Maine Black Bears women's ice hockey

Maine Black Bears women's ice hockey
Current season
Maine Black Bears athletic logo
UniversityUniversity of Maine
ConferenceHockey East
Head coachMolly Engstrom
1st season
ArenaHarold Alfond Sports Arena
Orono, Maine
Student sectionThe Maine~iaks
ColorsMaine blue, white, and navy[1]
     

The Maine Black Bears women’s ice hockey team represents the University of Maine. The team plays their home games in Alfond Arena. The team's first year of play was in 1997–98. The Black Bears finished 6th in the 2019–2020 season, advancing to the semi-finals of the Hockey East tournament, before losing to the eventual champions Northeastern Huskies by a score of 1–3. The 2020 Hockey East women's ice hockey tournament was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak, but Maine would not have qualified even if the tournament had been played. Hockey East announced plans in July 2020 to play the 2020–2021 hockey season, with an emphasis on league play.

Coaches

The current head coach is Molly Engstrom. A native of Siren, Wisconsin, she spent the 2018–2022 seasons as the assistant coach at St. Cloud University. She is a two-time member of the United States women's hockey team at the Winter Olympics, won a bronze medal with Team USA in 2006 at the Turin Winter Games and a silver medal in 2010 at the Vancouver Winter Games. Engstrom earned the 'Best Defenseman' award at the 2010 Winter Games.

She was a member of Team USA at six IIHF World Women's Championships from 2004 to 2011 and helped Team USA win IIHF World Championships in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011, along with silver medals in 2004 and 2007.

She has played and coached in the Swedish Women's Professional Hockey League (SDHL) from 2016 to 2018, and helped her team Djurgarden IF win the SDHL championship in 2017. She served as the girls' varsity hockey head coach and assistant athletic director at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H. from 2014–2016.

In addition to her professional playing and coaching experience in Sweden, Engstrom played professional hockey with teams in Minneapolis, Toronto and Boston in the CWHL and NWHL from 2007 to 2013. She helped her Brampton-Canadette Thunder team win the CWHL title in 2008 and the Minnesota Whitecaps win the Western Women's Hockey League crown in 2009.

A 2007 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Engstrom played collegiate hockey in the WCHA with the Badgers. She received First Team All-American honors while at Wisconsin and was also named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. She was selected as a Patty Kazmaier Award top 10 finalist in 2005.

She went on to receive a Masters of Sports Administration from the Russian International Olympic University in 2014.[2]

Richard Reichenbach was head coach from 2015–2022. In the 2019–20 season, his fifth season as head coach, he led Maine to a record of 15–14–8. Prior to coaching at the University of Maine, Reichenbach was an assistant with Cortland State. Reichenbach is a 2006 graduate of Hamilton College, where he was a hockey and lacrosse standout. He was team captain in his senior year. He played one year of professional hockey, on the Richmond Renegades of the SPHL. [3]

Maria Lewis was head coach for the Bears for four seasons, and earned the Hockey East Coach of the Year award in 2012. That season, the Bears finished fourth in the Hockey East conference, with an overall record of 17–11–6. Prior to taking on the head coach responsibilities at Maine, Lewis was an assistant coach for Mercyhurst Lakers women's ice hockey team, where she twice won the College Hockey Assistant Coach of the year award. She was also an assistant coach with the Ohio State Buckeyes and the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.[4]

Dan Lichterman became the third head coach for the Black Bears for the 2007–2008 season and coached for three seasons. He left at the end of his first contract, citing the need to support his wife's career.[5]

Lauren Steblen, associate coach under Guy Perron, stepped in as interim coach in the 2006–2007 season. Steblen played defense for the Bears as a college player, and in her senior season, 2000–2001, the team made the Hockey East tournament for the first time. After graduating from Maine, she coached the Bemidji State Beavers, in Minnesota.[6] At the end of her year as interim head coach, she decided not to pursue the permanent post.[5]

