History of women's ice hockey in the United States
Encyclopedia
The history of women's ice hockey in the United States can be traced back to the early 20th century. In the 1920s, the Seattle Vamps competed in various hockey tournaments. In 1916, the United States hosted an international hockey tournament in Cleveland, Ohio, that featured Canadian and American women’s hockey teams.
/NCAA Conference Grant Program. The AWCHA organized and developed activities with collegiate women's varsity ice hockey teams, and helped to promote women's ice hockey at all NCAA levels. The first AWCHA Division I National Ice Hockey Championship was held in March 1998. The New Hampshire Wildcats defeated the Brown Bears by a 4-1 score, to become the first recognized national champion in women's college ice hockey. In the 1999-2000 season, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) joined the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) as the second league in the nation to offer women's Division I competition.
There were two more AWCHA National Championships and then the NCAA became involved. In August 2000, the NCAA announced it would hold its first Division I Women's Ice Hockey National Championship. The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs captured the first NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Championship, defeating the St. Lawrence Skating Saints by a 4-2 tally on March 25, 2001.
would have the first women's ice hockey program. The team was known as the Pembroke Pandas.
The Pandas would have to borrow equipment, and sell hockey rule sheets at the Bears men's games to raise money for equipment. In February 1966, the Pandas (Brown Bears) women’s ice hockey team played their first game. Against the Walpole Brooms, the club lost by a 4-1 score.
The Cornell women's hockey program was started in 1971. It would only be in 1972 that the team would play its first game. It was a 4-3 victory over Scarborough. In 1972, they would play eight games and lose four. In addition, the Big Red would lose twice to the Brown Bears women's ice hockey
program.
Yale University
debuted its women’s ice hockey program on December 9, 1975. Its first match was versus Choate-Rosemary Hall. The Bulldogs prevailed by a 5-3 tally. Two years later, the Bulldogs hockey program would attain varsity status. In 1976, Brown would host the first ever Ivy League women's ice hockey tournament. The other competing schools were Cornell, Princeton and Yale. The Big Red would win the tournament.
Dartmouth College would welcome women’s ice hockey on January 7, 1978. The Big Green would defeat Middlebury by a 6-5 score. The Big Green would finish their inaugural season with 7 wins, 7 losses, and 1 tie. Against Ivy League teams, the Big Green were 1-3-1. In the 1978-79 season, the Harvard Crimson would ice a women’s team. Their first game was a 17-0 defeat at the hands of the Providence Friars women's ice hockey
program. The next game was a 2-1 loss to the Yale Bulldogs women's ice hockey program.
On November 24, 1979, the Princeton Tigers played their first varsity game against the University of Pennsylvania. In winter of 1982, Princeton would snap the Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey
program's string of six straight Ivy League titles.
In 1998, the Patty Kazmaier Award
was introduced. The award is named after former Princeton Tigers player Patty Kazmaier. In 1998-99, the Harvard Crimson finished with a record of 33-1. Led by head coach, Katey Stone, the Crimson would proceed to win the American Women's College Hockey Alliance national championship.
During the 2003-04 season, Nicole Corriero
would set an NCAA record with 59 goals scored in a season. In the same season, former Princeton player Laura Halldorson would coach the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
program to the 2004 NCAA title.
Since its beginnings, FitzMaurice has been the President of the Polar Bears. He was also one of the organizers of one of the largest Christmas tournaments in North America. In 2007, the tournament hosted about 275 teams. Games were played across Connecticut. The program has produced numerous Olympians, including: Julie Chu, Jaime Hagerman, Hillary Knight, Sue Merz, A.J. Mleczko, Kim Insalaco, Angela Ruggiero, Sarah Vaillancourt and Gretchen Ulion.
in 2009 in Kingston Ontario. The team lost to the Montreal Stars
in a one game final 3 goals to 1. In 2010, the Minnesota Whitecaps became the first United States based team to win the Clarkson Cup doing so by defeating the Brampton Thunder 4 goals to none.
talked of the formation of a women’s league to complement the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
. The proposal included teams from Vancouver, Victoria, Portland and Seattle. The league never formed but in January 1917, the Vancouver News-Advertiser reported that wives of the Seattle Metropolitans
had assembled a team.
