University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey equipment manager and strength and conditioning coach Julianne "Montana" Vasichek is in critical condition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, according to a statement released by UMD Athletics on Thursday.
Vasichek, who suffers from ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis, was flown to Rochester from a Duluth hospital Wednesday night.
"She is currently considered in critical condition. Due to privacy issues and the situation being very fluid, that is all that the staff can comment on right now," the release said.
Vasichek, who won three national championships as a player at UMD from 2001-2005, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, in 2002. She was diagnosed with PSC, which affects the liver, in 2007.
UMD recently held a Organ Donation/PSC Awareness Night during its last regular season home series last weekend against Ohio State. The team wore yellow jerseys with a patch on the right abdomen, which is over the liver. The goal of the event that Vasichek helped organize was to raise $2,500. Donations are still being accepted at https://pscpartners.myetap.org/fundraiser/2015RoadToACure/individual.do?... .
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The Bulldogs are scheduled to open the WCHA playoffs with a best-of-three series against Bemidji State Friday through Sunday at Amsoil Arena.
