University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey coach Maura Crowell announced her first recruiting class Thursday, comprised of six soon-to-be Bulldog freshmen. The six include defenseman Shelby Brossart (Grand Forks, N.D.), defensemen Valerie Drouin (Quebec City, Quebec), forward Reagan Haley (Red Wing, Minn.), forward Morgan Morse (Lakeville, Minn.), goaltender Maddie Rooney (Andover, Minn.), and forward Emma Yanko (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan).
"I am happy to welcome six student-athletes to the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey program, three of whom are from the state of Minnesota," said Crowell about her debut recruiting class. "They are excited to wear the maroon and gold, and are passionate about UMD. These young women will be great additions to the team, University, and Duluth community."
A 2014 graduate of Achiever Academy -- now known as Bauer-Emerson Prep Academy -- in North St. Paul, Brossart moved to Minnesota her senior year after three seasons of prep hockey in her native Grand Forks, N.D. An All-State honoree as a sophomore and junior for the Knight Riders, Brossart spent the 2014-15 campaign playing Tier 1 hockey for the Minnesota Revolution at Bauer-Emerson.
Drouin comes to UMD following three seasons of blueline work with the Limoilou Titans in her native Quebec, where they won the RSEQ league championship in her first two seasons with the squad. She was named to the second All-Star league team and to the All-Star game her past two seasons with the Titans. Also a member of the Canadian Under-18 team, the 5-foot-6-inch All-Star defender honed her puck skills as an invitee to the Canadian National Team's training camp this past May. She was also a member of the U-18 Quebec Team in 2012 that went to the Canadian Championship.
Haley is fresh off a senior campaign that landed her as a Ms. Hockey Minnesota semi-finalist after finishing second in the state for points (97) and assists (50), and fourth in goals (47) in 30 games. A captain forward for Red Wing, she earned All-State honors for a third-consecutive year, as well as an All-Conference nod and an All-State Academic Award. Haley has led Red Wing to five-straight state hockey appearances, is a two-time third place finisher and owns two MSHSL records -- most assists in a state tournament period (three) and most assists in a state tournament game (five), both set in 2012. As a junior she compiled 83 points on 24 goals and 59 assists in just 30 games, and as a sophomore rolled up 33 goals to go with 59 assists for 92 points in 30 games. Overall, Haley has been on her varsity team since 2009-10 as a seventh grader, and in 177 games as a prep player, registered 133 goals and a whopping 258 assists for 391 points.
Morse capped off a rewarding five-year playing career at Lakeville South High School this past spring and exited the Cougar program as its all-time leading goal producer (81). She was a four-time All-South Suburban Conference selection during her high school career, and participated in the USA Hockey Girls' U18 National Camp each of the past three years. Morse captained the Cougars to a Minnesota State High School League Class AA Tournament appearance this past season and paced that event in scoring en route to landing a spot on the All-Tournament Team. In addition to her goal-scoring numbers, she added 87 assists for a 168-point career total in 141 games.
After playing the past two seasons with the Huskies girls' team, Rooney joined the boys' team with the goal of accelerating her college development. Last season, she was named to All-Conference Honorable Mention backstopping the boys squad. The year before that, she led the girls program to its first-ever Class 2A state tournament appearance, where she made the All-Tournament Team. As a junior, she received All-Conference and All-State Honorable mention accolades, and as a sophomore, garnered Second-Team All-Metro status prior to Third-Team All-Metro her junior season.
A three-time U.S. national camp attendee, she played on the U-18 USA series against Canada in 2013. Rooney, a member of the 2013-14 US National Team, was one of the only US goalies to lead the U-18 US National Team to a one and only victory over Canada in the August Canada/US Series of that year. Last year she was also invited to USA's Top-6 Goaltending camp, where she had an opportunity to highlight her skills against the US U-17 Boy's National Development players.
Yanko spent the 2014-15 season skating for the Notre Dame Hounds of the JWHL, notching 13 points in 28 games and helping the Hounds grab a second place finish in the JWHL. As a junior, she played for the Okanagan Hockey Academy (also of the JWHL), recording 10 points in 28 games, and prior to that, suited up for the Midget AAA Saskatoon Stars in the SFMAAAHL as a sophomore with 10 points in 24 games. She also represented Team Saskatchwan in both her junior and senior years, skating at nationals in Calgary in 11th grade, and at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George in 12th grade. She was a 2015 graduate of Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in June.
Crowell and the Bulldogs will kick-off the season on Sept. 26 against in Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.