In February 1921, Frank Patrick announced a women’s international championship series that would be played in conjunction with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
. The three teams that competed were the Vancouver Amazons
, Victoria Kewpies, and Seattle Vamps. On February 21, 1921, the Seattle Vamps competed against the Vancouver Amazons in Vancouver, and were vanquished by a 5-0 score. Two days later, the Vamps played against a team from the University of British Columbia and won the game. Jerry Reed scored three goals (a hat trick) in the game for the Vamps. In both games, the Vancouver media referred to the Seattle team as the Seattle Sweeties. The Amazons would travel to Seattle and defeat them again. On March 2, 1921, the Vamps were defeated by the Kewpies 1-0 in Seattle. In the rematch on March 12, the Vamps travelled to Victoria. The result was a 1-1 tie, and Jerry Reed scored the goal for Seattle. The goaltender for the Vamps was Mildren Terran. After the 1921 season, the Vamps and the Kewpies ceased operations.
purposes. On March 21, 1994, the Minnesota State High School League sanctioned girls’ ice hockey. Minnesota becomes the first state in the U.S. to sanction girls’ ice hockey as a high school varsity sport. On March 25, 1995, Apple Valley High School defeated the South St. Paul Packers, 2-0, to become the first Minnesota girls’ state high school champion.
From 1994 to 2002, the number of varsity girls' teams in Minnesota expanded from 24 to 125 (in two classifications, AA and A). In 2001, a three-day girls' state tournament attracted 15,551 spectators. In 1994 there were 1,863 girls in the state participating in organized hockey outside of a varsity high school program. In 2002, the number increased to 6,856.
AWCHA
In 1997-98, the American Women's College Hockey Alliance debuted. It was a program funded through the USOCUnited States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
/NCAA Conference Grant Program. The AWCHA organized and developed activities with collegiate women's varsity ice hockey teams, and helped to promote women's ice hockey at all NCAA levels. The first AWCHA Division I National Ice Hockey Championship was held in March 1998. The New Hampshire Wildcats defeated the Brown Bears by a 4-1 score, to become the first recognized national champion in women's college ice hockey. In the 1999-2000 season, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) joined the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) as the second league in the nation to offer women's Division I competition.
There were two more AWCHA National Championships and then the NCAA became involved. In August 2000, the NCAA announced it would hold its first Division I Women's Ice Hockey National Championship. The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs captured the first NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Championship, defeating the St. Lawrence Skating Saints by a 4-2 tally on March 25, 2001.
Notable games
- February 28, 2010: The RPI Engineers women's ice hockeyRPI Engineers women's ice hockeyThe RPI Engineers men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's college ice hockey program that represents Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Engineers are a member of ECAC Hockey...
team made NCAA history. The Engineers beat Quinnipiac, 2-1, but it took five overtimes. It is now the longest college hockey game in NCAA history. Senior defenseman Laura Gersten had the game winning goal. She registered it at 4:32 of the fifth overtime session to not only clinch the win, but the series victory. RPI advanced to the ECAC Hockey Women's Semifinals for the second consecutive season. The Engineers will face top ranked Cornell University.
Outdoor games
- On Friday, January 8, 2010, Boston's Fenway ParkFenway ParkFenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
played host to a Hockey East doubleheader. In the first game, the New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockeyNew Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockeyThe New Hampshire Wildcats represent the University of New Hampshire. The Wildcats have never had a losing season in the 32-year history of the program. They have won five ECAC championships between 1986 and 1996. When the Wildcats joined Hockey East, they won four Hockey East titles from 2006 to...
team faced off against the Northeastern Huskies women's ice hockeyNortheastern Huskies women's ice hockeyThe women's varsity hockey program started in 1980, and under former World Hockey Association all-star goaltender Don McLeod, who was named the coach the following season and led the program for ten seasons, became the first national power in collegiate women's hockey...
team in an outdoor college hockey doubleheader at in the first outdoor women’s hockey game in the sport’s history. Northeastern surged to a 2-0 lead, but New Hampshire rallied to win 5-3. The latter game featured the men's teams from Boston College and Boston University, in which BU won 3-2.
