Decorated alumna Hannah Brandt returns to Hill-Murray as a member of the girls' hockey coaching staff. "We are incredibly excited to have Hannah as part of our coaching staff," Hill-Murray girls' hockey co-head coach Bill Schafhauser said in a press release. "For a player in our program, it will be so awesome to have a former Ms. Hockey, a 3-time NCAA National Champion, a champion as a pro player with the Minnesota Whitecaps and an Olympic Gold medal winner." Brandt will serve as a Pioneers' assistant coach and will be working with the team as her schedule permits. She is an active national team player and works for the Minnesota Wild, doing speaking engagements. She and current and former Wild players visit over 40 elementary schools promoting the "Face-Off For Fitness" program, which promotes an active, healthy lifestyle as well as encourages young kids to participate in the game of hockey. "The Hill-Murray girls' hockey program was an incredible experience for me and I'm excited to be back," Brandt said in a release. "I'm hoping to help the current student-athletes have that same amazing experience that I had as a Pioneer. I can't wait to get to know the team and I hope to make a positive impact on the players both on and off the ice. I'm really excited to just get the season started and I'm also excited to be back with my high school coaches, Caesare Engstrom and Bill Schafhauser, who made a huge impact on me during my time at Hill-Murray … and of course to win some games!" Brandt will be inducted into the Hill-Murray Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 29.
