DULUTH — Eight current and former Bulldogs are slated to take part in the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship when it gets underway this week in Brampton, Ontario.
That list includes outgoing Minnesota Duluth fifth-year senior center and co-captain Gabbie Hughes, who is making her senior national team debut with the United States following five seasons with the Bulldogs. The U.S. opens preliminary round play at 2 p.m. Wednesday against Japan.
Link: Full USA World Championship schedule
Hughes, a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-three finalist in 2021-22, finished her college career fifth all-time at UMD in scoring with 214 points in 165 games and third all-time in assists with 133.
She is a top-five finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award for the second season in a row. This year’s award will be presented to the winner on Friday in Tampa, Florida, during the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four. Hughes and the U.S. play their second preliminary round game that day against Switzerland at 10 a.m.
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In addition to Hughes, three other Bulldogs from the 2022-23 squad are taking part in this year’s World Championship, which runs through April 16. Junior defenseman Nina Jobst-Smith is making her third appearance in the Women’s Worlds and Olympian Emma Soderberg, the Bulldogs fifth-year senior USCHO All-American goaltender, is back between the pipes for Sweden. Fifth-year senior transfer goalie Blanka Skodova made the Czechia roster.
Two notable omissions from this year’s World Championship rosters are a pair of Olympic gold medalists from UMD. Maddie Rooney, who backstopped the U.S. to gold in 2018 in Sochi, is not on the USA roster while Canada left off fifth-year senior co-captain and defenseman Ashton Bell, a member of the 2022 Olympic champions in Beijing.
Below is the full rundown of Bulldogs taking part in this year’s tournament.
Bulldogs in 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship
Gabbie Hughes (2018-23) — United States
Emma Soderberg (2018-23) — Sweden
Nina Jobst-Smith (2020-present) — Germany
Marie Delarbre (2012-14) — Germany
Blanka Skodova (2022-23) — Czech Republic
Katerina Mrazova (2013-18) — Czech Republic
Jocelyn Larocque (2007-11) — Canada
Lara Stalder (2013-17) — Switzerland
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