Tag: Wisconsin women’s hockey

Two Wisconsin women’s hockey standouts selected in 2024 PWHL Draft

Two Wisconsin women’s hockey standouts selected in 2024 PWHL Draft

Former Wisconsin women’s hockey standouts Britta Curl and Anna Wilgren were selected in the 2024 Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft on Monday.

Founded in 2023, the PWHL encompasses six teams. Three (PWHL Boston, PWHL Minnesota and PHWL New York) are concentrated in the United States with the other three (PWHL Montreal, PWHL Ottawa and PWHL Toronto) in Canada.

The two join 16 other former Badgers in the PWHA. Natalie Buchbinder, Mellissa Channell and Sophia (Shaver) Kunin captured the league’s inaugural title with Minnesota last year.

Minnesota selected Curl with the ninth overall pick while Montreal snagged Wilgren in the draft’s fifth round.

Curl, a two-time captain for the Badgers, was a member of three NCAA title teams during her tenure in Madison. The Bismarck, North Dakota native left Wisconsin with a program-record 181 appearances and tallied 180 points for UW, the ninth-most in Badger program history.

The forward has also earned a gold and two silvers over the last three International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championships for the U.S. national team.

Wilgren, on the other hand, played in 40 contests for the Badgers last year as a mainstay in Wisconsin’s defense. The Hudson, Wisconsin native tied a career high with 24 points in 2023-24 and notched 14 goals and 52 assists during her collegiate career with UW and Minnesota State.

Wisconsin women’s hockey retains a pair of key contributors

Wisconsin women’s hockey retains a pair of key contributors

Wisconsin’s women’s hockey program announced the return of Casey O’Brien and Katie Kotlowski next season via social media on Wednesday.

Last season, O’Brien centered the Badgers’ front line as a First-Team All-American. The Milton, Massachusetts native was also a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, signifying the best female college ice hockey player in the nation.

O’Brien appeared in all 41 games for the Badgers during her senior season, registered a career-high 73 points on 23 goals, and became the first Badger in program history to notch 50 assists in a season.

The forward has played in 142 career games for Wisconsin and has been a part of two championship teams in 2021 and 2023. 

Kotlowski, meanwhile, has been a multi-year contributor on defense for Wisconsin. The La Crosse product is another two-time national champion with the program.

This will be Kotlowski’s sixth year in Madison. Over her celebrated tenure, she has nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points in 138 career games.

The news arrives fewer than seven days following the departure of former Wisconsin women’s hockey forward Maddi Wheeler to Ohio State via the transfer portal.

For head coach Mark Johnson and company, maintaining this pair is a huge boost for a program that has punched a ticket to the championship game in four of the last five seasons.

Former Wisconsin women’s hockey staple transfers to Big Ten rival

Former Wisconsin women’s hockey staple transfers to Big Ten rival

Former Wisconsin women’s hockey forward Maddi Wheeler committed to Ohio State via the transfer portal on Thursday. 

Entering her fifth year of collegiate eligibility, Wheeler elected to enter the transfer portal last week for a change of scenery. The Erinsville, Ontario native appeared in 137 contests during her four-year tenure in Madison. 

During her senior campaign, Wheeler notched 10 goals and 14 assists in 39 games played. In her four seasons with the Badgers, Wheeler was a key piece for both the 2021 and 2023 title teams.

Wheeler scored her first goal at Ohio State on Nov. 28, 2020 and recorded four total points in 20 games during her freshman campaign. Over the next three seasons, she registered a combined 78 points and 31 goals in 117 games for UW. 

Wheeler was the third Badger to enter the transfer portal alongside goaltender Jane Gervais and defender Sophie Helgeson, both of whom entered the portal in March following UW’s final contest. Wheeler is the only former Badger to publicly share her decision for 2024-25.