robertearle
Well-known member
(The title comes from something Coach Muzerall said in the press conference after this past year's national championship game. She was asked about her 2025-26 freshmen class and the impact they had had, and how she felt about the team's future. Instead of giving the standard answer of "Well, first, I want to say how much we'll miss our graduating seniors, yadda yadda ... but we have a great core of players coming back yadda yadda ... and I'm excited about our incoming class of freshmen yadda yadda yadda", Muzzy had to go the other way. Her answer, in its entirety, was "I think the future ARE the Buckeyes ... you can write that down." And you really need to see the smirk on her face as she says it. Well, coach, consider it as having been written down.)
Ohio State loses five players to graduation, and a sixth to the transfer portal, but returns a great majority of their scoring, and pick up some needed blue-line help from the portal.
Gone are defenders Emma Peschel, Sara Swiderski, Brooke Disher, forward Sloane Matthews, goalie Hailey MacLeod, and to the portal defender Grace McCoshen.
Returning for their senior year (though maybe not their final year) are forwards Joy Dunne, Jocelyn Amos, Jordan Baxter, and Kaia Malachino.
Returning juniors are forward Jordyn Petrie and defenders Mira Jungaker and Maria Roth, and goalie Genny Klein.
The impactful freshmen class coming back for their sophomore year are forwards Hilda Svensson, Sanni Vanhanen, Kassidy Carmichael, Maxine Cimoroni, Macy Rasmussen, defenders Jenna Raunio and Leah Wicks, and goalie Taylor Kressin.
And the incoming freshmen are forwards Ema Tothova, Hayley McDonald, Alida Korte and Katie Spyhalski, defender Kate Viele, and goalie Rowan Houweling
And from the portal are forward Rylee Bartz and defender Eliah Hause, both from St Thomas, and defender Sydney Sawyer from Colgate.
After a couple years when Muzerall went into the season with too few forwards to fill four full lines - and during the Olympic month, barely enough for three lines - this year Ohio State will have 15 forwards on the roster, along with 7 defenders, and 3 goalies.
OSU returns a great majority of their goal-scoring (rather similar to what Wisconsin did this past year), but it's on the back end this year where the Buckeyes are a bit lacking in depth and experience. Beyond Jungaker and Raunio, the rest are either new to Ohio State or played sparingly last year. And while goalie Taylor Kressin put up some impressive numbers - 6-0 won-lose record, .920 save percentage and 1.33 GAA - the six games were against St Thomas (3x), Mankato (2x) and Bemidji; no appearances against Wisconsin or Minnesota or Duluth. (I know nothing about the freshman goalie and whether she will vie for playing time, etc.)
Still, while it might be a 'split decision', I expect Ohio State might be the pre-season favorite for the WCHA championship. It should be interesting to see what "The Future" holds in store.
(Apologies for any typos or mis-spellings, etc. Corrections are always welcomed.)
Ohio State loses five players to graduation, and a sixth to the transfer portal, but returns a great majority of their scoring, and pick up some needed blue-line help from the portal.
Gone are defenders Emma Peschel, Sara Swiderski, Brooke Disher, forward Sloane Matthews, goalie Hailey MacLeod, and to the portal defender Grace McCoshen.
Returning for their senior year (though maybe not their final year) are forwards Joy Dunne, Jocelyn Amos, Jordan Baxter, and Kaia Malachino.
Returning juniors are forward Jordyn Petrie and defenders Mira Jungaker and Maria Roth, and goalie Genny Klein.
The impactful freshmen class coming back for their sophomore year are forwards Hilda Svensson, Sanni Vanhanen, Kassidy Carmichael, Maxine Cimoroni, Macy Rasmussen, defenders Jenna Raunio and Leah Wicks, and goalie Taylor Kressin.
And the incoming freshmen are forwards Ema Tothova, Hayley McDonald, Alida Korte and Katie Spyhalski, defender Kate Viele, and goalie Rowan Houweling
And from the portal are forward Rylee Bartz and defender Eliah Hause, both from St Thomas, and defender Sydney Sawyer from Colgate.
After a couple years when Muzerall went into the season with too few forwards to fill four full lines - and during the Olympic month, barely enough for three lines - this year Ohio State will have 15 forwards on the roster, along with 7 defenders, and 3 goalies.
OSU returns a great majority of their goal-scoring (rather similar to what Wisconsin did this past year), but it's on the back end this year where the Buckeyes are a bit lacking in depth and experience. Beyond Jungaker and Raunio, the rest are either new to Ohio State or played sparingly last year. And while goalie Taylor Kressin put up some impressive numbers - 6-0 won-lose record, .920 save percentage and 1.33 GAA - the six games were against St Thomas (3x), Mankato (2x) and Bemidji; no appearances against Wisconsin or Minnesota or Duluth. (I know nothing about the freshman goalie and whether she will vie for playing time, etc.)
Still, while it might be a 'split decision', I expect Ohio State might be the pre-season favorite for the WCHA championship. It should be interesting to see what "The Future" holds in store.
(Apologies for any typos or mis-spellings, etc. Corrections are always welcomed.)