- February 6, 2010: The No. 9 ranked Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockeyWisconsin Badgers women's ice hockeyThe Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team is the hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.-History:On October 8, 1999, the Bulldogs played the Wisconsin Badgers in the first ever Women's WCHA conference game at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI...
team (16-10-3, 13-9-1 WCHA) defeated the Bemidji State Beavers women's ice hockeyBemidji State Beavers women's ice hockey-History:On February 27, 2010, Bemidji State ends its 14 game playoff losing streak in a 2-1 victory over St. Cloud State. The next day, the Beavers defeated St. Cloud State in Game 3, and advanced to the WCHA Final Face-Off for the first time in school history. Zuzana Tomcikova had 27 saves and...
team (8-14-7, 7-9-7 WCHA), 6-1, in the first ever Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic at Camp Randall StadiumCamp Randall StadiumCamp Randall Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. It has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team in rudimentary form since 1895, and as a complete stadium since 1917. It is located on the center-southern region of the University of Wisconsin campus. The stadium seats...
. The Badgers played in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 8,263 fans in the second-ever women’s hockey outdoor showdown. Sophomore Carolyne Prevost scored the first goal in Camp Randall history at the 16:53 mark and backhanded it in to put the Badgers up 1-0. The Badgers dominated offensively, outshooting the Beavers 42-13. Freshman Becca Ruegsegger (Lakewood, Colo.) finished with 13 saves in net for Wisconsin,
Ivy League women’s hockey
In 1964, the Brown Bears men's coach Jim Fullerton arranged for Nancy Schieffelin to attend a team practice. She was an experienced player and came to the practice disguised in full uniform. A year later, Brown UniversityBrown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
would have the first women's ice hockey program. The team was known as the Pembroke Pandas.
The Pandas would have to borrow equipment, and sell hockey rule sheets at the Bears men's games to raise money for equipment. In February 1966, the Pandas (Brown Bears) women’s ice hockey team played their first game. Against the Walpole Brooms, the club lost by a 4-1 score.
The Cornell women's hockey program was started in 1971. It would only be in 1972 that the team would play its first game. It was a 4-3 victory over Scarborough. In 1972, they would play eight games and lose four. In addition, the Big Red would lose twice to the Brown Bears women's ice hockey
Brown Bears women's ice hockey
The Brown Bears women’s ice hockey program is a NCAA Division I ice hockey team that represents Brown University. The Bears play at the Meehan Auditorium in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown women's hockey is the oldest women's hockey program in the United States. It was the first collegiate women's...
program.
Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
debuted its women’s ice hockey program on December 9, 1975. Its first match was versus Choate-Rosemary Hall. The Bulldogs prevailed by a 5-3 tally. Two years later, the Bulldogs hockey program would attain varsity status. In 1976, Brown would host the first ever Ivy League women's ice hockey tournament. The other competing schools were Cornell, Princeton and Yale. The Big Red would win the tournament.
Dartmouth College would welcome women’s ice hockey on January 7, 1978. The Big Green would defeat Middlebury by a 6-5 score. The Big Green would finish their inaugural season with 7 wins, 7 losses, and 1 tie. Against Ivy League teams, the Big Green were 1-3-1. In the 1978-79 season, the Harvard Crimson would ice a women’s team. Their first game was a 17-0 defeat at the hands of the Providence Friars women's ice hockey
Providence Friars women's ice hockey
The Providence Friars women's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents the Providence College. The Friars are a member of Hockey East...
program. The next game was a 2-1 loss to the Yale Bulldogs women's ice hockey program.
On November 24, 1979, the Princeton Tigers played their first varsity game against the University of Pennsylvania. In winter of 1982, Princeton would snap the Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey
Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey
The Cornell Big Red women's ice hockey program represents Cornell University and participates in ECAC Hockey.-History:The Cornell women's hockey program was started in 1971. It would only be in 1972 that the team would play its first game. It was a 4-3 victory over Scarborough. In 1972, they played...
program's string of six straight Ivy League titles.
