For most college hockey teams, rebuilding is a yearly occurrence. Seniors graduate, players transfer in and out and coaches switch the starting lineup. Gopher Women’s Hockey faced a steep reset this season with almost half of the roster turning over, including three transfer students and seven freshmen.
On paper, the team looks like they have been playing together for years on the ice. It has led them to a 12-4 start on the season — not what you’d expect from a team still getting familiar with each other.
“The girls have been so awesome,” freshman center Bella Fanale said. “Our senior class let us in right away, and it’s been great.”
Part of that comes from the experiences this freshman class has brought with them. Fanale, Layla Hemp, Sienna D’Alessandro and Tereza Plosova all have competed internationally at the Under-18 level and are very familiar with pressure.
Fanale and Hemp both skated as part of Team USA, doing so together. They shared the experience of winning gold and bronze medals together, their paths crossing long before becoming Gopher teammates.
“We kind of have been going on a journey together,” Fanale said. “It’s been really cool. Then, when we found out we could be roommates here, it was an easy adjustment.”
With foundations like that, the potential for friction in a mostly new group disappeared quickly. Off the ice, the players enjoy being around each other, with many of the freshmen living in the same apartment. The bond has led to strong chemistry clicking on the ice.
“I feel like our freshman class is super close and we all fit in well with the upperclassmen too,” Hemp said. “We’re all such a close team.”
Fanale said the upperclassmen have made the transition even easier, naming several players who have helped her make the adjustment to college hockey. Senior Madison Kaiser, graduate student Abbey Murphy, senior Nelli Laitinen and junior Emma Kreisz were the first that came to her mind.
Hemp said she naturally gravitated towards other goaltenders. She said senior goaltender Sophia Johnson has been great for her to lean on, as they are from the same hometown.
Hemp added it has helped having someone who understands what it takes both mentally and physically to be a goaltender.
“She can relate being in the same position, goalie-wise,” Hemp said. “I feel like it’s kind of hard to get if you’re a player.”
Entering the season with USA hockey experience may have given the freshmen confidence, but the Western Collegiate Hockey Association conference remains tough. Early matchups against No. 2 Ohio State University and No. 1 University of Wisconsin reminded them that every weekend is a battle.
Even the lower-ranked teams like Minnesota State Mankato play hard every night. The level of competition makes every game a big moment.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Fanale said. “I love the pressure. We can’t get too high or too low.”
“In every game you’re fighting to win something,” Hemp echoed. “It’s just being prepared every game, staying calm and composed.”
Some players take years to earn top-line roles, especially center positions. Fanale stepped into that role immediately, centering the top line between Murphy and junior Ava Lindsay.
Fanale said she knew that was where coaches saw her when she came into the program, but it was still a significant moment. Having coaches and teammates believe in her made it easier.
“It was a big role to fill,” Fanale said. “My teammates around me and my own preparation made me ready for it.”
The physicality has not surprised her, but the pace is still something she is adapting to. So are faceoffs.
Though her shot technique already stands out. Her seven goals on the season have not been accidental, and Hemp faces it daily in practices, knowing it better than most.
“Her shot is debatably the hardest shot on our team,” Hemp said. “Sometimes I’ll even have to close my eyes. I’ll give her that, but she does the same breakaway move.”
“I got that one,” Fanale laughed. “But I do have to mix it up a bit.”
Hemp is the perfect opponent for Fanale in practices, with the two of them keeping score in their daily battles. Hemp’s smart positioning and calmness rarely give shooters the space they want to shoot.
“When you’re going up against her, and you’re looking at the net, there’s not much to shoot at,” Fanale said.
The adjustment has not been entirely natural for Hemp, though. She was not seeing nearly as many shots in high school, and the shots that she did face were not always of high quality.
“In high school, if you weren’t playing a top-five team, you were seeing less than 10 shots,” Hemp said. “Here, every team is dangerous. Every team has the chance to beat you.”
Despite that, Hemp takes pride in her path to college hockey. Born and raised in Minnesota, she gets to play Division 1 hockey within a car ride from home. She attended Minnetonka High School and is proof that you do not need to leave home to reach the biggest stages.
“It’s such an honor,” Hemp said. “I think it’s super cool to show that you can play high school hockey and then play at this level.”
Half a season in, her game, along with Fanale and the rest of the freshmen, is already evolving. With four years ahead of them, the future of the Gophers looks bright.
Update: The photo for this story has been updated to showcase a Gopher Women’s Hockey freshman player, rather than a senior.
