New coach, high aspirations for Bulldogs

There’s a new boss in Duluth, even though it’s a familiar face. Laura Schuler has been a mainstay with the UMD women’s program for years, but now it is her turn to be in charge, leading a quality program that is coming off a 21-win season and looking to make waves in the 2024-25 campaign.

Schuler welcomes back several key players along with bringing in a crop of youngsters to form this year’s squad after finishing 21-14-4, their last loss a 9-0 drubbing of eventual national champion Ohio State. 

The Bulldogs relied heavily on keeping the puck out of the net last year, allowing just 66 goals, or 1.7 per game. But they only notched 89 tallies, a little over two goals per game, down significantly from their 2022-23 total of 125 (almost a goal a game).

They lose their top two scorers form a year ago in Reece Hunt and Mannon McMahon, who combined for 32 goals or 36 percent of the scoring.

Their top scorer returning is Clara Van Wieren, a product of Michigan who played prep hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary’s. Van Wieren is a fifth year senior who had 13 goals and 11 assists a year ago.

But nobody else scored more than seven goals last season, perhaps a sign of solid depth as 15 different players lit the lamp last year.

One of the hallmarks of UMD hockey is their ability to keep the biscuit out of their own basket. Leading the way is senior blueliner Hannah Baskin (Minnetonka, MN). Baskin not only netted five goals and added 13 assists, she was also a team-leading plus-22 on the ice. Fellow senior Brenna Fuhrman (Farmington, MN) skated in all 39 games last season and Nina Jobst-Smith (North Vancouver, BC) is a fifth-year senior who had 12 points and was a plus-4. Other players shoring up the defensive zone are Ida Karlsson (Avesta, Sweden), Tova Henderson (Richmond, BC) and Devyn Millwater (Victoria, BC).

However, to win one must score goals and that could be an issue for the Bulldogs this season unless they get a boost from another year of experience from their underclassmen and their incoming freshmen.

Newcomers

Unlike most of the other Minnesota Division I schools, the Bulldogs have brought in several players form outside the State of Hockey to fill their roster. In fact, just seven rostered players were born in Minnesota. One of those Minnesota-born players is former Ms. Hockey winner Olivia Mobley, a product of Breck High School who began her college career at Quinnipiac and then transferred to Ohio State last season and is now in her fifth year as a Bulldog. Mobley had nine goals and 17 assists for the national champion Buckeyes last season and should provide some valuable experience and offense for the Bulldogs. 

Incoming freshmen include Caitlin Kraemer *Waterloo, Ont.), Kamdyn Davis (Beloit, WI), Reese Logan (Burlington, Ont.) and Zoey Krock (Pittsburgh, PA).

Goaltending

UMD’s goaltending was phenomenal last season and they look to do the same this year, but will have to without the services of Hailey MacLoed. MacLoed played in 19 games last year and notched a .948 save percentage, but she has since transferred to Ohio State. Eva Gascon (Mascouche, Quebec) split time with MacLoed last year and also put up good numbers with a .946 save percentage and 1.69 goals against average. She will likely get the brunt of the minutes as Tindra Holm (Skelleftea, Sweden), a transfer from Long island University, and Anna Byczek (Marquette, MI) compete for minutes.

Outlook

The Bulldogs are just three years removed form playing for a national championship. Their roster is strong, they have a good new coach and they have early wins already over Ohio State. 

They are definitely a team to watch this season, and one that could find themselves on the brink of another deep run the NCAA playoffs.

2024-25 Roster

IMAGE	NO.	PLAYER	POS.	HGT.	YR.	HOMETOWN	PREVIOUS SCHOOL	PREVIOUS TEAM
	1	Ève Gascon	G	5-8	So.	Mascouche, Quebec	Canada u-18 / Patriotes du Cegep de Saint-laurent (Cegep team)
	3	Mary Kate O’Brien	F	5-4	R-Jr.	Wilbraham, Mass.	Selects Academy
	6	Payton Holloway	F	5-8	So.	Tomah, Wis.	Shattuck St. Mary’s
	7	Grace Sadura	F	5-7	So.	Chanhassen Minn.	Minnetonka H.S.
	8	Danielle Burgen	F	5-6	Jr.	Lindstrom, Minn.	USA U-18 / Chisago Lakes H.S.
	10	Hanna Baskin	D	5-9	Sr.	Excelsior, Minn.	Minnetonka High School
	11	Caitlin Kraemer	F	5-9	Fr.	Waterloo, Ontario	Canada U-18/ Waterloo Ravens U22 Elite
	12	Kamdyn Davis	D	5-7	Fr.	Beloit, Wis.	Chicago Mission
	14	Olivia Wallin	F	5-7	Gr.	Oakville, Ontario	Penn State University
	15	Olivia Mobley	F	5-9	5th	St. Louis Park, Minn.	Ohio State
	17	Reese Logan	F	5-8	Fr.	Burlington, Ontario	Canada U-18 / Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
	18	Gabby Krause	F	5-6	Sr.	Andover, Minn.	Andover High School
	19	Tova Henderson	D	5-8	Jr.	Richmond, B. C.	Canada U-18 / Delta Hockey Academy
	20	Brenna Fuhrman	D	5-7	Sr.	Farmington, Minn.	USA U-18 / Farmington H. S.
	21	Zoey Krock	F	5-4	Fr.	Pittsburgh, PA	Pittsburgh Penguins Elite
	22	Jenna Lawry	F	5-11	Sr.	Lindstrom, Minn.	Chisago Lakes High School
	24	Ida Karlsson	D	5-9	So.	Avesta, Sweden	Sweden U-18 / Leksands IF
	25	Clara Van Wieren	F	5-10	Gr.	Okemos, Mich	USA U-18 / Shattuck St. Mary’s
	26	Devyn Millwater	D	5-7	R-Jr.	Victoria, B.C.	St. Cloud State University
	28	Nina Jobst-Smith	D	5-7	5th	North Vancouver, British Columbia	Okanagan / Team Germany
	30	Tindra Holm	G	5-8	Sr.	Skellefteå, Sweden	Long Island University
	31	Anna Byczek	G	5-9	R-Fr.	Marquette, Mich.