In 1998, the Patty Kazmaier Award
Patty Kazmaier Award
The Patty Kazmaier Award is given to the top woman college ice hockey player in the United States. The award is presented during the women's annual ice hockey championship, the Frozen Four...
was introduced. The award is named after former Princeton Tigers player Patty Kazmaier. In 1998-99, the Harvard Crimson finished with a record of 33-1. Led by head coach, Katey Stone, the Crimson would proceed to win the American Women's College Hockey Alliance national championship.
Ivy League players accomplishments
In 1987, Mollie Marcoux joined the Princeton Tigers. In her four years with the Tigers, Marcoux would gain twelve letters in athletics (including hockey, soccer, and lacrosse). In 1990, Dartmouth Big Green player Judy Parish Oberting was named to the first U.S. National Team that competed at the 1990 IIHF Women's World Championship. In 1998, Laurie Belliveau of Yale and Sarah Hood of Dartmouth were two Ivy League players named first team All-Americans. This was the first time that Ivy League women's hockey players were bestowed such an honor.During the 2003-04 season, Nicole Corriero
Nicole Corriero
Nicole Corriero was a 3-time All-American ice hockey forward for the Harvard Crimson. Corriero tied former Crimson player Jennifer Botterill's record for most points in one NCAA game with ten. She accomplished the feat on November 7, 2003 versus the Union Dutchwomen...
would set an NCAA record with 59 goals scored in a season. In the same season, former Princeton player Laura Halldorson would coach the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
The Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s ice hockey team plays for the University of Minnesota at the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. The team is one of the members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in Division I...
program to the 2004 NCAA title.
Connecticut Polar Bears
The Connecticut Polar Bears are an ice hockey league for girls under the age of 19 in Connecticut. Numerous players from the Polar Bears have go on to careers in college hockey at the NCAA Division I and Division III levels. In 1985, Maurice FitzMaurice’s daughter Marnie wanted the opportunity to play ice hockey among girls. FitzMaurice and a few other fathers decided to organize a Pee Wee Girls program. The result was the Connecticut Polar Bears. It is the only all girl’s ice hockey program in Connecticut, which consists of eleven teams.Since its beginnings, FitzMaurice has been the President of the Polar Bears. He was also one of the organizers of one of the largest Christmas tournaments in North America. In 2007, the tournament hosted about 275 teams. Games were played across Connecticut. The program has produced numerous Olympians, including: Julie Chu, Jaime Hagerman, Hillary Knight, Sue Merz, A.J. Mleczko, Kim Insalaco, Angela Ruggiero, Sarah Vaillancourt and Gretchen Ulion.
- The Polar Bears have won 10 championships at the National level.
Year City Results 1986 Detroit, MI Peewee team won in final over Assabet, MA 7-0 1990 Detroit, MI Midget team won in OT final against Assabet, MA 2-1 1991 Boston, MA Midget team won in final against Michigan 3-2 1995 Syracuse, NY Peewee team won in double OT final against Assabet, MA 2-1 1996 Bloomington, MN Peewee team won in final against Assabet, MA 5-2 1997 Boston, MA Peewee team won in final against Minnesota 5-2 1997 Boston, MA Midget team won in final against Minnesota 3-1 1998 Anaheim, CA Midget team won in final against Team California 3-0 1999 Minneapolis MN Midget team won in Final against Minnesota 2-1 2004 Rochester, NY Midget team won in Final against Assabet 4-0
Minnesota Whitecaps
Minnesota first competed for the Clarkson CupClarkson Cup
The Clarkson Cup is an ice hockey trophy, which since 2009 has been awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women's Hockey Championship. Like the Stanley Cup, it was created by and named after a former Governor General of Canada: Adrienne Clarkson....
in 2009 in Kingston Ontario. The team lost to the Montreal Stars
Montreal Stars
The Montreal Stars are a professional women's ice hockey team that plays in Montreal, Quebec. The team was awarded the Clarkson Cup in 2009 and 2011 for winning the highest honour in North American women's hockey. . The team has played in the Canadian Women's Hockey League since 2007 its...
in a one game final 3 goals to 1. In 2010, the Minnesota Whitecaps became the first United States based team to win the Clarkson Cup doing so by defeating the Brampton Thunder 4 goals to none.
