PPC Board of Directors Meeting – Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m.
We provide another reminder that the next Power Play Club Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held online via Zoom and is open to all club members who were enrolled for the 2024-2025 season; please contact PPC president Bill Johnson (billjohnson013@gmail.com) or vice president Dave Malerich (dmalerich@yahoo.com) if you wish to attend.
Gopher Women's Hockey 2025-2026 schedule released!!
The Gopher Women's Hockey team announced its 2025-2026 season schedule on Wednesday, beginning the countdown to puck drop on Thursday, September 25 when they host the Boston College Eagles. The full schedule can be found here.
In addition to the opening series against B.C. and the standard 28 games in WCHA conference play, Minnesota will head out to the East Coast for two more non-conference matchups: at Boston University on October 3 & 4, and at Sacred Heard on January 2 & 3. We also note that the series at home against Ohio State is on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 & 19, and the six combined series against St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, and St. Thomas are all home-and-home weekends.
Additionally, it has also been announced that the Friday, November 14 contest against Bemidji State will be another Field Trip Day game with a 12 noon start time. Registrations for elementary and middle school groups to attend this game for free will begin in August.
Power Play Club event schedule for 2025-2026
With the team's schedule release, we announce our 2025-2026 Power Play Club event calendar as set by the Board of Directors (though subject to change):
Reception with the team & new player introduction – Friday, September 26 in the Ridder Arena main lobby following the game with Boston College
Chalk Talk – Saturday, November 15 at 12:30 p.m. (prior to GWH vs. Bemidji State)
Chalk Talk – Saturday, January 10 at 12:30 p.m. (prior to GWH vs. Minnesota State)
Chalk Talk – Saturday, February 21 at 12:30 p.m. (prior to GWH vs. MN Duluth)
Chalk Talks will be held in the Ridder Arena Weight Room, upstairs across the hall from the suites and press area.
Our Locker Sponsor Gathering is scheduled for the morning of January 10 before the game against the Mavericks (and also preceding the Chalk Talk); details will be shared later. The date of our annual Brunch with the Coaches is still to be determined as we verify the availability of the visiting coach; note that this is an extra-fee event.
Morrow, Wethington named Academic All-District honorees
Gopher defender Sydney Morrow and forward Audrey Wethington were two of twelve U. of M. student-athletes earning spots on the 2024-2025 Academic All-District Men's and Women's At-Large Teams, as announced by the College Sports Communicators on Tuesday.
As noted in the press release from the university, nominees must have met the following criteria to be considered for a CSC Academic All-District Team:
Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and must be enrolled at their institution at the time of nomination either as undergraduates or graduate students.
Student-athletes who have graduated from their own institution during the current academic year and are not competing in athletics at another institution at the time of nomination are eligible.
An undergraduate student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), while a graduate student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as both an undergraduate and a grad student unless they are in their first semester as a graduate student and don't have an established graduate GPA.
Each nominee must have also competed in a certain number of games/matches/tournaments this year, depending on the sport.
As All-District honorees, Morrow, Wethington, and the others are now eligible for selection to CSC Academic All-America teams. First-, second- and third-team CSC Academic All-America honorees will be announced on July 8 for the women and July 9 for the men.
Congratulations, Sydney and Audrey!!
GWH alumna Courtney Kennedy, current coach Greg May named to U.S. U18 Women's National Team coaching staff
Catching up on news from earlier this month, we send congratulations and best wishes to two more members of the Gopher Women's Hockey family.
USA Hockey named Gopher alumna Courtney Kennedy head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team, and named current GWH associate head coach Greg “Boom” May as one of Kennedy's assistants.
After playing for the Gophers from 1998 to 2001, Kennedy spent 17 seasons on the coaching staff at Boston College, including 12 years as associate head coach, and most recently served as the skills coach of the PWHL’s Boston Fleet. She has also served as assistant coach for the 2021 U.S. Women’s National Team, the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, and four U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Teams (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018).
May will be making his debut coaching in international competition.
“March On to Victory” campaign concludes next Tuesday (6/24); Gopher Loyalty Program giving deadline on June 30
We again thank everyone who has contributed to the March On to Victory Spring fundraising campaign from the U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department, supporting each of the 19 Gopher varsity athletics teams, the Spirit Squads, and the department-wide Golden Gopher Fund. We especially show appreciation to those who contributed to the Gopher Women's Hockey program as part of this campaign. We also provide a reminder that the campaign concludes this coming Tuesday, June 24.
Links:
On a separate but highly-related note, Monday, June 30 is the giving deadline for donations to count toward the Gopher Loyalty Program's member levels and their associated rewards for the 2025-2026 season. As we previously shared, rewards include Ridder Arena Club Room access at the $1,000 combined giving level. “March On to Victory” campaign donations and previous gifts made since Nov. 1, 2024 – such as 2024-2025 Power Play Club basic membership & locker sponsorships, Give to the Max Day 2024 giving, and '24-'25 Goals for a Goal contributions – all qualify toward rewards.
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