Cobbers Picked Second In MIAC Preseason Poll

MIAC women's hockey preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC office

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The 2012-13 MIAC women's hockey season is about to drop the puck this weekend, and expectations are sky high for Division III's premier league to have another unforgettable campaign in "The State of Hockey." Last season ended with a trio of MIAC teams ranked in the top 11 in the nation, and this season the depth and talent across the board appears as strong as it's ever been.

Gustavus ran away with another MIAC championship last season en route to a trip to the Division III Frozen Four and the No. 4 national ranking, and the Gusties will try to continue their reign over the MIAC, which includes eight-straight regular season crowns and 11 titles in 17 years of MIAC women's hockey. Head Coach Mike Carroll's club also the MIAC Playoff title once again, as they have in each of the event's nine years.

However, the rest of the conference could be catching up, starting with runner-up Concordia. The Cobbers and reigning MIAC Coach-of-the-Year Brett Bruininks were just a step behind Gustavus in the regular season and had a lead in the Playoff championship, and could be inching closer to the Gusties' elite level. Concordia joined Gustavus in the NCAA Division III Women's Hockey tournament field, and finished the year ranked No. 9. Meanwhile, St. Thomas was the first team outside the Top 10 in the final 2011-12 poll, giving the MIAC a formidable top three on a national level.
 
Bethel and St. Olaf tied for fourth a year ago and rounded out the five-team Playoff field, and both expect to be in the mix again, while St. Catherine and Saint Mary's hope to return to the postseason after just missing out a year ago. Augsburg, Saint Benedict and Hamline also proved the conference's depth by challenging the top teams night-in and night-out, and all are expected to improve in 2012-13 to make the league even deeper.

It's the Gusties again
Though the rest of the conference may be starting to catch up, it's clear that Carroll's crew are again the favorites to hoist the MIAC trophy when the ice shavings settle in late February. Gustavus topped the 2012-13 MIAC Women's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll with eight of the 10 available first-place votes and 8-0 total points. Concordia is again predicted to be the No. 1 contender, as the Cobbers finished second with 74 points and the other two first-place votes.

St. Thomas rounded out the top three with 63 points, while Bethel and St. Olaf received 58 and 48 points each, respectively, to mirror the top five in the 2011-12 final standings. While the coaches predicted the same five squads to qualify for the MIAC Playoffs, they also have St. Catherine (39 points), an improved Augsburg team (30 points) and Saint Mary's (29 points) in the mix for postseason bids as well. Hamline (16 points) and Saint Benedict (13 points) rounded out the final two spots in the coaches' predictions. Complete results can be found below.

What's new?
Part of the conference's strength and depth can be attributed to the continuity. There was no coaching turnover in the MIAC this off-season, meaning that each team will have a familiar face on the bench setting the lineups and calling the shots. Women's hockey is one of the few sports across the league that doesn't have at least one new head coach this season.

However, at the end of the year the MIAC will have a new Player-of-the-Year, as 2011-12 MVP Allie Schwab graduated after leading Gustavus to the conference title. In all, 11 All-MIAC players graduated, leaving plenty of room for new stars to emerge in 2012-13.

Another new wrinkle will be some of the ice surfaces around the league. St. Catherine moves closer to campus and, after a decade at the University of Minnesota's Ridder Arena, the Wildcats make the move to Drake Arena which is located just a block from the SCU campus. Gustavus' Don Roberts Ice Rink also received a facelift this off-season, with new boards and glass and more spacious bench areas for the teams, and Hamline will mix in home games at Ridder and the Vadnais Heights Sports Complex in addition to its usual home ice, Warner Coliseum.
 
Who's back?
Despite some of the league's brightest stars receiving their diplomas and moving on, there are still plenty of talented players back throughout the conference to watch in 2012-13. Again, the focus starts on the Gusties, who will be led by returning All-MIAC selections Amanda Cartony (Jr., F) and Lindsey Hjelm (Sr., D). Hjelm is a three-time All-Conference pick, while Cartony is a two-time selection. All-MIAC Honorable Mention picks Kelsey Kennedy (Sr., D) and Carolyn Draayer (So., F) are also back, and Draayer was also a member of the MIAC All-Rookie team a year ago.

