Jan. 4, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

WARRIORS HOST MINNESOTA: After a month off the ice, the Wayne State University women's hockey team opens the new year with a home series against fourth-ranked Minnesota (Jan. 5-6). This is the first meeting between the schools and the Warriors enter the contest with an 8-5-1 overall record and 3-2-1 mark in home contests.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GOPHERS: Minnesota is a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Conference (WCHA) and is currently ranked No. 4 in both U.S. College Hockey Online and USA Today/USA American Hockey Magazine national polls. The Golden Gophers enter this weekend series riding an impressive seven-game win streak with a 13-4-1 (4-1-0 ECAC) record and have held their last four opponents scoreless. Senior Erica McKenzie leads the team offensively with 23 points (14 goals, nine assists) while junior Gigi Marvin ranks second with 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists). Minnesota is under the direction of head coach Brad Frost who is in his first season.

SKATE WITH THE TEAM: The WSU women's hockey team invites fans to skate with the team after Sunday's contest (Jan. 6).

FRANK MAKES COACHING DEBUT: Recently hired assistant coach Nicolette Franck will be making her head coaching debut against Minnesota. Franck, a former goaltender at Yale University, will handle coaching duties while head coach Jim Fetter serves as an assistant coach for Hockey Canada's Under-18 team.

BOWERS JOINS TEAM: Redshirt junior Sammi Bowers (Littleton, Colo./Colorado Selects) joined the Warriors this month after transferring from North Dakota. Last season, Bowers played 35-of-36 games, tied for the team lead in goals (5) and points (8) and also led the squad with three power-play goals. She also set the Fighting Sioux single-season mark with 106 penalty minutes.

RINK REWIND: WSU split a two-game series (4-2, 7-3) at Colgate (Nov. 23-24). The game two setback snapped the team's five-game unbeaten streak.

POYTON SETS SCHOOL RECORD: Despite the 7-3 loss at Colgate (Nov. 24), junior Sam Poyton (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabers) scored a goal to increase her point streak to a school record 12 games eclipsing her own mark of 11 set during the 2006 season. She is second on the team with 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists).

KING FINALIST FOR WOODEN CITZEN CUP: Senior Ashley King (Winnipeg, Manitoba) was selected as one of the five national finalists in the collegiate division for the Wooden Citizen Cup, which is an award given for the most outstanding role model among athletes. The Wooden Cup is given to a collegiate and a professional athlete who have made the greatest difference in the lives of others. The award recipients will be announced at a ceremony held at Atlanta's Ansley Golf Club on Thursday, Jan. 24. With Peyton Manning, John Smoltz and John Lynch as previous recipients, the Wooden Cup is becoming one of the most prestigious awards in sports. Recipients are considered role models and athletes of excellence both on and off the field.

WARRIOR FRONT LINE AMONG THE NATION'S BEST: Junior Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) ranks first on the team accumulating 33 points (19 goals, 14 assists) and leads the nation in points-per-game (2.54, 33 total) and goals-per-game (1.46, 19 total). She also is sixth in assists per game (1.08, 14 total) and tied for seventh in power-play goals (.38 ppg, 5 total). Poyton is tied for second in the nation in power-play goals (.43, six total), ranks third in points-per-game (2.29, 32 total), goals-per-game (1.14, 16 total) and game-winning goals (6 total). She also is fourth in assists-per-game (1.14, 16 total). Junior Lindsay DiPietro (Manotick, Ont./Ottawa Lady Senators) leads the country in assists-per-game (1.71, 24 total) and ranks fifth in points-per-game (2.07, 29 total). She is third on team with 29 points (five goals, 24 assists).

BOAL NOTCHES CAREER SCORING STREAK: Boal set a career-high 10-game point streak Oct. 19-Nov. 17. Her attempt to continue the streak ended prematurely as she was forced to leave the first game of the Colgate series (Nov. 23) due to injury before recording a point.

ROLE PLAYERS NOTCH FIRST CARRER POINTS: Freshman Adrianna Pfeffer (Farmington Hills, Mich./Belle Tire U-19) had her best game of the season and collegiate career leading WSU with her first career goal and assist in game two at Colgate (Nov. 24). Senior defenseman Jenny Cameron (Copper, City, Fla./North American Hockey Academy) and junior forward Becky Sonn (Waupaca, Wis./Madison Capitols) also recorded their first career assist.

HIGH POWERED OFFENSE: The Warriors are second in the conference and sixth in the country in scoring offense with 52 goals (3.71 g/gm).

POWER UP: WSU's power-play is ranked ninth in the nation (15/76, 19.7%).

FOUR OR MORE: WSU holds an 8-0-0 record when scoring four or more goals in a game.

TIP YOUR HAT: With Boal and Poyton's combined three hat tricks this season, the team set the all-time school record for hat tricks eclipsing the old mark of two.