Emma Stauber and Brigette Lacquette are both currently senior defensemen for the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team.  Together, they are in charge of a healthy crop of young Bulldog defensemen.  They are both emersed and aware of UMD's healthy tradition of success, and the pair wants to end their careers adding a sixth NCAA banner to the rafters of AMSOIL Arena.  But while Stauber and Lacquette are similar in the Bulldog locker room, the two defensemen had vastly different roads to the campus of UMD.  In a program worldly renown for it's diversity, they are the norm for the Bulldogs, not the exception.

Stauber hails from Duluth, Minn., and is the first local player to have ever earned the heralded "C" on her jersey.  Her family hockey roots run deep in a town that is synonymous with hockey, and her first dream was to play goalie like her Uncle Robb (1988 Hobey Baker winner Robb Stauber).  A product of the Piedmont Panthers, Stauber started playing hockey when she was just four years old.

 The 5-7 blueliner was an offensive-minded defenseman for the Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall Mirage in high school, where Stauber racked up a team-high 32 points her senior campaign, one season after leading the Mirage to a state tournament berth as a junior. 

"It wasn't a hard decision to make to play for my hometown team," said Stauber.  I think most people, given the opportunity would do the same, especially if it is for such a successful program like UMD."

The Duluth Marshall graduate has played in 124 consecutive games for the Bulldogs over the past three and a half seasons and is the picture of consistency.  If UMD makes the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs, a healthy Stauber could make a run at the top-10 list for career games played.  She currently needs 18 games to record a tie for the tenth spot (142 games).

While Stauber hasn't missed a game for the Bulldogs in over three years, Lacquette had the honor of centralizing with the Canadian Olympic Team for five months last fall.  A late call up by Team Canada in the spring of 2013, Lacquette took what amounted to over a year's absence from the UMD program.

The Brandon, Manitoba native returned this fall more mature and heavily influenced by 

some of her Olympic training partners.  But the high-octane blueliner has been influenced by no one more than her family.

Lacquette's road to UMD is one that has never been traveled by any present or current Bulldog player.  She is the first Ojibway/Anishnabe in UMD hockey history and is from a reserve in Saskatchewan called the Cote First Nation.  Her ethic backgroud makes her not only unique to Bulldog hockey, but also to Team Canada as well.  Although there is no official record, Lacquette appears to be the first player in the Team Canada system who is connected to any tribe, let alone the Cote First Nation.

While Lacquette's numbers on the ice are themselves historical — she is the 10th all-time scoring defenseman at UMD with 54 points, and her 16 goals rank her 8th among Bulldog blueliners, while her 38 assists rank her 10th — she embodies something so much bigger to the community she represents.

When asked about Lacquette, UMD American Indian Learning Resource Center Director Rick Smith spoke nothing but praise about the Bulldog defenseman.

"Bridgette comes from a strong Christian background and is from a severely impoverished community with a lot of disparities," said Smith.  "In many ways, Bridgette is a role model in her community. She is, as far as I know, the only Division 1 Women's Hockey player who is also American Indian (aka "Aboriginal" in Canada). Hockey is Bridgette's life, it means everything to her along with her faith and her decision to commit to higher education."

While they grew up thousands of miles apart, both Stauber and Lacquette had something very much in common — the total support of their parents.  Both Stauber and Lacquette acknowledge the positive influence their father's had on their hockey careers.  Lacquette was driven 50 miles to practice twice a week, which was where the nearest minor hockey association was.  They both also acknowledge father's who spent countless hours on the ice with them, helping the two future Bulldog defenseman to become the players they are today.

Currently Stauber and Lacquette are in the midst of helping UMD climb up the current national rankings by guiding the Bulldogs to 10 wins in their last 11 games.  Their value to the heart of the UMD program is echoed by head coach Shannon Miller.

"Rarely does a player come along that has a true natural gift for play such as Brigette," said Miller.  "Her instincts, abilities and fluid play make her a key player in all aspects of the game.  She is a leader and a role model for many reasons and accepts this responsibility with pride."

Miller's words are no less glowing when speaking of Stauber.

"It's an incredible opportunity to be able to have our team captain be a local Duluth athlete, " said Miller.  Emma has had to work very hard to become the skilled and experienced players she is today.  Through this invaluable journey, she has become strong, resilient, flexible and inspirational.  Emma's play and leadership is a huge part of our success this year."

Yes, Lacquette and Stauber traveled two completely different roads to the ice of AMSOIL Arena.  They, like the rest of the current and former Bulldogs who have spent time in the UMD program have only known the diversity that abounds in the Bulldog locker room.  And they, like all of the UMD alumni of the past, wouldn't have it any other way.  After all, it takes a very special player to wear the Bulldog — Stauber and Lacquette are just part of the proof.