Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

[kdog]

Okay Everyone, A new year, a new team. Very excited to see what the freshmen bring.

[Hockey 1st]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

This is still a very young team. They could and they may surprise a couple of teams. They will have get some solid goalkeeping and they need to capitilize on their chances.... all the best to this young team.

[kdog]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Thanks for the positive energy! Already a big difference in Union's sog. I have high hopes!

[ADK11]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Had to do some digging to resurrect this thread.. but definitely time to congratulate Coach Asano, her assistants and all the players for finally breaking "the streak" and getting an ECAC victory!!! Hopefully won't take anywhere near as long to get the next one . Wins over Maine & North Dakota are also great signs that the program is progressing. I know there is much work to be done before U is truly competing for playoff spots, etc., but the team definitely appears to be faster and more skilled than in the past. Way to Go!!..and

Goooooooooooooooooooooooo U!!!!!!

[Trillium]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Had to do some digging to resurrect this thread.. but definitely time to congratulate Coach Asano, her assistants and all the players for finally breaking "the streak" and getting an ECAC victory!!! Hopefully won't take anywhere near as long to get the next one . Wins over Maine & North Dakota are also great signs that the program is progressing. I know there is much work to be done before U is truly competing for playoff spots, etc., but the team definitely appears to be faster and more skilled than in the past. Way to Go!!..and

Goooooooooooooooooooooooo U!!!!!!

This

[dayglo]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Congratulations, Dutchwomen, your families and fans!

[Wholin1]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Great job Dutchwomen, congrats and let's hope for more W's to come. A great weekend for Union icers.

[Brown Parent]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Congrats to Alana Marcinko for ECAC GOTHW!

http://www.ecachockey.com/women/2009..._W_Wkly_Awards

Best of luck with the rest of your season.

[Flarrow]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

From the Union website, at start of this past season:
"Claudia Asano
Head Coach
Third Season
Alma Mater: Harvard '99

Claudia Asano begins her third season as head coach with the goal of turning Union women’s hockey into a national contender. Asano, who was named head coach on April 23, 2007, was an assistant coach at Harvard University for five seasons before she was named the third head coach in Union women’s ice hockey history....During her tenure at Harvard, Asano served as the top assistant to head coach
Katey Stone. She worked primarily with the Crimson’s defense and led Harvard’s recruiting efforts, securing Olympic, All-American, All-ECACHL and All-Ivy League players....Before joining Stone’s staff at Harvard, Asano was the Associate Director of Athletics at the Middlesex School in Concord, MA, where she taught European History
while serving as the head junior varsity women’s lacrosse coach and the assistant coach for varsity field hockey and ice hockey."

From USCHO:
Claudia Asano
Year-by-Year Overall Record

Season Team W L T
2009-10 Union 5 28 1
2008-09 Union 2 29 3
2007-08 Union 3 27 2
TOTALS 10 84 6

Comment. [two things: 1)I've watched and held my comments. Season's over. And 2) please, no repeat of the Brown forum debacle. Analysis, please]

[ARM]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

Claudia Asano begins her third season as head coach with the goal of turning Union women’s hockey into a national contender.

I don't see that as being a reasonable goal. To be a national contender, you have to be able to recruit a few players that could go anywhere. Union is caught in the middle in their league. They can't offer scholarships. They have high academic standards that limit the pool of student athletes who can gain acceptance, but yet they don't quite match the prestige of the Ivies. So it's going to be tough to win recruiting battles versus other ECAC schools. Barring some other advantage -- a legendary coach everyone wants to play for, on ice celebrations including Zamboni driving -- it'll be tough to contend. I think that they can still improve, and they've obviously demonstrated some progress, but it will be an uphill climb.

[dave1381]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

I'd agree, but how is it that the Union men have generally been respectable and not at the bottom of the ECAC every year? In what way does the same argument not apply?

[notfromaroundhere]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

I'd agree, but how is it that the Union men have generally been respectable and not at the bottom of the ECAC every year? In what way does the same argument not apply?

I would argue that there is a bigger dropoff in talent between the top and bottom of the D1 Women's players and the D1 Men's players. Women's teams are generally sorted by their depth more than their top line talent. With a smaller range of talent, other things sort out the Men's teams (coaching, facility, etc.).

And in case you are wondering why I'm sticking my nose in the Union thread (there are those who blame me for much of the Brown thread I know), my FIL is an Union Alum, so I have always monitored from a distance...

[ARM]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

I would argue that there is a bigger dropoff in talent between the top and bottom of the D1 Women's players and the D1 Men's players.

True, IMO. There is probably a smaller gap to begin with in men's hockey between the top/bottom players, and because of the NHL, the very best have either a brief stint in college or no NCAA at all.

I'd agree, but how is it that the Union men have generally been respectable and not at the bottom of the ECAC every year? In what way does the same argument not apply?

Beyond nfah's comments, I'd say that the women have a chance to be "respectable and not at the bottom of the ECAC every year" as well. Unless I've missed it, I don't think that the Dutchmen are truly national contenders though.

[dave1381]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

I would argue that there is a bigger dropoff in talent between the top and bottom of the D1 Women's players and the D1 Men's players.

Ok, I can agree with that.

Women's teams are generally sorted by their depth more than their top line talent.

I can see that being true now and going forward, but I don't think this was true 5 years ago, when the top line talent was leaps and bounds above everyone else.

Good answer, thanks.

[ADK11]

Re: Union Dutchwomen 2009/2010

I think it's rather unfair to home-in on one phrase that was obviously written by a PR person in Union's athletic department. And, this is something that is going to be read by potential recruits, so what should be said? "Asano's goal is to win more than 2 games and eventually raise Union to mediocrity in the ECAC"!!!!! Nate Leaman said similar things about "winning championships" when he took over the men's team 7 years ago and there was a lot of guffawing & nose holding at the time. Well nobody is laughing now..

That being said, some good points are raised here that it may be much tougher for Union to improve to a high level on the women' side. However it seems to me that Asano is making real progress and should be given every chance to continue doing so. I also think one thing that held back the men's team for so long was an attitude (fostered at the highest levels of Union's administration I might add) that mediocrity was the best Union could ever hope to achieve. I have no problem with the coaches having high goals for the team & the program.