Concordia also has plenty of star power back on the ice, starting with a pair of junior forwards. Both Breann Julius and Abby Taffe were All-MIAC selections last season, and both Libby Fransdal (So., D) and Madison Gendreau (So., F) appear ready to build on their All-Rookie Team honors in their debut seasons. St. Thomas' defense should be a serious strength with the return of Maria Bothwell (Jr. D) and Elise Reidel (Jr., G), who were both All-MIAC selections, and a pair of All-Conference Honorable Mention forwards - Korinne O'Connor (Sr.) and Christina Rozeske (Jr.) - are also back for the Tommies.

Two of the league's top returners will be back in Bethel's lineup this season, as forwards Biz Huss (Sr.) and Cristina Matsen (Jr.) have been All-MIAC honorees each of the past two seasons. The Royals also welcome back Honorable Mention goalie Jess Newstrom (Sr.) and All-Rookie selection Kalie Johnson (So., F). St. Olaf senior Nicole Stumpf (Sr., F) joins Hjelm as the only returning three-time All-MIAC selections, and the Oles also have Honorable Mention forward Margot Fleming (Jr.) and All-Rookie Team defender Shea Noerenberg (So.) back this season.

St. Catherine returns a pair of talented sophomores in goalie Samantha Geissler and forward Megan Kilmer, and both will have larger roles leading the Wildcats in 2012-13. Augsburg will also rely on the contributions of talented second-year stars Rachel Hennessy (So., F) and Brianna Schulz (So., G), who were both All-Rookie Team choices in 2011-12. Hennessy also received All-MIAC honors and Schulz was an Honorable Mention selection.

Saint Mary's will again be led by All-MIAC Honorable Mention forward Breanna Peterson (So.) and also returns goalie Sarah Gustafuson (Jr.). Hamline brings back its top two goal scorers from a year ago in sophomore forward Jordan Verleye and All-MIAC Honorable Mention pick Corinne Henning (Jr., F). Junior defender Christine Brodersen returns to lead Saint Benedict after her All-MIAC Honorable Mention campaign a season ago, and sophomore forward Megan Brettingen will be counted on again to provide the Blazers' offensive punch.
 
Circle these dates
The puck drops to start the new season Friday, with many of the MIAC's teams opening their season with nonconference series this weekend. The first weekend of conference play will be Nov. 9-10, with three weekends of MIAC play prior to the December break. League play will resume on Jan. 18-19, with conference series running the rest of the way, finishing up on Feb. 22-23. The MIAC Playoffs will begin the following week with first-round action on Feb. 26, semifinal games on Feb. 28 and the championship on March 2.

The top two teams in the coaches' poll - Gustavus and Concordia - will face off in St. Peter on the Gusties home ice on Jan. 25-26 in a series that could have huge championship implications. The Gusties play a home-and-home with St. Thomas early in the season - Nov. 16-17 - while the Cobbers host the Tommies on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. The other two returning Playoff teams - Bethel and St. Olaf - will meet in a home-and-home series Jan. 18-19.

Postseason hopefuls St. Catherine, Augsburg and Saint Mary's will all hope to get off to strong starts against one another in hopes to stay in contention. The Wildcats face the Auggies Nov. 9-10 and the Cardinals just a week later on Nov. 16-17, with Augsburg and Saint Mary's meeting on Jan. 25-26. Hamline and Saint Benedict meet in a key Thursday-Saturday MIAC series on Jan. 24 and 26.


Click here for the complete MIAC women's hockey preview

2012-13 MIAC Women's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (10 for first, nine for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of highest point total to lowest  with vote totals listed and first-place votes shown in parentheses.

2012-13 MIAC Women's Hockey Playoffs
The 2012-13 MIAC Women's Hockey Playoffs will feature the top five teams in the conference standings playing in a high-seed-host, single-elimination postseason tournament. The first-round game between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds will take place Tuesday, Feb. 26, with the semifinal round to follow on Thursday, Feb. 28. The two remaining teams will meet in the championship on Saturday, March 2, with the winner claiming the postseason title, as well as the MIAC's automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Tournament.