCHO Rookie team.
The first team included one Canadian Olympian in Ouellette and three U.S. Olympians in Minnesota’s Wendell and Natalie Darwitz, and Harvard’s Julie Chu. Minnesota’s Jody Horak, a fourth-year starter, was the choice in net. Wisconsin’s Molly Engstrom, the 2003-04 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and a silver medallist from the 2004 World Championships, rounded out the first team.
Complete All-USCHO teams, as well as honorable mentions and the All-USCHO rookie team, appear below.
All-USCHO First Team
F Krissy Wendell, Jr., Minnesota
F Caroline Ouellette, Sr., Minnesota-Duluth
F Natalie Darwitz, Jr., Minnesota
F/D Julie Chu, Jr., Harvard
D Molly Engstrom, Sr., Wisconsin
G Jody Horak, Sr., Minnesota
All-USCHO Second Team
F Kelly Stephens, Sr., Minnesota
F Nicole Corriero, Sr., Harvard
F Jessica Link, Sr., Brown
D Carla MacLeod, Sr., Wisconsin
D Julianne Vasichek, Sr., Minnesota-Duluth
G Sarah Love, Jr., Yale
All-USCHO Third Team
F Katie Weatherston, Jr., Dartmouth
F Cherie Piper, Jr., Dartmouth
F Gillian Apps, Jr., Dartmouth
D Amy McLaughlin, Sr., Brown
D Lyndsay Wall, So., Minnesota
G Rebecca Lahar, Sr., Colgate
Honorable mention: Tiffany Hagge, Jr., Dartmouth; Rush Zimmerman, Sr., Providence; Lindsay Hansen, Jr., New Hampshire; Alana BreMiller, Sr., Dartmouth; Ashley Banfield, Sr., Harvard; Ashley Albrecht, Jr., Minnesota; Desi Clark, Sr.; Mercyhurst, Ali Boe, Jr., Harvard; Meghan Horras, Jr., Wisconsin
All-USCHO Rookie Team
F Sarah Vaillancourt, Harvard
F Ashley Riggs, Niagara
F Deborah Spillane, Boston College
D Helen Resor, Yale
D Rachel Drazan, Minnesota-Duluth
G Brittni Kehler, Minnesota State