Guy Perron was hired as the second head coach for the Black Bears. A graduate of UM, Perron was a two-time captain for the Black Bears, and tallied a career total of 62 gold and 84 assists for 146 points in 136 games. Perron coached the Black Bears to a 17–9–6 season in his second year. He left the following season to be the associate head coach and recruiting director for Maine's men's ice hockey program. He later became a scout for the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.[7]

Rick Filighera was the inaugural head coach for the Maine Black Bears' program, and oversaw the program for its first seven seasons. He came to Maine from a head coaching position with the Rochester Institute of Technology's women's hockey team. In 2003–2004, he was the runner up for the Hockey East Coach of the Year award. After leaving Maine in 1997, he became the head coach for Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio.[8] As of 2020–2021, he was the head coach for the Cortland Red Dragons, in the Northeast Women's Hockey League.

Season-by-season results

Won Championship Lost Championship Conference Champions League Leader
Year Coach W L T Conference Conf.
W		 Conf.
L		 Conf.
T		 Finish Conference Tournament NCAA Tournament
2022–23 Molly Engstrom 15 18 2 Hockey East 12 13 2 6th HE Lost Quarterfinals vs. Providence (2–5) Did not qualify
2021–22 Richard Reichenbach 15 19 1 Hockey East 12 13 1 5th HE Won Quarterfinals vs. Boston College (2–1)
Lost Semifinals vs. Northeastern (1–3) 		Did not qualify
2020–21 Richard Reichenbach 8 9 1 Hockey East 7 8 1 7th HE Won Quarterfinals vs. Vermont (3–1)
Lost Semifinals vs. Providence (0–1 OT) 		Did not qualify
2019–20 Richard Reichenbach 15 14 8 Hockey East 9 11 7 7th HE Won Quarterfinals vs. Boston University (3–2, 2–1)
Lost Semifinals vs. Northeastern (1–3)		 Did not qualify
2018–19 Richard Reichenbach 14 15 5 Hockey East 7 15 5 9th HE Did not qualify Did not qualify
2017–18 Richard Reichenbach 19 14 5 Hockey East 11 9 4 3rd HE Won First Round vs. Boston University (3–2, 1–4, 4–3 OT)
Lost Semifinals vs. Northeastern (1–2)		 Did not qualify
2016–17 Richard Reichenbach 10 21 1 Hockey East 6 17 1 9th HE Did not qualify Did not qualify
2015–16 Richard Reichenbach 10 23 2 Hockey East 6 17 1 8th HE Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston College (2–5, 1–5) Did not qualify
2014–15 Richard Reichenbach 10 20 3 Hockey East 9 11 1 4th HE Lost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern (2–3, 0–1 OT) Did not qualify
2013–14 Maria Lewis 7 20 5 Hockey East 5 13 3 5th HE Lost Quarterfinals vs. Vermont (2–3 3OT) Did not qualify
2012–13 Maria Lewis 5 24 4 Hockey East 3 16 3 7th HE Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston College (1–2 OT) Did not qualify
2011–12 Maria Lewis 17 11 6 Hockey East 11 8 2 4th He Lost Quarterfinals vs. Providence (0–6) Did not qualify
2010–11 Maria Lewis 12 17 5 Hockey East 6 12 3 6th HE Lost Quarterfinals vs. Providence (2–5) Did not qualify
2009–10 Dan Lichterman 6 20 5 Hockey East 3 15 3 8th HE Did not qualify Did not qualify
2008–09 Dan Lichterman 5 23 5 Hockey East 2 15 4 8th He Did not qualify Did not qualify
2007–08 Dan Lichterman 4 27 3 Hockey East 3 15 3 7th HE Did not qualify Did not qualify
2006–07 Lauren Steblen 10 19 2 Hockey East 5 14 2 6th HE Did not qualify Did not qualify
2005–06 Guy Perron 17 9 6 Hockey East 9 8 4 4th HE Lost Semifinals vs. New Hampshire (0–6) Did not qualify
2004–05 Guy Perron 14 15 3 Hockey East 5 13 2 5th HE Did not qualify Did not qualify
2003–04 Rick Filighera 12 16 4 Hockey East 9 9 2 3rd HE Lost Semifinals vs. Providence (2–4) Did not qualify
2002–03 Rick Filighera 12 15 4 Hockey East 5 8 2 3rd HE Lost Semifinals vs. New Hampshire (0–2) Did not qualify
2001–02 Rick Filighera 16 15 4 ECAC Eastern 8 10 3 5th ECAC E. Lost Quarterfinals vs. Providence (3–5) Did not qualify
2000–01 Rick Filighera 15 14 1 ECAC 10 13 1 9th ECAC Did not qualify Did not qualify
1999–2000 Rick Filighera 6 19 2 ECAC 3 19 2 11th ECAC Did not qualify Did not qualify
1998–99 Rick Filighera 9 18 1 ECAC 7 18 1 11th ECAC Did not qualify Did not qualify
1997–98 Rick Filighera 12 6 2

