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All the talk about the U's recruiting/lack of recruiting and players going elsewhere has me wondering. Who is the BEST player the U hasnt gotten over the years? Can be looked at 2 ways. category A can be who the best player at the time of signing (without looking at how their career played out in college) and secondly category B can be who ended up being a very good college player the U should have gotten.<br><br>For category A. <br>Last year the big 3 is the obvious start to the list. This year Allie and Lee would be a couple of candidates. <br><br>category B??? <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p074.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ckeygal</A> at: 8/25/05 9:00 am<br></i>

Category A....Rachel Drazan (BSM) now at UMD. Played for the USA U-22 Team.<br><br>Category B...Tiffany Hagge (Blaine) now at Dartmouth. Also played for the USA U-22 Team, and has been close at National Tryouts.<br><br>My 2 cents. <p></p><i></i>

Hagge is a good observation. Drazen also. Ellison? Why wasnt she pursued? Best high school goalie I have seen... <p></p><i></i>

"Ellison? Why wasnt she pursued?"<br><br>She was pursued. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p074.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ookyone</A> at: 8/25/05 10:52 am<br></i>

I figured they had. I agree she should have been recruited - and was heavily by MANY schools I'm sure! <p></p><i></i>

...and took the better offer (can't blame her and quite honestly, good for her). That's how it goes in the recruiting wars <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p074.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ookyone</A> at: 8/25/05 10:59 am<br></i>

The point was why wasnt she pursued hard enough? Why was the other offer better, ie, why wouldnt the U offer a full scholarship to her? Was the feeling her high school dominance wouldnt necessarily transfer to the college level?<br><br>I could be wrong, but in the right system I can see her dominating in college eventually also. <p></p><i></i>

<br>Hagge from the class of 02.<br>Macy from the class of 03. <p></p><i></i>

I'll just say you might want to consider who Minnesota <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>did</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> successfully recruit and perhaps interpret that as a potential factor in the circumstances. It's possble I've already said more than I should have on this matter as details of this nature aren't necessarily my / our business. <br><br>I certainly agree on Johanna's potential in NCAA division I...in fact I'm thinking she's very likely to backstop BC to becoming a strong contender in HE...even nationally what with a couple other recent additions. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> I also hear very good things about BC's non Minnesota recruits. Mutch is in the process of building a strong team IMO (courtesy in no small part to Minnesota girls HS hockey). It's going to be very fun for the Minnesota girls to be part of that...I think. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p074.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ookyone</A> at: 8/25/05 11:41 am<br></i>

I think we lost 2 great ones to Wisconsin-Angie Keseley and Kayla Hagen. <p></p><i></i>

OK - so - lots of talk about who we should have got at the U...<br><br>If you could build a three line team, with 3 sets of D, and 3 G's all from MN that would play THIS YEAR (i.e. have eligibility left and aren't off playing on the US team) - who would your team consist of??? <p></p><i></i>

411HOCKEY --<br><br>Absolutely no argument from me, Gophs most assuredly lost two great ones there. UW's good fortune.<br><br>More "Dream Team" thoughts later. <p></p><i></i>

Tara Hiscock. BSU, class of 2004.<br>Maybe not the best one, but looked very good last year against the great gophers. <p></p><i></i>

I put them in alphabetical order, I would have to wait for a couple of practices to see who works well together.<br><br>FORWARDS<br><br>Bunker-04 Blaine H.S.-MSU<br>Cole-02 Bloomington Jefferson H.S.-Wisc.<br>Hagen-05 Hibbing H.S.- Wisc.<br>Hagge-02 Blaine H.S.-Dartmouth<br>Lehrke-02 Bloomington Jefferson H.S.-UMD<br>Macy-03 Owatonna H.S.-Wisc.<br>Marvin-05 Warroad H.S.-U of M<br>McKenzie-04 Hastings H.S.-U of M<br>Nichols-03 Hibbing H.S.-U of M<br><br>DEFENDERS<br><br>Albrecht-02 SSP H.S.-U of M<br>Brodt-02 Roseville H.S.-U of M<br>Drazen-04 BSM H.S.-UMD<br>Miller-04 ER H.S.-U of M<br>Sanches-04 T-Breds -U of M<br>Ubl-04 Blaine H.S.-UND<br><br>Goalies<br><br>Ellison-05 Cloquet H.S.- Boston<br>Hanlon-05 Blaine H.S.- U of M<br><br> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p074.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... seethem</A> at: 8/25/05 9:35 pm<br></i>

