official thread of the UNH wildcats

[Da Big Bad Cow]

i had also heard UNH was getting a goalie transfer from duluth.

i guess that would be the girl

[Grandaddy]

Originally posted by illskoolu
Happened to hear recently that former UMD goalie Maghan Grahn has decided to come back to girls hockey after a year of playing guys juniors up in Canada, and UNH is where she plans to do it. IMO great news for UNH fans as Maghan is definetely a great goaltender!
Didn't see her listed onany of the UMD rosters on USCHO dating back to 99-00, was she ever actually on the team, or did she show up and then leave? Just curious... any word on her skill? Will she be a freshman?

[Frozenaffairs]

Originally posted by Grandaddy
Didn't see her listed onany of the UMD rosters on USCHO dating back to 99-00, was she ever actually on the team, or did she show up and then leave? Just curious... any word on her skill? Will she be a freshman?

Played as a freshman on the 2001/2002 team. Played in 5 games, allowing one goal in 90 minutes of play on 24 shots. If she resumes her play at UNH, she will have three years of eligibility. She had solid stats in the games she played, mostly mop up and one start.

[chris33]

so what league was this? how many games? this is exciting news for the program --- a bit like the experience of whitten. anyone have a website for the team she played with?

[NCAA watcher]

THEY ARE ALL AMERICANS -- THREE NEW ADDITIONS STRENGTHENS THE BULLDOG ROSTER

Three Americans - Maghan Grahn (Roseau, MN), Larissa Luther (Bloomington, MN) and Julianne Vasichek (Great Falls, MT) -- have all signed a national letter of intent to play women's hockey and attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth next fall. These three talents will strengthen the 2001 National Championship team roster in all areas of the game.

Minnesotan goalie, Maghan Grahn is a 2001 graduate of the Roseau High School, who played this past season with the Roseau Boys High School Hockey team. Grahn is an all round athlete, who has come up through the boys hockey system in Minnesota and is an excellent young goaltender.

Larissa Luther is a 2001 Minnesota State High School Girls' Hockey Champion and comes to UMD from Bloomington Jefferson's Girls High School Hockey team. She is a compact player with tremendous speed, great hands and a real competitive nature, playing both defense and forward. Luther also played goalie for Jefferson in the Girls State High School Tournament this past February.

Julianne Vasichek played this past season for the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, VT. This excellent blueliner has size, strength and an abundance of skill, which will make her one of UMD's top defenseman. Vasichek is a natural all round athlete, who can compete at the highest levels in many sports.

These three Americans will join the three European early additions, who signed the letter of intent back in November 2000. The newcomers for the 2001-2002 are as follows:


Maghan Grahn, G (Roseall, MN)
Larissa Luther, D/F (Bloomington, MN)
Julianne Vasichek, D (Great Falls, MT)
Kristina Petrovskaia, F/D (Moscow, Russia)
Marjo Voutilainen, F (Kuopio, Finland)
Nora Tallus, F (Kerava, Finland)

http://www.sportzdomain.com/womenshockey/archives/00000045.html

10/06/2002 Entry: "Szabados and Grahn"
Szabados and Grahn Play Against Each Other in AJHL game
MEDIA RELEASE No. 8 - Oct. 2, 2002
03-Oct-2002

Shannon Szabados made a perfect debut last night as the first female starting goalie in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Szabados, 16, is listed as 5' 8" and 145 pounds had 13 saves for the shutout in the Sherwood Park Crusaders' 8-0 win over the Bonnyville Pontiacs at Sherwood Park Arena.
Maghan Grahn, 18, who is listed as a 5' 7" and 157 pound goaltender made it an even more special night for females as the backup goalie for Bonnyville.
Grahn's appearance, after Sherwood Park assumed a 4-0 lead at 11:12 of the second period, meant females were opposing goalies for the first time in league history.
Szabados had five saves each in the first and third periods. It was Sherwood Park's first shutout of the season.
Grahn made 18 stops and allowed four goals after replacing starting goalie Karson Gillespie.
Shannon had a trial with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League before being released on Monday. She appeared briefly in one regular season game with Tri-City.
Maghan, an honor roll student, was the back-up goaltender for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA last season.
http://www.bmillweb.com/gbmills/NEGoaltendersbyTeam.htm

Tuesday, February 20
In Roseau, Minnesota they joke, hockey isn't a matter of life and death, its more important than that. The Roseau High School Rams have a long history of success in the sport. Six state titles, over 20 appearances at the boys state tournament. Another chapter to the Rams history opened this year when Maghan Grahn took the ice - the first Minnesota girl to start in Goal for a powerhouse boy's team.

http://news.mpr.org/programs/morninged/listings/me20010219.shtml

[NCAA watcher]

Sadie Wright-Ward confirms verbal to UNH (http://www4.fosters.com/News2003/April2003/April_17/Sports/sp_0417d.asp)


So:


