Two University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey players have been named to the United States National Women's Team roster, USA Hockey announced Feb. 4. Jenny Potter (Eagan, Minn.) makes her fourth appearance on the team while Julianne Vasichek (Great Falls, Mont.) was inked to the roster for the first time. The pair of Bulldogs will join Team USA in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championships in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia March 30 through April 2, 2004.

This year's roster includes 11 Olympians, including Potter, and 16 of the 20 players who garnered a gold medal at the 2003 Four Nations Cup in Skvode, Sweden Nov. 4-9. Ten athletes off the 20-player roster are currently competing for NCAA Division I women's programs while two players are playing for the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) in Canada.

“Based on performances at the Four Nations Cup and the Colorado Springs camp in December, I feel that we’ve been able to assess our player pool and put our best team on the ice for the upcoming World Championship,” said National Team Head Coach Ben Smith. “Because the tournament is being played in Canada it will make for exciting crowds and we will have a team worthy of that excitement.”

Potter is a seasoned veteran of the National Team winning a hand full of medals including a gold medal from the 1998 Winter Olympics before she came to play for the Bulldogs.

In her senior season, she leads the Bulldogs in goals (21) and ranks second in assists (21) and points (42). She currently holds the record for career assists (130) and is just nine points from the all-time scoring record at UMD with 223 career points.

Vasichek has taken a very different path to Team USA. Coming to UMD from Montana, she had never garnered the attention of the U.S. National Team scouts. Being a part of two NCAA Championship teams with the Bulldogs, and being teammates with numerous players who have represented their countries in events like the World Championships and the Olympics, she has made it her personal goal to turn the heads of Team USA. She has attended numerus National Team Camps and has worked on all facets of her game and the team has finally taken notice. The junior was named to the roster of Team USA for the 2003 Four Nations Cup where she contributed two assists as the U.S. won the gold medal. Now she will compete for the United State In the World Championships and she could not be more excited.

This season Vasicheck is tied for the lead in goals by a defender with three while she ranks second among blue line players with nine points.



2004 IIHF Women’s World Championship

March 30 -- April 6, 2004 • Halifax & Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Team USA Schedule

Date Time          Matchup             Location

Tues., March 30  4:00 p.m. EST  Switzerland vs. USA  Halifax

Thurs., April 1  4:00 p.m. EST  USA vs. Russia      Halifax

Sat., April 3   TBD            Qualification Round  TBD

Mon., April 5   TBD           Qualification Round  TBD

Tues., April 6  4:00 p.m. EDT  Bronze-Medal Game    Halifax

Tues., April 6  8:00 p.m. EDT  Gold-Medal Game      Halifax