The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey program has announced the quartet that will captain the Bulldogs for the 2026-27 season.
Senior defenseman Ida Karlsson and junior forward Caitlin Kraemer will wear the "C" as the captains, while senior goaltender Eve Gascon and junior defenseman Kate Kosobud will each sport the "A" as alternate captains.
Karlsson is currently with Team Sweden for the Women's Euro Tour that will get underway in Kloten, Switzerland on August 19. The Swedish Olympian was a 2025-26 AHCA Krampade All-American Scholar, CSC Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team member and WCHA Scholar Athlete last season, and ade her Olympic debut in February, skating in all seven games for Sweden and adding an assist. The Avesta, Sweden native played in 30 games for the Bulldogs as a junior, logging three goals and five assists for eight points, and had both a game-winning goal and power play goal. Karlsson also went +5 and had had 38 blocks last season. -- a more than one a game average.
Kraemer just finished up duty with Canada's National Women's Development Team, bookending a busy summer for the Waterloo, Ontario product, who was also invited to the NHL's Edmonton Oilers Development Camp in early July. A 2025-26 All-WCHA Third Team selection and All-WCHA Academic Team member, Kraemer followed up her 2025 HCA Julie Chu Rookie of the Year (first Bulldog to earn the honor) and 2024-25 WCHA Rookie of the Year freshman campaign by leading the Bulldogs with 30 points in 36 games on 15 goals and a team-high 15 assists. Kraemer tied for a team-best four game-winning goal and posted seven multiple-point games.
Gascon also just wrapped up work on Canada's National Women's Development Team, and her effort was highlighted by a sparkling 0.84 save percentage and .979 save percentage in two games and an extra period of play. The native of Mascouche, Quebec is a two-time All-American, a two-time All-USCHO First Team selection, a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the Year and two-time All-WCHA First Team member. Gascon is also a two-time American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholar and two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete and a two-time 2024-25 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team. A six-time WCHA Goaltender of the Week last season, Gascon posted 10 shutouts, (the second most in a single season by a Bulldog goaltender) and second most in the NCAA in 2025-26. Gascon owned a 1.77 goals against average over all her 35 games started made 993 saves -- the third most in a single-season in program history and averaged 28.3 saves per game and owned a .942 saves percentage. Her .943 save percentage in WCHA games was also a league-high.
Kosobud was a 2025-26 WCHA Scholar Athlete and All-WCHA Academic Team selection, and was named the WCHA Defender of the Week on Feb. 9. The Moorhead, Minn. native blossomed as a Bulldog, skating in all 38 games and logging two goals and eight assists for 10 points. Kosobud had 40 blocks and was +4.
The Bulldogs will open up the 2026-27 season at AMSOIL Arena when they host Mercyhurst College on Sept. 25-26. Game times are set for 6:00 p.m. Friday and 3:00 p.m. Saturday.
