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. 
 

The accolades for Ève Gascon have already started rolling in -- and the junior goaltender hasn't even skated in a game yet.


The University of Minnesota Duluth goaltender was named to the Preseason All-Western Collegiate Hockey Team Monday, a team selected by the league's head coaches. Gascon, who spent the end of August at the Canada's National Teams Orientation Camp, was also named to the 2024 Preseason All-WCHA Team.


A junior goaltender from Mascouche, Quebec, Gascon was named to her first Canadian National Team World Championship roster this past April. Named to the 2024-25 All-USCHO First Team, Gascon was also named a First Team 2024-25 CCM/AHCA Women's Division I All-American. Gascon's outstanding sophomore UMD season also earned her Western Collegiate Hockey Association Goaltender of the Year honors, and she was a finalist for the HCA National Women's Goalie of the Year. Gascon averaged 29.8 saves a game this season and 12 times made 32 or more saves in a game, and six games of 40 or more stops. Twice the WCHA's Goaltender of Month (December and September), December's HCA Goaltender of the Month, and a three-time WCHA Goaltender of the Week, Gascon finished the season with a .942 saves percentage -- a tie for the seventh highest in a single-season at UMD, and her 896 saves ranks as the 7th most saves in a single season in program history -- just one stop from the sixth slot. 


In just two seasons as a Bulldog, Gascon already owns spots on career lists with the highest saves percentage (.944), seventh most saves (1,513), fifth-best goals against (1.75) and is in a tie for the sixth most shutouts (11). Gascon also became sixth goaltender in Bulldogs history to now have two or more career NCAA wins after her NCAA First Round effort on March 13.


Sophomore forward Caitlin Kraemer, who joined Gascon Canada's National Teams Orientation Camp as two of just three college players invited to the camp, also received votes from league coaches for the team.


The league coaches also tabbed the Bulldogs to finish fourth in WCHA this season, one of four teams that qualified for both the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and reached an NCAA Regional Final game. Defending national champions, the University of Wisconsin, finished with a league-high 49 points in the coaches voting, while the University of Minnesota and Ohio State University both were awarded 40. UMD had 31 -- the next closest point total, in fifth, was St. Cloud State University, with 24.


The Bulldogs kick off the 2025-26 season on Sept. 19 at Mercyhurst University. The puck will drop at 5:00 p.m. CDT.


2025-26 WCHA Coaches Poll
Pl.    Team (1st-Place Votes)     Points  
1.       Wisconsin (7)                     49 
T2.     Minnesota (1)                    40
T2.     Ohio State                         40
4.       Minnesota Duluth                  31
5.       St. Cloud State                        24
6.       St. Thomas                                17                                                                                                 
7.        Minnesota State                     16
8.        Bemidji State                            7
*First-place votes are in parentheses (Coaches could not vote for their own team)

WCHA Preseason Player of the Year: Caroline Harvey, Sr., D, Wisconsin 
Others receiving votes: Abbey Murphy, Minnesota

WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year: Adéla Šapovalivová, F, Wisconsin 
Others receiving votes: Bella Fanale, F, Minnesota; Layla Hemp, G, Minnesota; Jenna Raunio, D, Ohio State; Hilda Svensson, F, Ohio State. 

Preseason All-WCHA Team
F: Abbey Murphy, R-Sr., Minnesota
F: Kirsten Simms, Sr., Wisconsin
F: Joy Dunne, Jr., Ohio State
D: Emma Peschel, Sr., Ohio State
D: Caroline Harvey, Sr., Wisconsin
G: Ève Gascon, Jr., Minnesota Duluth
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically by position): 
Forwards: Morgan Smith, So., Bemidji State; Laila Edwards, Sr., Wisconsin; Caitlin Kraemer, So., Minnesota Duluth; Hilda Svensson, Fr., Ohio State. 
Defenders: Nelli Laitinen, Sr., Minnesota; Sydney Morrow, Sr., Minnesota; Chloe Primerano, So., Minnesota; Mira Jungåker, So., Ohio State. 
Goaltender: Ava McNaughton, Jr., Wisconsin



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