Two current University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey players -- Gabbie Hughes and Anna Klein -- were officially two of 46 players that landed invites to the upcoming U.S. Women's National Team Evaluation Camp that will be held from March 24-30 in Blain, Minn., announced by USA Hockey Thursday.  The pair, who both currently lead the No. 5 Bulldogs with 21 points, will join former UMD alums Sydney Brodt and Maddie Rooney in what will be one of the biggest UMD contingents at a U.S. evaluation camp in program history.


The camp is part of the process in selecting the U.S. Women's National Team that will compete in the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation  Women's World Championship May 6-16, in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia.  Brodt and Rooney earned World Championship gold with the U.S. National Team in April of 2019, while Rooney also picked up a IIHF gold medal in 2017 with the U.S.


Klein and Hughes have led the Bulldogs in scoring over the regular season -- Klein led UMD for almost the entire year with a team-high 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points -- a 1.24 points per game mark that ranks third in the WCHA along with Hughes.  The Edina, Minn. native also ranks third in the league with 11 goals, and her two shorthanded goals reigns the highest.  Both Klein and Hughes rank fifth in the NCAA with a 1.24 points per game average.


Hughes, who compiled points in seven of her last eight games, registered a blistering nine goals and four assists for 13 points over that span for a 1.62 points per game average, and a 1.12 goals per game statline.  Over that period, the Lino Lakes, Minn. product ranks second in the NCAA, and first in the WCHA in points per game (1.62). Hughes has averaged 1.00 points per game through seven skates so far this season against teams ranked in the top-3.


The four current and former Bulldogs will also be joined by UMD Director of Women's Hockey Operations Nick Bryant, who will serve as just that, Hockey Operations and Team Leader on the camp staff.  Bryant also served in the same capacity at the October U.S. Hockey camp and was named to the 2020 U.S. Hockey staff for the IIHF World Championship that was eventually canceled due to COVID-19.


UMD will take on No. 4 Colgate University this upcoming Monday at the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Penn. in the NCAA Quarterfinals.  Game-time is set for 6:00 p.m.