Remove the body checking, and girls and women’s ice hockey is drawn up just like the game for boys and men. It’s all about putting the puck in the net, and Colorado — despite not having any girls high school or women’s college programs — has scored big when it comes to producing talent.
University of Minnesota sophomore Emily West is perhaps the best example of how Colorado girls are becoming prominent figures in NCAA women’s ice hockey. West, from Colorado Springs, is tied as the fourth-leading scorer for the top-ranked Gophers. She has 36 points (18 goals) in 34 games.
West, a former star for the Colorado Select — one of the state’s two girls-only programs — is among at least 14 current Division I players from this state. The start of all-girls programs this decade has made it easier for girls to get involved.
“Minnesota is known for its hockey — it’s the ‘State of Hockey’ — and they have high school girls (teams) here, and just a lot of numbers,” said West, who played on the Pine Creek High School boys team. “In Colorado, that’s not the case. The numbers are small and there isn’t high school (girls ice hockey), but it’s getting better and better. To see Colorado girls continue their careers in college is awesome.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Did you know?
•In 1996 there were 21 U.S. colleges and universities that had varsity women’s ice hockey programs. Today there are 84, including 35 in Division I.
•The first NCAA women’s Frozen Four was played in 2001 at the University of Minnesota. There were 3,701 fans at the title game, in which Minnesota-Duluth beat St. Lawrence. Duluth has won four of the eight titles so far.
•Lakewood’s Rebecca Ruegsegger and Elizabeth Turgeon of Cherry Hills were teammates on the 2008 U.S. women’s national under-18 team that won the gold medal at the first International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s U-18 Championship. Ruegsegger, a goalie and the sister of University of Denver center Tyler Ruegsegger, will be a freshman at Wisconsin this fall, playing for recently named 2010 U.S. women’s Olympic coach Mark Johnson. Turgeon, daughter of former NHL star Pierre Turgeon, is a junior at Cherry Creek High School and one of the country’s top college recruits.
Minnesota team to beat
USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine women’s college ice hockey poll:
Team Pts. Rec.
1. Minnesota 190 28-3-3
2. Wisconsin 169 27-2-5
3. Minn.-Duluth 142 23-7-4
4. Mercyhurst 141 25-5-0
5. New Hampshire 116 22-5-5
6. Boston College 94 21-7-5
7. Harvard 65 17-9-3
8. St. Lawrence 55 22-9-3
9. Princeton 38 18-9-2
10. Dartmouth 35 16-8-4
*Minnesota has all of the first-place votes with 19.
2009 NCAA women’s Frozen Four
At Agganis Arena, Boston:
Semifinals: March 20, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Championship: March 22, noon
She shoots, she scores
All-girls Front Range ice hockey programs:
Colorado Springs Independents Girls Hockey (CSI): www.csigh.com
Colorado Select: www.coloradogirlshockey.com