Goalie Brittany Busa, Assabet Valley
Goalie Maghan Gahan, Alberta Jr. B Men's League
defense: Shannon Clement, S.S.Marie midget league
defense: Martine Garland (http://www.bramptonthunder.com/players/players.asp?sub_cat=info&ID=12) , Brampton, National Women's League
Forward: Sandie Wright-Ward , Berwick Academy
Forward: Lindsay Caleo, Cushing Prep

[ClOuD 9]

What position does Huggon play in soccer? And how long til coach's daughter learns how to skate. ;)

[huskyhockey]

add to that previous list:
Rebecca Paul, Soph, Transfer from Northeastern.
Amazing player, good size, great hands. You guys are lucky to have her - and we're gonna miss the girl!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Da Big Bad Cow]

i had heard rumors about that...due in part to the troubles this past year at NU and paul's friendships with a few players on the UNH team.

she has to sit out 2003, no?

i believe with the addition of paul, UNH has all 3 f's from this years hockey east rookie team on their roster :D

[Gibber]

Anyone know for sure if she'll have to sit out a year?

[bigfish]

As I noted over on the D1 board, I was looking at the NCAA transfer rules this AM and only Men's Ice Hockey, basketball and 1-A football seem to have the sit a season rule...

[Da Big Bad Cow]

my understanding is that its not an NCAA rule, but a conference rule. she could have transferred outside the conference and not have had to sit.

[Gibber]

Apparantly conferences can set their own transfer rules.. people have mentioned that if you transfer within the WCHA you have to sit, but if you go from WCHA-Hockey East (as the UMD goalie is doing), you don't(?).... I know as of three seasons ago when Misikowetz came to UNH from Maine and McManus went to BC from UNH, you didn't have to sit at all... is there a rule within Hockey East that states you have to sit if you transfer within the conference I wonder..

[ClOuD 9]

I emailed Hockey East Online about any womens transfer rules, hopefully I'll get a response. Wish they'd put the rulebook online like the NCAA does. Also, I believe, but am not certain, that the ECAC inacted a transfer rule the year after Misikowitz transfered, though I may be mistaken.

[lyla33]

Sadie Wright-Ward plays for Brewster Academy not Berwick. and i believe coach mac said as soon as she can walk or a couple of yrs but yes great stuff hopefully that umd grl is good

[binnyrus]

Originally posted by lyla33
hopefully that umd grl is good


Grahn played on the 2001- 2002 UMD team. She was the 3rd goalie behind Puputti and Sautter. Tough position for any strong-willed, talented player. My impression was that it was quite a surprise when she decided to leave the team and UMD had to scramble a bit to find a good back-up. Thus, Kasparek a D-3 transfer (UW-Stevens Point). Also, and this isn't a knock or put-down, but apparently a little tough to "coach". I think she will be a nice addition for NU.

[Gibber]

Originally posted by binnyrus
Grahn played on the 2001- 2002 UMD team. She was the 3rd goalie behind Puputti and Sautter. Tough position for any strong-willed, talented player. My impression was that it was quite a surprise when she decided to leave the team and UMD had to scramble a bit to find a good back-up. Thus, Kasparek a D-3 transfer (UW-Stevens Point). Also, and this isn't a knock or put-down, but apparently a little tough to "coach". I think she will be a nice addition for NU.

how bout 'for UNH? ;)

[interestedobserver]

Oh boy. I hope that her 'possible' rep for being tough to coach is incorrect. The chemistry on the Cats this year was unbelievable - absolutely solid, and a high maintenance newcomer could really upset the applecart. Shannon Szabados, who played against her, caused no end of problems for her midget AAA team when she was bounced back from Junior. She simply didn't want to be there, and couldn't stop a beach ball when she was in net. The coach was very direct that when he said that she would be, "Swinging the gate" if she didn't pick up her game. Also as a result of the fallout from her attitude, the governing hockey council passed a motion that was simply appalling. They will "encourage" girls to stick to girls hockey, but the underlying message is that girls are just too much trouble and they don't want to be bothered. Quite easy to bounce a girl out by saying she didn't evaluate well enough to make the teams. That shuts the door on any girl who wants to play the highest level of hockey available. The highest calibre female teams here are roughly equivalent to the boys Bantam AA and several players from our area, who were later full ride scholarship candidates played beyond that to develop their skills. It is a real set-back for serious female hockey players. Sure hope Ms. Grahn isn't cut from the same cloth as her peer.

[Da Big Bad Cow]

i wouldnt worry too much yet. im sure mccloskey has had plenty of contact with her, and wouldnt have taken her in if he didnt feel she was someone that would fit in with the program.

sometimes its tough being 3rd string....having a chance to come in and win the #1 job might be all she needs.

in any event i doubt mccloskey would invite grahn to join the team without talking to her, her family, her coaches from this past season and others to get a handle on the kind of person she was and the kind of player she was.

[interestedobserver]

I don't worry about coach Mac's abilities - he doesn't put up with any bs- its the impact a difficult person might have on other players that concerns me. Regardless, the team will figure it out one way or another. Que sera, sera.