U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster Announced

[ghshockeyfan]

Nice to see Thunstrom's name on here along with some other outstaning fellow MN gals!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Christy Jeffries (christyj@usahockey.org)

Wednesday, February 14, 2007



U.S. Women’s National Team Preliminary Roster Announced

Team to Play Games in Grand Forks, Warroad

Prior to Start of Women’s World Championship



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey today announced the 24-player preliminary roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team that will compete in the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship in Winnipeg and Selkirk, Man., from April 3-10. Thirteen of the 24 are locks for the team, while the remaining seven spots will be decided during a camp in Grand Forks, N.D., prior to the start of the tournament.



Heading up the preliminary roster are 11 Olympians, including three-time U.S. Olympians Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) and Angela Ruggiero (ruh-JEER-oh) (Harper Woods, Mich.), along with two-time Olympians Julie Chu (CHOO) (Fairfield, Conn.), Natalie Darwitz (DAHR-wihts) (Eagan, Minn.) and Krissy Wendell (WEHN-duhl) (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).



In addition, eight players return from the 2005 U.S. Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championship for the first time ever, including Chu, Darwitz, Molly Engstrom (AYNG-struhm) (Siren, Wis.), Chanda Gunn (SHAHN-duh) (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass.), Potter, Ruggiero and Wendell.



“I’m really excited about this team,” said Mark Johnson, head coach of the 2007 U.S. Women’s National Team. “After seeing the talent pool we had at our holiday camp, our entire staff feels that we have a chance to do really well in the tournament. It will also be a huge help to have a lengthy training camp in Grand Forks.”



Team USA, which is looking to defend its 2005 world title, will hold a tryout/training camp at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks from March 21-April 1, with the final 20-player roster set to be announced on March 27.



The final team will also play a pair of games against reigning Olympic silver medalist Sweden in preparation for the world championship. The first game will be held at the REA on March 30 at 7 p.m. CST and the second will take place at the Gardens Arena in Warroad, Minn., on April 1 at 1 p.m.



NOTES: Tickets to the game between the United States and Sweden on March 30 may be purchased at the University of North Dakota/Ralph Engelstad Arena box office, at all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 701-772-5151 or online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets to the April 1 game in Warroad may be purchased by calling the Gardens Arena box office at 218-386-3862 … Jenny Potter gave birth to her second child, Cullen, on Jan. 8, 2007 … The REA hosted the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship … Players on the U.S. roster have made a total of 18 appearances at the Olympic Winter Games and 34 appearances in the IIHF Women’s World Championships … Four players on the roster have never competed for Team USA at the senior level – Meghan Duggan (DUHG-ihn) (Danvers, Mass.), Kelli Stack (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio), Allie Thunstrom (Maplewood, Minn.) and Jessie Vetter (VEHT-ihr) (Cottage Grove, Wis.), while four others – Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.), Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.), Gigi Marvin (GEE-gee) (Warroad, Minn.) and Karen Thatcher (Douglas, Mass.) – are coming off their first senior-team event (Four Nations Cup – November 2006) … Ten of the players on the preliminary roster are currently playing NCAA Division I hockey, while seven are playing in the National Women’s Hockey League. All but one on the roster have played NCAA Division I hockey (Knight is currently in high school) … Team USA has won one goal medal and eight silvers in the nine previous IIHF Women’s World Championships … Joining Mark Johnson on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Hilary Witt, head women’s ice hockey coach at Yale University, and Erin Whitten Hamlen, associate head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire.



Team USA 2007 IIHF Women’s World Championship Schedule

April 3-10 • Winnipeg & Selkirk, Man.



Date Opponent Location Time (CST)

April 3 Kazakhstan Selkirk 7:30 p.m.

April 5 China Selkirk 7:30 p.m.

April 7 Playoff Round Winnipeg TBA

April 8 Playoff Round Winnipeg TBA

April 10 Bronze-Medal Game Winnipeg 3:30 p.m.

Gold-Medal Game Winnipeg 7:30 p.m.