Sources [9][10]

Team Scoring Champions

Season Player GP G A Pts
2001–02 Meagan Aarts 47
2002–03
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07
2007–08
2008–09
2009–10
2010–11 Myriam Croussette 34 14 12 26
2011–12
2012–13 Brittany Dougherty 32 19 13 32
2013–14 Audra Richards 30 15 3 18
2014–15 Emilie Brigham 33 8 10 18
2015–16 Audra Richards 35 14 9 23
2016–17 Tereza Vanisova 28 16 12 28
2017–18 Tereza Vanisova 37 16 30 46
2018–19 Celine Tedenby 31 12 14 26
2019–20 Ida Kuoppala 35 19 14 33 [11]
2020–21 Ida Kuoppala 16 10 5 15

Team captains

In progress

  • 1997–98: Alana Ahearn
  • 1998–99: Alison Lorenz, Christina Hedges
  • 1999-00: Kelly Nelson
  • 2000–01: Kelly Nelson
  • 2001–02: Amanda Cronin, Jarin Sjorgen
  • 2002–03: Jarin Sjorgen
  • 2003–04: Lara Smart
  • 2004–05: Tristian Desmet, Emily Stevens
  • 2005–06: Cheryl White, Morgan Janusc
  • 2006–07: Kelly Law, Sonia Corriveau
  • 2007–08: Jenna Cowan
  • 2008–09: Vanessa Vani
  • 2009–10: Amy Stech
  • 2010–11: Dawn Sullivan
  • 2011–12: Dawn Sullivan
  • 2012–13: Kylie Smith, Chloe Tinkler
  • 2013–14: Jennifer More, Brittney Huneke
  • 2014–15: Jennifer More (C), Brittney Huneke, Katy Massey (A)
  • 2015–16: Abby Cooke, Emilie Brigham (C), Brooklyn Langlois, Eve Boissoneault (A)
  • 2016–17: Emilie Brigham, Jess Vallotton
  • 2017–18: Alyson Matteau (C), Brooke Stacey, Cailey Hutchinson (A)
  • 2018–19: Jillian Flynn
  • 2019–20: Jillian Flynn
  • 2020–21: Taylor Leech[12]
  • 2021–22: Taylor Leech[13]
  • 2022–23: Morgan Trimper, Alexandra Johnson

Current roster

2022–23 Black Bears

As of September 26, 2022.[14]