Seattle Vamps
As early as January 1916, Frank Patrick and Lester PatrickLester Patrick
Curtis Lester "The Silver Fox" Patrick born in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, was a professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association , and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...
talked of the formation of a women’s league to complement the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
. The proposal included teams from Vancouver, Victoria, Portland and Seattle. The league never formed but in January 1917, the Vancouver News-Advertiser reported that wives of the Seattle Metropolitans
Seattle Metropolitans
The Seattle Metropolitans were a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle, Washington which played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1915 to 1924. They won the Stanley Cup in 1917, becoming the first American team to do so...
had assembled a team.
In February 1921, Frank Patrick announced a women’s international championship series that would be played in conjunction with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
. The three teams that competed were the Vancouver Amazons
Vancouver Amazons
-Early years:The Vancouver Amazons were a women’s hockey team from the 1920s. They were the first women’s hockey team from Vancouver to participate in the invitational women’s hockey tournament sponsored by the Banff Winter Carnival. The Amazons competed in 1921. The Amazons qualified for the final...
, Victoria Kewpies, and Seattle Vamps. On February 21, 1921, the Seattle Vamps competed against the Vancouver Amazons in Vancouver, and were vanquished by a 5-0 score. Two days later, the Vamps played against a team from the University of British Columbia and won the game. Jerry Reed scored three goals (a hat trick) in the game for the Vamps. In both games, the Vancouver media referred to the Seattle team as the Seattle Sweeties. The Amazons would travel to Seattle and defeat them again. On March 2, 1921, the Vamps were defeated by the Kewpies 1-0 in Seattle. In the rematch on March 12, the Vamps travelled to Victoria. The result was a 1-1 tie, and Jerry Reed scored the goal for Seattle. The goaltender for the Vamps was Mildren Terran. After the 1921 season, the Vamps and the Kewpies ceased operations.
Timeline of events
- 1980: The Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (known today as USA Hockey) hosts the first National Championships for girls’ pee wee and midget divisions. A team from Taylor, Michigan wins the inaugural pee wee tournament. A team from Wayzata, Minn., is the first girls’ midget National Champion.
- 1981: Senior women are included in USA Hockey’s National Championships. Assabet Valley, Mass., wins the Senior A National Championship, while Cape Cod, Mass., winning the Senior B crown.
- 1984: The Providence Friars women’s hockey program wins the inaugural Eastern College Athletic Conference Women’s Championship.
- 1993: Women’s hockey is included at the U.S. Olympic Festival for the first time ever. The festival is held in San Antonio, Texas and the US women’s team defeats Canada in a two-game series for the gold medal.
- 1994: The third IIHF Women’s World Championship is held in the United States for the first time. The venue is Lake Placid, New York. Canada wins the gold medal game by a 6-3 mark against the U.S. Finland defeats China, 8-1, to finish third once again.
- 1995: On March 25, Apple Valley High School defeats the South St. Paul Packers, 2-0, to become the first Minnesota girls’ state high school champion.
- 1995: The inaugural IIHF Pacific Rim Women’s Hockey Championship, featuring the U.S., Canada, China and Japan, is held in San Jose, California. The Canadian team defeates the U.S. in an overtime shootout to win the gold medal.
Figures
- Laura Stamm was a power skating instructor in the 1970s and 1980s for several NHL teams, including the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings.
- Lauren Apollo played for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats and was a member of the United States national team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- Cindy Curley played for the Providence Friars and was a member of several U.S. national teams in the early 1990s.
- On Oct. 30, 1993, goaltender Erin WhittenErin WhittenErin Whitten is a hockey goaltender who has played professionally with various men's teams. She has played with the Dallas Freeze of the CHL, the Toledo Storm of the ECHL, the Utica Blizzard, Muskegon Fury, and the Flint Generals of the Colonial Hockey League...
made history by becoming the first woman to record a victory in a professional hockey game. As a member of the East Coast Hockey League’s Toledo Storm, she posted a 6-5 win against the Dayton Bombers. In 1994 she received the first-ever USA Hockey Women’s Hockey Player of the Year Award. On March 7, 1996, she become the first women to appear in a professional hockey game in a position other than goaltender, when, as a member of the Colonial Hockey League’s Flint Generals, she played at forward for 18 seconds in a game against the Madison Monsters. - Sue Ring-Jarvi is considered the grandmother of girls' and women's hockey in Minnesota. She was part of the movement that led Minnesota to become the first state to recognize girls' hockey as a varsity sport, in 1994.
