Headline: U hockey club hosts nation's best at hom
Publish Date: 11/15/1994
Emily Begel and Brian DeRoy
<W0I>For The Daily
 
The second annual All-American Girls'/Women's Hockey Tournament came
to Mariucci Arena last weekend. Hosted by the Gophers' club team and
the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, the tournament featured more
than 900 players, including 750 from Minnesota.
 
In the collegiate division, Minnesota hosted Colby, Cornell, New
Hampshire, Ohio State, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, St. Cloud
State and defending champs Harvard.
 
The tournament's main goal is to promote and expand women's hockey.
Lynn Olson, director of women's USA Hockey, was pleased with the
outcome of the tourney. ``There are a lot of great women players out
there, and this tournament gives visibility to the women's program,''
Olson said.
 
At the college level, women's hockey is strong in the East. The hope
is that this event will boost the sport's popularity among Midwestern
schools.
 
It should only be a matter of time before women's hockey flourishes
at the collegiate level in the Midwest. Women's hockey has grown from
about 300 players in 1986 to more than 2,000 in 1994. This season,
Minnesota will have 31 schools participating in high school girls'
hockey.
 
The tournament ended Sunday when New Hampshire defeated Colby 4-1.
New Hampshire outshot Colby 35 to 7 in the championship game and was
clearly the most skilled team in the tourney. Harvard, who lost to
Colby for the first time in 11 games, took third place with a 4-2
victory over Cornell.
 
Minnesota placed eighth. The team opened against the defending champs
Thursday and lost 7-0. Even though the Gophers outshot RPI 42 to 14
in a consolation bracket game on Saturday, they lost 3-1.
 
Against Ohio State on Sunday, Minnesota's comeback bid fell short.
The Gophers trailed 4-0 when they entered the third period, but
scored three times in the final 20 minutes. Jenna Tuma, Stacey
Ralidak and Patty Rutz notched goals for the Gophers.
 
``It was an honor to host those teams,'' Gophers center Amy Woodcock
said. ``We're not at all ashamed of our performance.''
 
Ski Clubs
 
The brutal Minnesota winter does not scare members of the alpine and
Nordic ski clubs.
 
The teams are training for their upcoming seasons and are ready to
ski through the winter months.
 
The alpine ski club will train in Minnesota until the end of fall
quarter and then travel to Steamboat, Colo., for a week of workouts.
Training resumes in Minnesota on Jan. 3 at Afton Alps Ski Area.
 
The alpine ski season begins Jan. 13 with races against St. Olaf,
Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Wisconsin-Madison and schools
in Michigan. The club will compete against the same eight teams every
weekend until the postseason.
 
``I like (the schedule) because you really get to know who you're
competing against,'' team member Shawn Furlong said.
 
New members are encouraged to join and no experience is necessary.
Experience levels range from beginners to junior-Olympic competitors.
The cost to join is $310 with a full Afton Alps season pass and $100
without the pass. To join call Furlong at 331-2854.
 
The Nordic (cross-country) ski club is also preparing for the
upcoming season.
 
Team members train individually until winter quarter and then begin
to ski as a club. Team member Grant Nelson said, ``Competition will
begin when the snow comes.''
 
The team competes against other teams from Minnesota and Wisconsin.
New members can always join the club for $50. For more information
call Nelson at 624-1456.
 
Notes: On Nov. 6, seven judo club members competed in the Henry
Okamura Benefit and Fun Tournament in Oaklawn, Ill.
 
The competition marked the first time in two years that the club
competed as a University of Minnesota team.
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
University of Minnesota        internet:[log in to unmask]
Office of the Registrar
(612) 625-8517                                    GO Gophers!!!