The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey program has become synonymous with the Winter Olympics, and the current crop of Bulldogs are only strengthing that world-class bond.

Senior captain Saara Tuominen and freshman blueliner Mariia Posa were named to Team Finland's 2010 Olympic roster yesterday, joining Bulldog alum Heidi Pelttari to give Finland a strong UMD presence in Vancouver.  While Tuominen was a 2006 Olympian with Finland, Posa will be making her first appearance in the Olympic games after improving her stock from a alternate on Team Finland at the 2009 IIHF World Championship last spring.

Of course, the Bulldogs, who are already without five currently rostered players due to Olympic commitments this season, will lose Tuominen and Posa for eight games, beginning with UMD's series against North Dakota in Grand Forks on Jan. 30-31.  The two won't return until the Bulldogs' regular season has been wrapped up, but will be back for the first round of the WCHA playoffs.

Along with the seven current Bulldog players who will hit the ice in Vancouver, UMD has a total of 15 former players and coaches who will represent their respective Olympic teams, a number that no NCAA program in the country can compete with.

In the meantime, Tuominen and newly minted Olympian Posa will hit the ice this weekend with their No. 7 Bulldogs as UMD hosts No. 7 Wisconsin at the DECC Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday's puck is set to drop at 7:07 p.m., while Sunday's skate is slated for 4:07 p.m.