2015–16 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

March 2026 May 2025 File:Minnesota Golden Gophers logo.svg 2015–16 Minnesota Golden Gophers women Western Collegiate Hockey Association WCHA 2nd USCHO.com 1st USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine 1st 35–4–1 19–0–1 13–3–0 3–1–0 Brad Frost Nadine Muzerall Joel Johnson Hannah BrandtLee Steckleinhttps://gophersports.com/news/2015/5/27/Brandt_Stecklein_to_Captain_2015_16_Gophers May 27, 2015 University of Minnesota Athletics Brandt, Stecklein to Captain 2015–16 Gophers September 8, 2024 Ridder Arena NCAA Division I National Champions Defeated Princeton in First Round 6–2 to advance to Frozen Four Defeated Wisconsin 3–2 in overtime to advance to National Championship Defeated Boston College 3–1 to claim National title National champions 2014–15 2016–17 The 2015–16 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season represented the University of Minnesota during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. They were coached by Brad Frost in his ninth season. The Golden Gophers advanced to the Frozen Four championship game for the fifth consecutive year and defeated Boston College 3–1 in the title game. Offseason Recruiting Minnesota Golden Gophers 2 Player Position Nationality Notes Anna Barlow Defense Competed at South St. Paul Secondary Tianna Gunderson Forward From Roseau High School Emma May Goaltender Hails from Eagan, Minnesota Sarah Potomak Forward Competed with Canada at IIHF U18 Women's Worlds Sophie Skarzynski Defense Hails from Lake Forest, Illinois Sierra Smith Forward Competed with Stillwater Area High School Taylor Williamson Forward Played with Edina High School Exhibition Sarah Potomak made her debut for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a September 25, 2015, exhibition match against the Minnesota Whitecaps logging two assists on goals scored by Hannah Brandt as the squad prevailed by a 5–4 tally.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/minn/sports/w-hockey/auto_pdf/2015-16/box_score/stats_20150926aaa.pdf PDF Hockey Game Box Score (Final) : Minnesota Whitecaps vs #1 Minnesota (Sep 25, 2015 at Minneapolis, Minn.) Grfx.cstv.com October 19, 2015 March 4, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200703/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/minn/sports/w-hockey/auto_pdf/2015-16/box_score/stats_20150926aaa.pdf dead Regular season News and notes Sarah Potomak's regular season debut took place on October 1, 2015, in a 2–0 win against Penn State. Potomak scored an empty net goal, for the first goal of her NCAA career.http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/stats/2015-2016/151001.html University of Minnesota Official Athletic Site – Women's Ice Hockey Gophersports.com October 19, 2015 In a two-game sweep of St. Cloud State on October 9–10, 2015, Potomak accumulated two goals and four assists. In the second game against St. Cloud, she logged the first multi-goal game of her NCAA career.http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/101315aaa.html Potomak Named WCHA Rookie of the Week – University of Minnesota Official Athletic Site Gophersports.com October 19, 2015 October 21, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151021073448/http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/101315aaa.html dead An 11–1 win against the MSU-Mankato Mavericks in November 2015 saw Sarah Potomak tie the program record for most points in one game. She would register a seven-point output consisting two goals and five assists. http://www.startribune.com/potomak-s-seven-points-lead-gophers-women-s-hockey-in-rout-over-msu-mankato/356368921/ Potomak's seven points lead Gophers' women's hockey in rout over MSU Mankato Star Tribune November 27, 2015 November 25, 2016 May 24, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220524214647/https://www.startribune.com/potomak-s-seven-points-lead-gophers-women-s-hockey-in-rout-over-msu-mankato/356368921/ dead Potomak was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd segment for the week of December 14, 2015. https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/12/14/faces-in-the-crowd-december-14-2015 Faces in the Crowd: December 14, 2015, Edited by Alexandra Fenwick Sports Illustrated December 14, 2015 November 25, 2016 Standings MIN Schedule Source:https://gophersports.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/schedule/2015-16 University of Minnesota 2015–16 Women's Ice Hockey Schedule December 31, 2023 yes yes yes yes Minnesota Golden Gophers 2 12 Regular Season October 1 6:00 w yes yes 1 Penn State Pegula Ice Arena University Park, PA Amanda Leveille 2–0 485 1–0–0 October 2 6:00 w yes yes 1 Penn State Pegula Ice Arena University Park, PA Sidney Peters 5–0 507 2–0–0 October 9 7:07 w 1 St. Cloud State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 7–0 1,851 3–0–0 1–0–0 October 10 4:07 w 1 St. Cloud State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Peters 11–0 2,335 4–0–0 2–0–0 October 16 5:07 w yes 1 Ohio State Ohio State University Ice Rink Columbus, OH Leveille 7–2 465 5–0–0 3–0–0 October 17 1:07 w yes 1 Ohio State Ohio State University Ice Rink Columbus, OH Leveille 11–2 575 6–0–0 4–0–0 October 23 6:07 w 1 Minnesota Duluth Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 5–2 1,685 7–0–0 5–0–0 October 24 4:07 w 1 Minnesota Duluth Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 6–1 1,965 8–0–0 6–0–0 October 29 7:07 w yes 1 North Dakota 7 Ralph Engelstad Arena Grand Forks, ND Leveille 5–1 1,066 9–0–0 7–0–0 October 30 7:07 l yes 1 North Dakota 7 Ralph Engelstad Arena Grand Forks, ND Leveille 3–4 3,361 9–1–0 7–1–0 November 13 7:07 w 3 Bemidji State 5 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 4–0 1,957 10–1–0 8–1–0 November 14 4:07 w 3 Bemidji State 5 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 8–3 2,148 11–1–0 9–1–0 November 20 7:07 w yes 3 Yale Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 6–3 1,932 12–1–0 November 21 7:07 w yes 3 Yale Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Peters 4–1 1,682 13–1–0 November 27 2:07 w yes 3 Minnesota State Verizon Wireless Center Mankato, MN Leveille 11–1 313 14–1–0 10–1–0 November 28 2:07 w yes 3 Minnesota State Verizon Wireless Center Mankato, MN Peters 2–1 152 15–1–0 11–1–0 December 4 7:07 l yes 3 Wisconsin 1 LaBahn Arena Madison, WI Leveille 2–3 OT 2,273 15–2–0 11–2–0 December 5 3:07 l yes 3 Wisconsin 1 LaBahn Arena Madison, WI Leveille 1–3 2,273 15–3–0 11–3–0 December 11 6:37 w yes yes 3 St. Cloud State John Rose Oval Roseville, MN Hall of Fame Game Leveille 7–0 1,078 16–3–0 January 9, 2016 2:07 w 3 Ohio State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 3–1 2,431 17–3–0 12–3–0 January 10 2:07 w 3 Ohio State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 9–0 1,677 18–3–0 13–3–0 January 16 2:07 w 3 Minnesota State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 3–2 1,927 19–3–0 14–3–0 January 17 2:07 w 3 Minnesota State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Peters 2–1 1,740 20–3–0 15–3–0 January 22 3:07 w yes 3 St. Cloud State Herb Brooks National Hockey Center St. Cloud, MN Leveille 7–0 212 21–3–0 16–3–0 January 23 3:07 w yes 3 St. Cloud State Herb Brooks National