It’s been a banner couple of seasons for the University of Vermont women’s hockey program. The Catamounts have won at least 20 games in back-to-back seasons, and they enter 2023 as the 12th-ranked team in the country.The recent success is a feather in the cap of 12-year head coach Jim Plumer. Since taking over the program in 2012, Plumer has helped revitalize the identity of the Catamounts and bring them among the top teams in the Hockey East.Thus far, the biggest challenge has been the conference tournament. After falling in heartbreaking fashion to Providence 1-0 in last year’s semifinal, Plumer is trying to utilize lessons learned to help Vermont advance to a conference championship.”Last year, we felt the pressure of being our best from the beginning,” Plumer said at Wednesday’s media day. “It’s a matter of putting yourself in the best position and then playing at your best.”Vermont loses 43.8% of its scoring from last season, including the program’s career point leader, Theresa Schafzahl. The Catamounts will rely heavily on senior captain Natalie Mlynkova, sophomore Lara Beecher along with senior goaltender Jessie McPherson.”Everyone has different roles, and all those roles are equally important,” McPherson said. The wily veteran already holds the most wins in program history (40), and brings much-needed leadership for Vermont’s defensive unit.The Catamounts host McGill for an exhibition on Sunday at 4 p.m.On the men’s side, it’s a bit of a different story as the Catamounts enter 2023-34 in the midst of a program rebuild. Interim head coach Steve Wiedler takes the reigns of Vermont after former head coach Todd Woodcroft was fired for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a University of Vermont student.Despite the shakeup in the program, Vermont didn’t lose a single returning player to the transfer portal. The only player who left the program was incoming freshman Alex Bump.”We have gone out this fall to reeducate our guys on the legacy of this program,” Wiedler said.He hopes to bring Vermont its first winning season since 2017.
It’s been a banner couple of seasons for the University of Vermont women’s hockey program. The Catamounts have won at least 20 games in back-to-back seasons, and they enter 2023 as the 12th-ranked team in the country.
The recent success is a feather in the cap of 12-year head coach Jim Plumer. Since taking over the program in 2012, Plumer has helped revitalize the identity of the Catamounts and bring them among the top teams in the Hockey East.
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Thus far, the biggest challenge has been the conference tournament. After falling in heartbreaking fashion to Providence 1-0 in last year’s semifinal, Plumer is trying to utilize lessons learned to help Vermont advance to a conference championship.
“Last year, we felt the pressure of being our best from the beginning,” Plumer said at Wednesday’s media day. “It’s a matter of putting yourself in the best position and then playing at your best.”
Vermont loses 43.8% of its scoring from last season, including the program’s career point leader, Theresa Schafzahl. The Catamounts will rely heavily on senior captain Natalie Mlynkova, sophomore Lara Beecher along with senior goaltender Jessie McPherson.
“Everyone has different roles, and all those roles are equally important,” McPherson said. The wily veteran already holds the most wins in program history (40), and brings much-needed leadership for Vermont’s defensive unit.
The Catamounts host McGill for an exhibition on Sunday at 4 p.m.
On the men’s side, it’s a bit of a different story as the Catamounts enter 2023-34 in the midst of a program rebuild. Interim head coach Steve Wiedler takes the reigns of Vermont after former head coach Todd Woodcroft was fired for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a University of Vermont student.
Despite the shakeup in the program, Vermont didn’t lose a single returning player to the transfer portal. The only player who left the program was incoming freshman Alex Bump.
“We have gone out this fall to reeducate our guys on the legacy of this program,” Wiedler said.
He hopes to bring Vermont its first winning season since 2017.
