UMD Bulldogs "ALLETE" Moments: Competition
Throughout this year, UMD Athletics is partnering with Minnesota Power, ALLETE to highlight the Bulldogs accomplishments in the 3 C's: Classroom, Competition, Community. 


After becoming only the second University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey goalie to win in back-to-back debut starts, Sophia Villanueva has been named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Goaltender of the Week.

The native of El Paso, Texas made her starting debut with two wins -- one of only two goaltenders in the WCHA to get two wins on the weekend -- and also became just the second UMD goaltender in program history to win two games in their first two games started in a series (Amanda Tapp in 1999 was the other against Wisconsin). Villanueva backstopped UMD to crucial wins over No. 10 St. Cloud State University, filling in for Eve Gascon, who has been away at Canadian Olympic Camp. The freshman goaltender tied for the second most saves in the WCHA over the weekend (63), and helped UMD's penalty kill stay perfect on the weekend with a 4-for-4 kill.

This is the rookie's first-ever WCHA weekly award, and UMD's third weekly honor of the season.

The Bulldogs will have the next week off from outside competition before traveling to the University of St. Thomas the following week for more conference play.


About Minnesota Power, ALLETE:
Our bold vision centers on our commitment to climate, customers and communities. We're a clean-energy leader under our EnergyForward strategy, already delivering 50% renewable energy ahead of all other Minnesota utilities. Now we're doubling down on that with a vision to deliver 100% carbon-free energy to customers reliably and affordably by 2050. Learn more at: https://www.mnpower.com/CarbonFreeEnergyVision