Hockey Center St. Cloud, MN Peters 4–2 243 22–3–0 17–3–0 January 29 7:07 w yes 3 Bemidji State 7 Sanford Center Bemidji, MN Leveille 2–1 672 23–3–0 18–3–0 January 30 4:07 w yes 3 Bemidji State 7 Sanford Center Bemidji, MN Leveille 2–1 OT 715 24–3–0 19–3–0 February 5 6:07 w 3 North Dakota 8 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 3–0 2,635 25–3–0 20–3–0 February 6 4:07 t 3 North Dakota 8 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 0–0 OT 2,678 25–3–1 20–3–1 February 12 7:07 w yes 3 Minnesota Duluth AMSOIL Arena Duluth, MN Leveille 7–3 1,301 26–3–1 21–3–1 February 13 4:07 w yes 3 Minnesota Duluth Amsoil Arena Duluth, MN Leveille 6–2 1,242 27–3–1 22–3–1 February 19 7:07 w 3 Wisconsin 2 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 4–0 3,288 28–3–1 23–3–1 February 20 3:03 w 3 Wisconsin 2 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Leveille 4–3 OT 3,091 29–3–1 24–3–1 Minnesota Golden Gophers 2 12 WCHA Tournament February 26 7:07 w yes 2 Ohio State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Quarterfinals, Game 1 Leveille 5–2 1,335 30–3–1 February 27 4:07 w yes 2 Ohio State Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Quarterfinals, Game 2 Leveille 5–0 1,443 31–3–1 March 5 5:07 w yes 2 North Dakota 8 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Semifinal Game Leveille 2–0 2,233 32–3–1 March 6 2:07 l yes 2 Wisconsin 3 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN WCHA Championship Game Leveille 0–1 1,855 32–4–1 Minnesota Golden Gophers 2 12 NCAA Tournament March 12 4:00 w yes 3 Princeton 7 Ridder Arena Minneapolis, MN Quarterfinal Game Leveille 6–2 2,468 33–4–1 March 18 6:00 w yes yes 3 Wisconsin 2 Whittemore Center Durham, NH Frozen Four Semifinal Game Leveille 3–2 OT 2,167 34–4–1 March 20 1:00 w yes yes 3 Boston College 1 Whittemore Center Durham, NH National Championship Game Leveille 3–1 3,211 35–4–1 Roster Source:https://gophersports.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/2015-16 University of Minnesota Athletics 2015–16 Women's Hockey Roster December 29, 2023 yes yes 2 Lee Stecklein Lee Stecklein junior D 6 0 1994 4 23 Minnesota Roseville, Minnesota Roseville Area High School C yes 3 Anna Barlow freshman D 5 6 1996 9 2 Minnesota South St. Paul, Minnesota South St. Paul Secondary yes 4 Tianna Gunderson freshman F 5 6 1996 8 27 Minnesota Roseau, Minnesota Roseau High School yes 5 Sophie Skarzynski freshman D 5 8 1997 9 18 Illinois Lake Forest, Illinois Loyola Academy yes 6 Kate Schipper Kate Schipper junior F 5 4 1995 6 28 Minnesota Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Breck School yes 7 Taylor Williamson freshman F 5 7 1996 8 20 Minnesota Edina, Minnesota Edina High School yes 8 Amanda Kessel Amanda Kessel senior F 5 6 1991 8 28 Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin Shattuck-Saint Mary's yes 9 Sydney Baldwin Sydney Baldwin sophomore D 5 7 1996 1 15 Minnesota Minnetonka, Minnesota Minnetonka High School yes 10 Cara Piazza sophomore F 5 7 1995 10 9 Illinois Darien, Illinois Downers Grove South High School yes 11 Kelsey Cline junior D/F 5 6 1995 2 28 Minnesota Bloomington, Minnesota Bloomington Jefferson High School yes 12 Megan Wolfe junior D 5 8 1995 6 8 Minnesota Eagan, Minnesota Eagan High School yes 13 Milica McMillen Milica McMillen senior D 5 10 1993 7 13 Minnesota Saint Paul, Minnesota Breck School yes 15 Paige Haley junior D/F 5 9 1995 7 21 Minnesota Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing High School yes 17 Sierra Smith freshman F 5 8 1996 9 2 Minnesota Stillwater, Minnesota Stillwater Area High School yes 18 Brook Garzone senior