Minnesota Women's Hockey 2025-26

[eastcoastgopher]

Gotta say, that one stings but the tunneler braintrust have done such a good job with the rest of the recruits they have gotten commitments from that it almost seemed like something like this would happen. Getting recent commitments from Talla Hansen and Adrianna Milani probably influenced this decision.

Kinda surprised she didn't go the way of the muzzinator.

According to one of the Badger writers on social media her top 3 were MN, WI, PSU.

 

[Timothy A]

According to one of the Badger writers on social media her top 3 were MN, WI, PSU.

OMG, this is SO juicy! Biggest player related thing since Watts dumped BC for UW. It's gonna kill her parents to show up at UW games with the cardinal and white! And she has 2 younger sisters, it could be a BADger pipeline of awesomeness that will last like 8 years! I haven't stopped smiling since I read the news last night.

Didn't even sniff THSNBN, but who can blame her for not wanting to train like a special forces sniper and play in that dump. Were Krissy and Muzzy teammates?

 

[eastcoastgopher]

Muzerall and Wendell were never teammates. Wendell was teammates and classmates with Natalie Darwitz.

 

[Timothy A]

Muzerall and Wendell were never teammates. Wendell was teammates and classmates with Natalie Darwitz.

Bummer, that takes a little juice out of the story.

 

[ARM]

Emily Pohl announced her commitment to the Badgers.

In the context of life in the USA, I suppose this qualifies as a very minor disappointment, especially given that it has been difficult to care for a while now. However, it does serve as another reality check on where this program is (and isn't).

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

In the context of life in the USA, I suppose this qualifies as a very minor disappointment, especially given that it has been difficult to care for a while now.

ARM, nice to hear this from you. Indeed, we are all straddling that line. Who cares? But, boy, do we need the distraction, healthy or not!

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

In the context of life in the USA, I suppose this qualifies as a very minor disappointment, especially given that it has been difficult to care for a while now. However, it does serve as another reality check on where this program is (and isn't).

If Emily Pohl was the center piece of the tunneler's recruiting strategy then this would be a major disappointment. Looking at the 5 commitments the tunnelers have gotten for 27 then it is really not that big of a disappointment. They have done a really good job of recruiting for 2027 and, in fact, have recruited well lately. Really solid class that came in this year and are freshmen and the 2026 class is very good as well.

Yes there is apathy but the recruiting is starting to chip away at that.

 

[Windchill22]

I'm excited for what Minnesota appears to be putting togther with a complete team this year and in coming years. As much as I like to see the Badgers win every game, I'd rather see better parity in the women's game. Ideally for me - Wisconsin wins every tightly contested game, eeking out a win at the last minute everytime- but realistically they'll lose some of the close ones too... so I'm coming to grips with that and I think that's better. I think the more elite teams we can get the better for the whole of Women's Hockey. That's coming - slowly I suppose - but with more exposure, more skilled players, more girls in HS programs we'll get there. I think it's exemplified by Minnesota feeling good about their recruiting class despite not getting one particluar player.

In summary - Go Women's Hockey!

 

[eastcoastgopher]

If Emily Pohl was the center piece of the tunneler's recruiting strategy then this would be a major disappointment. Looking at the 5 commitments the tunnelers have gotten for 27 then it is really not that big of a disappointment. They have done a really good job of recruiting for 2027 and, in fact, have recruited well lately. Really solid class that came in this year and are freshmen and the 2026 class is very good as well.

Yes there is apathy but the recruiting is starting to chip away at that.

Yeah I have been saying "Frost isn't the guy anymore" for a couple years now but if the thing that does him in is not landing Emily Pohl in a class where they're bringing in Lovell/Milani/Mossey, when you still have two more years of Primerano and three of Fanale after this one—that isn't what I'm comfortable with being the last straw, I'll say that much.

But none of the Gophers I listed are from in-state, and that is important to the fans who aren't me, so I'm not putting any option off the table when it comes to likelihood.

 

[ARM]

Nothing anyone else has said is incorrect. Maybe if you add up star levels for recruits, if such a thing exists for women's hockey, this is one of Frost's best classes; I certainly wouldn't know.

A few years ago, Marney Gellnar hosted a 30-minute program on FSN with Hannah Brandt, Lee Stecklein, Dani Cameranesi, and Kelly Pannek as guests, talking in large part about winning Olympic gold. One of the segments focused on their recruitment. Dani talked about how her dad had gone to UW and was a huge Badger supporter, her brother had committed to UMD, but she ultimately picked UM. Pannek followed the next year. Before that, Brandt and Stecklein had come to the U in a class with Milica McMillen at a time when UW and UMD were above them most of the time, and Frost had never won a tourney; he had won a couple of seasons titles, so they were at least slightly more competitive. Brandt said she considered the Badgers because she liked winning (she was the only one of the four who didn't win a state title), but she said once she got the Minnesota offer, her parents made her wait a day, but she was always going to come here. Stecklein said she didn't think she waited even an hour.

Local players were once excited to come here, even when the Gophers weren't all that. There doesn't seem to be the same level (or anything close to it) of excitement now, and I don't know how it returns.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

The landscape for recruiting has changed. It is not just a "get the best of Minnesota girls high School hockey" strategy anymore. Way more is attention is needed in other areas to find the best talent. The tunneler's manglement was slow to make this change and were past up by their main rivals. That is on the head guy for letting that happen. They also were slow to react to the portal as well. That is also on the head guy. In fairness, both of those situations have shown some improvement so I think he still has chance to turn this thing around.

The excitement will return if better results happen against the top teams in the WCHA.

 

[bobthomasiselite]

Emily Pohl announced her commitment to the Badgers.

HOW on earth do you not get her? top 5 player in the state in addition to both her parents being some of the greatest gophers ever... lol

 

[robertearle]

HOW on earth do you not get her? top 5 player in the state in addition to both her parents being some of the greatest gophers ever... lol

It could be as simple as she didn't want to have to 'compete' with her mother's career at Minn, Or even more simply, she grew up in/around the Cities, and wanted to experience a slice of life 'somewhere else'. Think of the Kessels growing up in Madison but going to school at Minnesota.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

It could be as simple as she didn't want to have to 'compete' with her mother's career at Minn, Or even more simply, she grew up in/around the Cities, and wanted to experience a slice of life 'somewhere else'. Think of the Kessels growing up in Madison but going to school at Minnesota.

That is a good example...

 

[eastcoastgopher]

It could be as simple as she didn't want to have to 'compete' with her mother's career at Minn, Or even more simply, she grew up in/around the Cities, and wanted to experience a slice of life 'somewhere else'. Think of the Kessels growing up in Madison but going to school at Minnesota.

Or it could be as simple as wanting to play for the school that's beaten the other one 10 times in a row.