I'd say that Shari Vogt was the biggest loss to the U of M in terms of state players who made an impact at the collegiate level and beyond, in terms of "category B" players. <p></p><i></i>

Vogt <br>Ellison<br>Boe<br><br>(I here that their incoming goalie form Canada is amazing! The jury is out and a U goalie will be tested this year for once)<br><br>Hagge<br>Macy<br>Hagen<br>Drazan <p></p><i></i>

Both Horak and Reinen were tested pretty regularly as frosh. In the early days of the program, Erica Killewald had to go up against some pretty powerful offensive teams and was responsible for a lot of the success of those Gopher teams. <p></p><i></i>

If you are suggesting that facing 20 shots a game is tough form shots coming form the top of the circles tough than I agree. If that is true than I will also consider that may not be easy but pallitible if your team is getting over 40 shots a game and scoring on average 3 more for than against. The U got more odd man rushes and breakaways tahn most teams got shots. I was at a good portion of their games last year. <br><br>That reminds me of how mad Adam Hauser was about not getting any press or respect after breaking many Gophers records. Everyone just laughed at him because we all know why it was that his numbers were good. <br><br>That is why Ellison is amazing and Windhorst, Strunk, Culshaw types are not. They see soo much less.... <p></p><i></i>

I agree with you -- that is why I limited the "tested" for Horak/Reinen to their freshmen season, 2001-2002. That team was outshot badly in some games and had to rely on winning a lot of 2-1, 3-2 type games. Once the Olympians arrived, it was a different story. <p></p><i></i>

I was surprised to see the U didn't get Roberts. <p></p><i></i>

Trust me when I say Brittony Chartier would be a number one pick, absolutely amazing goaltender. The U did well. <p></p><i></i>

I think some posters are assuming that all players listed here were pursued by the 'U.' When, in fact, there are some -- whose hockey skills may be considerable -- that coach Halldorson, her staff and advisors simply deemed 'not a good fit' for any of a number of reasons....character issues, maturity level or ability to contribute to a 'team' effort. Looking at her team's results, I trust her/their judgement. <p></p><i></i>

Another assumption is that all kids want to play for the Gophers. In northern Minnesota UMD and UND (and now BSU) are on kids' list as 'places to play'. And I am sure others ahve parents' alma maters on their list - or other schools they have seen in their travels. <p></p><i></i>

There are so many factors of what defines a TOP player. The U has always had the most skilled. There are more GREAT players than there used to be but fewer amazing players because of the growth in the middle and the upper echelons. We are doing a great job helping to build some great players like the Lee's Buganski's, McCarthey's etc. but they are not the Darwitz's and Wendell's. Natalie and Krissy come to us from God, and their work ethics help them too. <br><br>There are 10 outstanding or great players we graduate each year. 5 or 6 will be huge impact players their first year. The other 20 DI players are all state and good but get very little action the first year or 2. THE PUZZLE pieces for each program is different. ie Bemidji needs to stop scoring and the Gophers win by offensive pressure. These are 2 different types of players. <br><br>Many players are choosing other schools to play. The titles are up for grabs. All is not even but it is getting closer. Even Hamline is getting good players and beating them is by a couple and not 8 anymore. Same with BSU. Think of their top players.... not easy huh? But they swept Mankato last year and we are all fans of atleast a handful of their players. Times are a changing and it is nice <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>My top recruiters within the past 2 years.<br><br>1) U<br>2) Mankato (much better) need to see the growth<br>3) St Cloud (same as MSU)<br>4) UMD (bad this year)<br>5) Wisc<br>6) Bemidji (getting better every year)<br>7) UND (seems to always stay the same no matter who is picked)<br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START 8) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/glasses.gif ALT="8)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> Gustavus<br>9) St. Thomas<br>10) Stevens Point<br>11) Superior<br>12) River Falls <p></p><i></i>

1) True on U not needing certain pieces - or, more specifically, every team has different "needs" based on their systems, etc. and basic position needs (F, D, G)<br><br>2) I give St. Olaf the most credit in recruiting. Hard with the cost, academics, etc. Hamline too. Try recruiting to a school with such high academic standards, high cost, and no rink on campus. As a Hamline alum, it hurt most to see a multi-million dollar facility built for football, with no thought of a rink on campus in the plans. That's awful considering that Hamline is one of the original 4 teams in the state - and was playing before the U... <p></p><i></i>