Eight players with ties to the Gopher women's hockey program — and two other Minnesotans — will will compete in the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation women's world championship starting Wednesday through Apr. 16 in Brampton, Ontario.
Five of those with Gophers connections will be on the U.S. team: fifth-year Taylor Heise, redshirt-sophomore Abbey Murphy and alumnae Amanda Kessel (2016), Kelly Pannek ('19) and Lee Stecklein ('17). All but Murphy were a part of Team USA's silver-medal team in 2022.
In her first action with the U.S. senior national team last September, Heise had 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in seven games — the second-most in a single women's worlds tournament in IIHF history. She was named the tournament MVP.
Freshmen Josefin Bouveng and Nelli Laitinen were each selected for national team rosters of Sweden and Finland, respectively. Incoming freshman forward Emma Kreisz will represent Hungary.
Two other Minnesotans are also on the U.S. team: Cornell defenseman Rory Guilday (Minnetonka) and Minnesota Duluth forward Gabbie Hughes (Lino Lakes).
At the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship, the U.S. women's national team will compete in Group A alongside Canada, Czechia, Japan and Switzerland. Finland, Hungary and Sweden will compete in Group B with Germany and France. All Team USA games will be broadcast live in the U.S. on NHL Network.
Canada has won the gold medal a record 12 times, the U.S. nine times.
Gophers baseball loses
Junior Brett Bateman had three hits and a walk, but the Gophers baseball team lost 6-2 to Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