No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height DoB Hometown Previous team
2 Minnesota Grace Heiting Graduate F 5' 3" (1.6 m) 2000-04-25 Woodbury, Minnesota Union College
3 Maine Morgan Trimper (C) Senior F 5' 4" (1.63 m) 2001-04-02 Bangor, Maine Taft School
4 Rhode Island Cora Webber Freshman D 5' 7" (1.7 m) 2003-04-21 Johnston, Rhode Island Williston Northampton School
5 Italy Anna Caumo Freshman F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2002-02-16 Bruneck, Italy AHC Toblach-Dobbiaco Icebears
6 Maine Olivia King Junior D 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2002-01-01 Old Town, Maine Taft School
7 Maine Ally Trimper Senior F 5' 2" (1.57 m) 2001-04-02 Bangor, Maine Taft School
8 Minnesota Kennedy Little Junior D 5' 3" (1.6 m) 2002-02-17 Andover, Minnesota Andover High School
9 Germany Luisa Welcke Freshman F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2002-04-29 Heidelberg, Germany Maddogs Mannheim
10 Massachusetts Courtney Colarullo Sophomore D 5' 3" (1.6 m) 2002-12-04 Ayer, Massachusetts New Hampton School
11 Denmark Amalie Andersen Senior D 5' 8" (1.73 m) 1999-10-06 Herning, Denmark Linköping HC
12 Ontario Nicole Pateman Senior D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 2000-03-29 London, Ontario London Jr. Devilettes
13 Illinois Ashley Bialas Freshman F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2003-12-21 Carpentersville, Illinois Chicago Mission
15 Connecticut Emma Gurnell Freshman F 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2003-06-16 Old Saybrook, Connecticut Deerfield Academy
16 Connecticut Emma Lange Graduate D 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2000-07-24 Goshen, Connecticut College of the Holy Cross
18 Wisconsin Alexandra Johnson (A) Graduate F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 1999-11-21 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee Jr. Admirals
19 Michigan Ava Stevenson Freshman F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2004-01-08 Grosse Pointe, Michigan Little Caesars
20 Ontario Grace Parker Senior D 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2001-02-20 Nepean, Ontario Boston University
21 Ontario Morgan Sadler Junior F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 2002-03-30 Erin, Ontario Mississauga Jr. Hurricanes
22 Switzerland Rahel Enzler Senior F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2000-07-30 Zug, Switzerland SC Reinach
23 Germany Lilli Welcke Freshman F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2002-04-29 Heidelberg, Germany Maddogs Mannheim
24 Ontario Bailey Oakes Sophomore D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 2003-03-05 Richmond Hill, Ontario Toronto Jr. Aeros
26 Finland Ida Kuoppala (A) Senior F 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2000-02-17 Pedersöre, Finland Espoo Blues
27 Hungary Mira Seregély Sophomore F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2003-04-27 Budapest, Hungary Ontario Hockey Academy
28 Pennsylvania Alyssa Wruble Sophomore F 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2003-01-16 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Philadelphia Jr. Flyers
29 Saskatchewan Elise Morphy Junior D 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2002-04-12 Regina, Saskatchewan Shattuck-Saint Mary's
30 Ontario Jorden Mattison Junior G 5' 9" (1.75 m) 2002-04-17 Fenwick, Ontario Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
32 Minnesota Anna LaRose Junior G 5' 5" (1.65 m) 2001-10-02 Albertville, Minnesota North Wright County Riverhawks
37 Ontario Brooklyn Oakes Freshman G 5' 6" (1.68 m) 2004-09-29 Richmond Hill, Ontario Durham West Jr. Lightning


Black Bears in Pro Hockey

= CWHL All-Star Team = NWHL All-Star = Clarkson Cup Champion = Isobel Cup Champion
Player Position Team(s) League(s) Years Clarkson Cup Isobel Cup
Meagan Aarts Forward Vaughan Flames
Toronto Furies 		CWHL 6 1 (2014)
Amanda Cronin Goaltender Brampton Thunder
Boston Blades
Burlington Barracudas 		CWHL 5
Lexie Hoffmeyer Forward/Defense Toronto Furies CWHL 5 1 (2014)
Carly Jackson Goaltender Buffalo Beauts
Kayla Kaluzny Forward Melbourne Ice AWIHL 1
Brittany Ott Goaltender Boston Blades
Boston Pride 		CWHL
NWHL 		1 (2015) 1 (2016)
Tereza Vanišová Forward Boston Pride NWHL 1 (2021)