- Laura HalldorsonLaura HalldorsonLaura Halldorson was a coach for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. She played for the Princeton Tigers women's ice hockey program with Patty Kazmaier. In addition, she played with Cindy Curley and Lauren Apollo on the earliest U.S...
was a coach for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, and played at Princeton with Patty Kazmaier. In addition, she played with Cindy Curley and Lauren Apollo on the earliest U.S. National teams. Five of the players she coached at Minnesota would later become Olympians themselves, including 2006 U.S. captain Krissy Wendell. - The late Patty Kazmaier played for the Princeton Tigers. An award for the best player in women's college hockey is named in her honor.
- On September 13, 2011, Buffalo native Lexi Peters became the first female ice hockey player to appear in an EA Sports NHL Hockey video game. Her appearance came in EA Sports NHL 12 video game. In previous experiences with EA Sports’ NHL titles, she spent hours with the custom team features in an attempt to recreate the Purple Eagles (an all-girls team Peters plays for). The various titles player creation options did not include a female character build. Peters asked her father why there were no female characters in past video games. Her dad suggested that she write a letter to the company and inquire about it. David Littman, the lead producer of the EA Sports NHL Game received permission from the NHL and EA's lawyers to include Lexi Peters in their EA Sports NHL 12 video game (released on September 13, 2011). EA Sports informed Lexi that they were going to have her as the game's "default" female player that gamers would be able to customize.
Minnesota
In 1994, more than 500 member schools were sent letters by the Minnesota State high school league. The intent was to determine how many schools were interested in starting girls' ice hockey teams. Twenty-four expressed interest as the league was looking for a new sport for Title IXTitle IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
purposes. On March 21, 1994, the Minnesota State High School League sanctioned girls’ ice hockey. Minnesota becomes the first state in the U.S. to sanction girls’ ice hockey as a high school varsity sport. On March 25, 1995, Apple Valley High School defeated the South St. Paul Packers, 2-0, to become the first Minnesota girls’ state high school champion.
From 1994 to 2002, the number of varsity girls' teams in Minnesota expanded from 24 to 125 (in two classifications, AA and A). In 2001, a three-day girls' state tournament attracted 15,551 spectators. In 1994 there were 1,863 girls in the state participating in organized hockey outside of a varsity high school program. In 2002, the number increased to 6,856.
Sarah Devens Award
| Year | Player | School |
| 1996-97 | Kathryn Waldo | Northeastern |
| 1997-98 | Sarah Hood | Dartmouth |
| 1998-99 | Jaime Totten | Northeastern |
| 1999-2000 | Carrie Jokiel | New Hampshire |
| 2000-01 | Christina Sorbara | Brown |
| 2001-02 | Dianna Bell | Cornell |
| 2002-03 | Rachel Barrie | St. Lawrence |
| 2003-04 | Lindsay Charlebois | Harvard |
| 2004-05 | Nicole Corriero Nicole Corriero Nicole Corriero was a 3-time All-American ice hockey forward for the Harvard Crimson. Corriero tied former Crimson player Jennifer Botterill's record for most points in one NCAA game with ten. She accomplished the feat on November 7, 2003 versus the Union Dutchwomen... |
Harvard |
| 2005-06 | Karen Thatcher Karen Thatcher Karen Thatcher is an American ice hockey forward. She was named to the United States women’s ice hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics.-NCAA:... |
Providence |
| 2006-07 | Lindsay Williams | Clarkson |
| 2007-08 | Lizzie Keady | Princeton |
| 2008-09 | Marianna Locke | St. Lawrence |
| 2009-10 | Laura Gersten | Rensselaer |
Minnesota Ms. Hockey Award
| Year | Player | School |
| 2010 | Bethany Brausen | Roseville Area |
| 2009 | Becky Kortum | Hopkins |
| 2008 | Sarah Erickson | Bemidji |
| 2007 | Katharine Chute | Blake |
| 2006 | Allie Thunstrom | North St. Paul |
| 2005 | Gigi Marvin | Warroad |
| 2004 | Erica McKenzie | Hastings |
| 2003 | Andrea Nichols | Hibbing/Chisholm |
| 2002 | Ashley Albrecht | South St. Paul |
| 2001 | Renee Curtin | Roseville |
| 2000 | Krissy Wendell Krissy Wendell Krissy Wendell is an American women's ice hockey player. During the 2004-05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7. After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16... |
Park Center |
