Nation’s Top Women Hockey Players Invited to Winter Camp
USA Hockey has invited 40 of the nation’s top women hockey players to its winter training camp Dec. 27-31 in Blaine, Minnesota.
The roster includes 16 members of the USA 2014 Olympic team, including Hilary Knight, Kacey Bellamy, Alex Carpenter, Meghan Duggan, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, Monique Lamoureux, Molly Shaus, Jessie Vetter and Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle.
A number of women hailing from Massachusetts (six) and Minnesota (six) made the roster. While more than half are still in college (25), a handful of others are playing professionally with the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.
USA Hockey invited six goaltenders to camp; in addition to Shaus, Vetter, and McLaughlin-Bittle, Alex Rigby, Chelsea Laden, and Nicole Hensley will attend camp. Rigby made her first USA Hockey tournament appearance recently in the Four Nations Cup. Hensley currently plays for Lindenwood University (CHA) and Laden plays for Quinnipiac (ECACH). Seven of the women are not currently playing in college or professionally.
Ken Klee, who coached the USA National Team recently at the Four Nations tournament, will serve as coach at the camp. He will be assisted by Bob Deraney (Head Coach of the women’s team at Providence College) and Brett Strot.
USA Hockey holds camps periodically throughout the year for training purposes and to monitor the progression of its players in the active player pool. The winter camp will include on-ice testing, on-ice practicing and scrimmages. The team’s strength and conditioning coaches will also be in attendance, as well as team doctors, athletic trainers, scouts and video coordinators.
All practices and scrimmages are open to the public and take place at Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine, Minn.
