Senior Kelli Blankenship of the Gophers women's hockey team has received one of the three WCHA post-graduate scholarships for 2011-12.
She and Courtney Josefson of St. Cloud State will each receive a $5,000 grant. Kyle Schmidt of UMD will receive a $10,000 grant because he is the lone men's recipient.
Blankenship earned a degree in kinesiology-exercise science, had a 3.47 GPA and was on the all-WCHA academic team three times.
She had 28 goals and 33 assists for 61 points in her 148-game career and played in two Frozen Fours.
"Kelli is the definition of a student-athlete," Gophers women's hockey coach Brad Frost said. "Academics was always just as important to her as atheletics. On the ice, she was never our leading scorer, but she played a vital role in our team's success. She was fast, smooth and a threat when she was on the ice; she always played her best in the big games.
"Kelli is one of the greatest success stories we've ever had at Minnesota. She has struggled with dyslexia and perfectionism throughout her life and almost wasn't admitted to UM."
Blankenship has been accepted into the dental hygiene program at the U of M.
* Seth Ambroz, a Gophers recruit, finished in the top 10 in several categories at the NHL combine in Toronto. He is expected to come in and be a top six forward for the Gophers, probably at right wing. He is 6-2, 215 or so.