# # #

2007 U.S. Women’s National Team – Preliminary Roster

Name Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Birthdate S/C Hometown Most Recent Team
GOALTENDERS (3)
30 Chanda Gunn 5-7 (171) 141 (64) 1/27/80 L Huntington Beach, Calif. 2006 U.S. Women’s Select Team
31 Jessie Vetter 5-8 (174) 164 (74) 12/19/85 L Cottage Grove, Wis. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
1 Shari Vogt 5-10 (178) 171 (78) 10/23/81 L Richmond, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)

DEFENSEMEN (7)
8 Caitlin Cahow* 5-4 (163) 157 (71) 5/20/85 L Branford, Conn. Harvard University (ECACHL)
13 Julie Chu* 5-8 (174) 150 (68) 3/13/82 R Fairfield, Conn. Harvard University (ECACHL)
9 Molly Engstrom* 5-9 (175) 174 (79) 3/1/83 R Siren, Wis. 2006 Olympic Women’s Team
11 Kelli Halcisak 5-8 (174) 150 (68) 1/26/82 R Grosse Ile, Mich. East Coast Wizards Senior A
6 Helen Resor* 5-9 (175) 146 (66) 10/18/85 L Greenwich, Conn. Yale University (ECACHL)
4 Angela Ruggiero* 5-9 (175) 185 (84) 1/3/80 R Harper Woods, Mich. 2006 U.S. Women’s Select Team
23 Kerry Weiland 5-4 (163) 133 (60) 10/18/80 L Palmer, Alaska Etobicoke Dolphins (NWHL)

FORWARDS (14)
20 Natalie Darwitz* 5-3 (160) 133 (60) 10/13/83 R Eagan, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
10 Meghan Duggan* 5-9 (175) 160 (73) 9/3/87 R Danvers, Mass. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
17 Tiffany Hagge* 5-9 (175) 162 (73) 5/3/84 R Minneapolis, Minn. Mississauga Aeros (NWHL)
19 Kristin King* 5-4 (163) 142 (64) 7/21/79 R Piqua, Ohio Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
16 Hilary Knight 5-10 (178) 170 (77) 7/12/89 R Hanover, N.H. Choate Rosemary Hall (NEPSAC)
2 Erika Lawler* 5-0 (152) 134 (61) 2/5/87 R Fitchburg, Mass. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
18 Gigi Marvin 5-8 (174) 165 (75) 3/7/87 R Warroad, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
27 Sarah Parsons* 5-8 (174) 135 (61) 7/27/87 R Dover, Mass. Dartmouth College (ECACHL)
12 Jenny Potter 5-4 (163) 145 (66) 1/12/79 L Edina, Minn. 2006 Olympic Women’s Team
15 Kelli Stack 5-5 (165) 136 (62) 1/13/88 R Brooklyn Heights, Ohio Boston College (HEA)
5 Karen Thatcher* 5-8 (174) 160 (73) 2/29/84 L Douglas, Mass. BC Breakers (WWHL)
14 Allie Thunstrom 5-5 (165) 145 (66) 4/20/88 R Maplewood, Minn. Boston College (HEA)
7 Krissy Wendell* 5-6 (168) 156 (71) 9/12/81 L Brooklyn Park, Minn. Etobicoke Dolphins (NWHL)
3 Rush Zimmerman 5-11 (182) 161 (73) 11/7/82 L Grosse Pointe, Mich. 2006 U.S. Women’s Select Team

* Lock for 2007 U.S. Women’s National Team (roster will be trimmed to 20 prior to the 2007 IIHF Women’s World Championship)

Team Staff USA Hockey, Inc.
Director, Women’s Hockey Operations: Michele Amidon, Colorado Springs, Colo. President: Ron DeGregorio, Salem, N.H.
Head Coach: Mark Johnson, Madison, Wis. Executive Director: Dave Ogrean, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant Coach: Hilary Witt, Hamden, Conn. Chairman of the Board: Walter L. Bush, Jr., Edina, Minn.
Assistant Coach: Erin Whitten Hamlen, Hampton, N.H. Vice President, International Council Chair: Tony Rossi, Chicago, Ill.
National Team Advisor: Ben Smith, Gloucester, Mass. Senior Director, Hockey Operations: Jim Johannson, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Athletic Trainer: Kevin Moody, Lake Placid, N.Y. Director, Media & Public Relations: Dave Fischer, Colorado Springs Colo.
Equipment Manager: Paul Hickman, Madison, Wis.
Team Doctor: Cathy O’Connor, Westfield, Mass.
Strength & Conditioning: Teena Murray, Louisville, Ky.
Sports Therapist: Cornelia Holden, New Haven, Conn.
Massage Therapist: Jill Kolivoski, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Video Coordinator: Ken Martel, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Media Relations: Christy Jeffries, Colorado Springs, Colo.

[keepitreal]

Looking forward to see what Badger Mark can do with the team. I predict big things ahead.