D/F 5 6 1993 4 29 Oklahoma Sand Springs, Oklahoma Shattuck-Saint Mary's yes 19 Kelly Pannek Kelly Pannek sophomore F 5 8 1995 12 29 Minnesota Plymouth, Minnesota Benilde-St. Margaret's yes 20 Nina Rodgers sophomore F 5 5 1996 4 8 Minnesota Minnetonka, Minnesota Hopkins High School yes 21 Dani Cameranesi Dani Cameranesi junior F 5 5 1995 6 30 Minnesota Plymouth, Minnesota Blake School yes 22 Hannah Brandt Hannah Brandt senior F 5 6 1993 11 27 Minnesota Vadnais Heights, Minnesota Hill-Murray School C yes 23 Caitlin Reilly sophomore F 5 5 1995 9 5 Minnesota Chanhassen, Minnesota Benilde-St. Margaret's yes 25 Nicole Schammel Nicole Schammel sophomore F 5 5 1996 4 9 Minnesota Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing High School yes 26 Sarah Potomak Sarah Potomak freshman F 5 5 1996 4 8 British Columbia Aldergrove, British Columbia George Eliot Secondary yes 29 Amanda Leveille Amanda Leveille senior G 5 7 1994 6 10 Ontario Kingston, Ontario Frontenac Secondary School yes 31 Emma May freshman G 5 6 1996 10 21 Minnesota Eagan, Minnesota Eagan High School yes 37 Sidney Peters sophomore yes G 5 10 1995 2 26 Illinois Geneva, Illinois North American Hockey Academy NCAA Sarah Potomak, 2015–16 WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year Sarah Potomak, WCHA Rookie of the Week (Week of October 13, 2015) Sarah Potomak, WCHA Player of the Week (Recognized for games of October 14–15, 2016)http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1617/201610/oct18wpw.php UMN'S POTOMAK, AND UND'S SHAW AND NUUTINEN NAMED WCHA WOMEN'S PLAYERS OF THE WEEK WCHA.com October 18, 2016 November 25, 2016 Sarah Potomak, WCHA Player of the Month (October 2016)http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1617/201611/nov3wpw.php UMN'S POTOMAK, UND'S SHAW AND UW'S NORBY NAMED WCHA WOMEN'S PLAYERS OF THE MONTH WCHA.com November 3, 2016 November 25, 2016 Sarah Potomak, 2016 Women's Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Year Awardhttp://www.wcha.com/women/pres1516/201603/mar17roy.php Minnesota's Potomak Is Chosen Women's National Rookie of the Year WCHA.com March 17, 2016 November 25, 2016 Sarah Potomak, 2016 WCHA Rookie of the Year honorshttp://www.wcha.com/women/pres1516/201603/mar3awa.php WCHA ANNOUNCES 2015–16 POSTSEASON AWARDS WCHA.com March 3, 2016 November 25, 2016 Sarah Potomak, Most Outstanding Player Award, 2016 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament Hannah Brandt, Forward, Patty Kazmaier Award Top 10 Finalisthttp://www.pattykaz.com/news_article/show/616249?referrer_id=718465-news February 25, 2016 USA Hockey Foundation Top-10 Finalists Named for 2016 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award April 18, 2017 Dani Cameranesi, Forward, Patty Kazmaier Award Top 10 Finalist Dani Cameranesi, Forward, WCHA Scoring Leaderhttp://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/030316aaa.html March 3, 2016 CBS Interactive Five Gophers Earn WCHA Accolades April 18, 2017 April 20, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170420045203/http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/030316aaa.html dead Lee Stecklein, Defense, WCHA First Team All-Star Hannah Brandt, Forward, WCHA First Team All-Star Dani Cameranesi, Forward, WCHA First Team All-Star Milica McMillen, Defense, WCHA Second Team All-Star Sarah Potomak, Forward, WCHA Third Team All-Star Sarah Potomak, Forward, WCHA All-Rookie Team References 30em Minnesota Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey seasons Minn Category:NCAA women's ice hockey Frozen Four seasons Category:NCAA women's ice hockey championship seasons Minne Minne