| 1999 | Ronda Curtin Ronda Curtin Ronda Curtin played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers ice hockey team. During her career, she was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, and she was selected to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association women’s team of the decade in the 2000s... |
Roseville |
| 1998 | Laura Slominski | Burnsville |
| 1997 | Annamarie Holmes | Apple Valley |
| 1996 | Winny Brodt | Roseville |
Patty Kazmaier Award
| Year | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Brandy Fisher Brandy Fisher Brandy Fisher played ice hockey for the New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey program and was the first ever winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award, awarded to the top female ice hockey player in the NCAA.-Playing career:... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
New Hampshire University of New Hampshire The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is... |
| 1999 | A.J. Mleczko | forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Harvard Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2000 | Ali Brewer | goaltender Goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring... |
Brown Brown University Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,... |
| 2001 | Jennifer Botterill Jennifer Botterill Jennifer Botterill, OM is a retired women's hockey player who played for the Canadian national women's hockey team, Mississauga Chiefs and the Toronto Aeros. Her final game was the 2011 Clarkson Cup final, a 5-0 loss to the Montreal Stars... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Harvard Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2002 | Brooke Whitney Brooke Whitney Brooke Whitney was an ice hockey player for the Northeastern Huskies. In 2002, she was awarded the Patty Kazmaier Award.-Playing career:... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Northeastern Northeastern University, Boston Northeastern University , is a private, secular, coeducational research university in Boston, Massachusetts. Northeastern has eight colleges and offers undergraduate majors in 65 departments... |
| 2003 | Jennifer Botterill Jennifer Botterill Jennifer Botterill, OM is a retired women's hockey player who played for the Canadian national women's hockey team, Mississauga Chiefs and the Toronto Aeros. Her final game was the 2011 Clarkson Cup final, a 5-0 loss to the Montreal Stars... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Harvard Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2004 | Angela Ruggiero Angela Ruggiero Angela Marie Ruggiero is an American ice hockey defenseman. She is a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. She is also the author of a memoir about her hockey experiences and a former contestant on the NBC reality show The Apprentice... |
defense Defenceman (ice hockey) Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring... |
Harvard Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2005 | Krissy Wendell Krissy Wendell Krissy Wendell is an American women's ice hockey player. During the 2004-05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7. After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Minnesota University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557... |
| 2006 | Sara Bauer Sara Bauer Sara Bauer played for the Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey program. In four years, she accumulated 218 points. Bauer won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2006. During the 2008-09 NCAA season, the WCHA honored its Top 10 Players from the First Decade... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866... |
| 2007 | Julie Chu Julie Chu Julie Chu is an American Olympic ice hockey player who plays the position of forward on the United States women's ice hockey team and the Montreal Stars. Chu's hometown is Fairfield, Connecticut, although she resided in Cambridge, Massachusetts during her college years while playing hockey for... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Harvard Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2008 | Sarah Vaillancourt Sarah Vaillancourt Sarah Marie Vaillancourt is a Canadian women's ice hockey player. She is a member of the Canadian national women's hockey team and a member of Montreal Stars .-Playing career:... |
forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Harvard Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
| 2009 | Jessie Vetter | Goaltender Goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring... |
Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866... |