Olympians

Player Team Position Event
Amalie Andersen  Denmark Defense 2022 Beijing Olympics
Rahel Enzler  Switzerland Forward 2022 Beijing Olympics
Darcia Leimgruber  Switzerland Forward 2010 Vancouver Olympics
Vendula Přibylová  Czech Republic Forward 2022 Beijing Olympics
Tereza Vanišová  Czech Republic Forward 2022 Beijing Olympics
Michelle Weis  Denmark Forward 2022 Beijing Olympics
Raffi Wolf[15]  Germany Forward 2002, 2006 Vancouver Olympics

Awards and honors

Hockey East

  • Brittany Ott, 2010 WHEA All-Rookie Team[16]
  • Amy Stech, Runner up, 2010 Hockey East Sportsmanship Award[17]
  • Meghann Treacy, 2014–15 Hockey East First Team All-Star[18]

Hockey East weekly honors

  • Jenna Ouellette – Maine, WHEA Player of the Month, December 2009[19]
  • Meghann Treacy, Hockey East Defensive Player of the Month (October 2014) [20]
  • Meghann Treacy, Hockey East Defensive Player of the Month (November 2014) [21]

Hockey East weekly honors

  • Carly Jackson, Pro-Ambitions Rookie of the Week (awarded October 17, 2016)[22]
  • Michelle Weis, Pro-Ambitions Rookie of the Week (awarded October 2, 2017[23]

HCA Awards

  • Ida Kuoppala, Women's Hockey Commissioners Association Rookie of the Month February 2020[24]

References

  1. ^ Colors – Branding Toolbox – University of Maine. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  2. ^ "Molly Engstrom – Women's Ice Hockey Coach".
  3. ^ "Richard Reichenbach bio page". University of Maine Athletics. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Maria Lewis – Women's Ice Hockey Coach". New England College Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  5. ^ a b Mahoney, Larry (2010-04-08). "Maine coach Lichterman leaves position for family reasons". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  6. ^ "Lauren Steblen Joins BSU Women's Hockey Coaching Staff". BSUBeavers.com. October 29, 2002. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  7. ^ Contributed (2008-07-30). "UM hockey losing two coaches". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  8. ^ "Rick Filighera – Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach – Staff Directory". SUNY Cortland Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  9. ^ "Statistics :: USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online". USCHO.com. 2015-06-14. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  10. ^ "Hockey East Women's Ice Hockey: All Time Tournament Results" (PDF).
  11. ^ "2020–21 Women's Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). goblackbears.com. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  12. ^ "Taylor Leech – Women's Ice Hockey". University of Maine Athletics. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  13. ^ Barr, Ben (February 4, 2022). "Black Bears hope to sustain winning momentum into February". WABI. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  14. ^ "2022–23 Women's Ice Hockey Roster". University of Maine Athletics. September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  15. ^ "Raffi Wolf Bio, Stats, and Results | Olympics at". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  16. ^ "Hockey East Online". Hockey East Online. 2010-03-03. Archived from the original on 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  17. ^ "Hockey East Press Releases". HockeyEastOnline.com. 2010-03-05. Archived from the original on 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  18. ^ "Hockey East Honors All-Star Selections at 2015 Championship Banquet". HockeyEastOnline.com. 2015-03-06. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  19. ^ "Monthly Honors". HockeyEastOnline.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-14. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  20. ^ "Boston College's Alex Carpenter Named Warrior Hockey Player of the Month". HockeyEastOnline.com. 2014-11-06. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  21. ^ "Boston College's Alex Carpenter Claims Warrior Hockey Player of the Month". HockeyEastOnline.com. 2014-12-03. Archived from the original on 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  22. ^ "Carly Jackson Awarded Rookie of the Week Honors". goblackbears.com. 2016-10-17. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  23. ^ Smith, Brian (2017-10-02). "Merrimack Bests #3 Minnesota on the Road; Maine Splits With #9 Quinnipiac" (PDF). Women's Weekly (Press release). Hockey East. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  24. ^ "TWO HOCKEY EAST PLAYERS RECEIVE NATIONAL MONTHLY AWARDS". hockeyeastonline.com. March 4, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2021.