Western Collegiate Hockey Association
UW's Erika Lawler is a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Women's National Team |
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U.S. Women's National Team Preliminary Roster Announced
Feb. 22, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the 27 players who are candidates for the 2008 U.S. Women's National Team. Team USA will hold a tryout/training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., from March 24-31, with the final 20-player roster to be announced on March 28. Those players will go on to represent the United States in the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship from April 4-12, in Harbin, China.
"We are excited about the group of athletes who will be attending the camp," said Jackie Barto, head coach of the 2008 U.S. Women's National Team and also the head women's ice hockey coach for The Ohio State University. "It will be very competitve and we look forward to selecting the team that will compete in the world championships."
Included on the preliminary roster are eight Olympians, including three-time U.S. Olympians Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) and Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.), along with two-time Olympians Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.) and Natalie Darwitz (Eagan, Minn.).
In addition, 14 players return from the 2007 U.S. Women's National Team that captured the silver medal at the IIHF World Women's Championship, including forwards Darwitz, Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass.), Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.), Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.), Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.), Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass.) and Potter; defensemen Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.), Chu, Molly Engstrom (Siren, Wis.), Ruggiero and Kerry Weiland (Palmer, Alaska); and goaltenders Chanda Gunn (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis.).
Of the remaining nine forwards, five have experience at the Four Nations Cup, while Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) and Kelli Stack (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio) have played for the United States at the Under-22 level and Sarah Erickson (LaPorte, Minn.) recently captained the 2008 U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team to the first-ever IIHF World Women's U18 Championship gold medal. Meanwhile, Anna McDonald (New Brighton, Minn.) is making her Team USA debut.
On defense, U.S. Women's Select Team returnees Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.), Rachael Drazan (Orono, Minn..) and Anya Miller (Elk River, Minn.) join the five aforementioned blue liners in vying for a roster spot.
Gunn and Vetter, who both competed for the U.S. Women's National Team in last year's world championship, will join Molly Schaus (Natick, Mass.) as candidates for Team USA's two goaltending positions. Schaus has competed at the Under-22 level for the United States.
After the team is selected on March 28, Team USA will remain in Colorado Springs until its April 1 departure for Harbin. Team USA opens world-championship play against Germany on April 4.
NOTES: All Team USA games will be videocast live via usahockey.com ... Players on the U.S. roster have made a total of 14 appearances at the Olympic Winter Games and 39 appearances in the IIHF World Women's Championship ... Fifteen of the players on the preliminary roster are currently playing NCAA Division I hockey, while eight are playing in either the National Women's Hockey League or the Canadian Women's Hockey League. Sarah Erickson and twins Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) are all in high school ... Team USA has won one goal medal and nine silver medals in the 10 previous IIHF World Women's Championships ... Joining Jackie Barto on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Paul Flanagan, head women's ice hockey coach at St. Lawrence University, and Kevin Houle, head women's ice hockey coach at SUNY-Plattsburgh. Dave Flint, head women's ice hockey coach at Saint Anselm College, will serve as the goalie coach.
(release courtesy of USA Hockey, Inc.)
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