Team Notes: Quinnipiac Set to Kick Off Season
An Exhibition Matchup
The Quinnipiac University women's ice hockey team
will kick off the season with a competitive scrimmage against the
Ontario Hockey Academy Mustangs at the TD Bank Sports Center in
Hamden, on Friday Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. The game will be open to the
public. Admission is free of charge.
Follow The Bobcats
Live Stats for Friday evening's game against the
Ontario Hockey Academy will be available. To access live stats,
please click on the appropriate links on women's ice hockey
schedule at www.quinnipiacbobcats.com.
About The Ontario Hockey Academy Mustangs
The Ontario Hockey Academy is a High Performance
Academic-Athletic accredited private preparatory school located in
Cornwall, Ontario. It is dedicated to providing boys (Junior Prep,
Major Midget AAA, Varsity Hockey) and girls (Intermediate AA,
Midget AA) with the very best in academics along with elite hockey.
The hockey program is designed to provide the student-athletes with
maximum exposure by going to the biggest and most prestigious
showcases and tournaments.
2010-11 ECAC Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
The Quinnipiac University women's ice hockey team
was selected to finish fourth in the 2010-11 ECAC Hockey Preseason
Coaches' Poll. The Bobcats finished last season 11-4-7 in ECAC
Hockey, clinching the program's first home playoff series and
earning its first playoff victory.
Seeley Celebrated
In his second full season with Quinnipiac, Head
Coach Rick Seeley was honored as the 2009-10 ECAC Women's Ice
Hockey Coach of the Year. Seeley also finished runner-up for the
American Hockey Coaches Association Women's Division I Coach of the
Year award.
Historic Turnaround
Seeley and the Bobcats experienced one of the most
impressive seasons in college hockey history in 2009-10. Seeley is
the first coach in U.S. college hockey history, dating back to
1895, to lead his team, in consecutive seasons, to at least a 16
game improvement in both wins and losses. Quinnipiac improved from
3-26-5 in 2009-10 to 19-10-8 in 2009-10.
Top Ten Finish
Quinnipiac finished the 2009-10 season ranked 10th
in the USCHO.com Division I Women's College Hockey Poll, the
highest ranking received in program history. Leading up to the
final polls of the season, Quinnipiac had received votes in six
consecutive weeks.
Rookie Record-Breaker
Quinnipiac goaltender Victoria Vigilanti emerged
as one of the most dominant goalies in Division I women's ice
hockey during the 2009-10 season. Vigilanti was named ECAC Hockey
Goalie and Rookie of the Year, as she compiled the best
goals-against average (1.24) and save percentage (.950) in both the
league and country. She was a four-time ECAC Hockey Goalie of the
Week and a three-time ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week.
Defensive Dominance
The Bobcats hope to remain as defensively dominant
as they did in 2009-10 when they led the nation in scoring defense,
allowing just 1.38 goals per game. Juniors Bethany Dymarczyk
(Hamden, Conn.) and Jordan Elkins (Wasilla, Alaska) are the elder
members on defense, and are assisted by sophomore Regan Boulton
(Brandon, Manitoba). The trio will mentor freshmen Kara Gust
(Orland Park, Ill.), Kelly Lavallee (Salem, N.H.) and Shelby
Wignall (Hamilton, Ontario) and Felicia Vieweg (Port Orange,
Fla.).
Youth Movement
The Bobcats welcome 11 freshman skaters to the
squad this season. In addition to the aforementioned defenders,
forwards Kelly Babstock (Mississauga, Ontario), Erica Uden
Johansson (Sundsvall, Sweden), Amanda Colin (Burnsville, Minn.),
Lindsay Burman (Stanchfield, Minn.), Elena Orlando (Winters,
Calif.), Megan Hagg (Ajax, Ontario), Emily MacKinnon (Kirkland,
Quebec) and Olivia Brackett (Coopersville, Mich.) look to
contribute to the Bobcats offense this season.
Season Opener
The Bobcats open the season when they travel to
Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, N.Y. for a two-game set against Niagara on
Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.