| 2010 | Vicki Bendus Vicki Bendus Vicki Bendus is a hockey player for the Mercyhurst Lakers women's ice hockey program. She was the winner of the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Award, awarded to the top player in women's NCAA hockey. She was also selected for the Canadian national women's team that will compete in the 2010 Four Nations Cup.... |
Forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Mercyhurst College Mercyhurst College Mercyhurst College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.-History:On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Erie Diocese, who were led by Mother M. Borgia... |
Joe Burke award
The Joe Burke Award was established in 1994. It is presented annually to the person who has given outstanding contribution, support, and dedication to women’s ice hockey. Joe Burke was a Dedham resident but never actually played the game himself. The first game he attended was the University of New Hampshire and Boston College in 1978 at McHugh Forum. Since that game, Burke has been at every major Girls/Women's hockey event in the New England area.| Year | Winner | Background |
| 1994 | Joe Burke | Women's Hockey Supporter, Fan |
| 1995 | John Donley | Harvard University |
| 1996 | Bernie McKinnon | St. Lawrence University |
| 1997 | Joe Bertagna | ECAC/Hockey East, Harvard |
| 1998 | Carl Gray | Assabet Valley, USA Hockey |
| 1999 | Award not given out | |
| 2000 | Award not given out | |
| 2001 | Russ McCurdy | University of New Hampshire |
| 2002 | Bette Blair | USA Hockey, volunteer |
| 2003 | Jane Ring | St. Paul, MN |
| 2004 | George Crowe | Dartmouth |
| 2005 | Bill Cahill | Rensselaer |
| 2006 | Charlie Stryker | MN Hockey |
| 2007 | Sue Ring-Jarvi | MN Girls’/Women’s Hockey |
| 2008 | Maurice FitzMaurice | Connecticut Polar Bears |
| 2009 | Bob and Kathleen Ridder | |
| 2010 | Kelly Dyer Kelly Dyer Kelly Dyer is a member of the Northeastern University athletics Hall of Fame, and a former ice hockey goaltender for the United States women's national ice hockey team.-Youth:... Hayes |
USA Hockey |
Laura Hurd Award
The Laura Hurd Award is given to the AHCA Women’s Ice Hockey College Player of the Year| Year | Winner | School | Position |
| 2000 | Sylvia Ryan | Middlebury | Forward |
| 2001 | Michelle Labbe | Middlebury | Forward |
| 2002 | Sarah Moe | Gustavus Adolphus | Forward |
| 2003 | Angela Kapus | Middlebury | Forward/Defense |
| 2004 | Molly Wasserman | Williams | Forward |
| 2005 | Laura Hurd | Elmira | Forward |
| 2006 | Emily Quizon | Middlebury | Forward |
| 2007 | Andrea Peterson | Gustavus Adolphus | Defense |
| 2008 | Danielle Blanchard | Plattsburgh | Forward |
| 2009 | Kayla Coady | Elmira | Forward |
| 2010 | Isabel Iwachiw | Trinity | Goaltender |
USA Hockey Women's Player of the Year Award
| Year | Winner |
| 1995 | Karyn Bye Karyn Bye Karyn L. Bye is an ice hockey player. She was the alternate captain of the 1998 Winter Olympics gold-medal winning United States Women's Hockey Team. She has been a member of the US National Team since 1992... |
| 1996 | Cammi Granato Cammi Granato Catherine Michelle "Cammi" Granato is a retired American female ice hockey player and one of the first women to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2010.... |
| 1997 | Laurie Baker Laurie Baker (ice hockey) Laurie Baker is an American ice hockey player. She won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.-Awards and honors:... |
| 1998 | Karyn Bye |
| 1999 | A.J. Mleczko |
| 2000 | Sara DeCosta-Hayes |
| 2001 | Krissy Wendell Krissy Wendell Krissy Wendell is an American women's ice hockey player. During the 2004-05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7. After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16... |
| 2002 | Sara DeCosta-Hayes |
| 2003 | Angela Ruggiero Angela Ruggiero Angela Marie Ruggiero is an American ice hockey defenseman. She is a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. She is also the author of a memoir about her hockey experiences and a former contestant on the NBC reality show The Apprentice... |
| 2004 | Angela Ruggiero |
| 2005 | Natalie Darwitz Natalie Darwitz Natalie Darwitz is an American ice hockey player. Natalie has been the Captain of the US Women's National Team since the start of the 2007-08 season... |
| 2006 | Katie King Katie King Katie King may refer to:*Katie King , Olympic athlete*Katie King , name given by spiritualists to what they believed to be a materialized spirit... |
| 2007 | Julie Chu Julie Chu Julie Chu is an American Olympic ice hockey player who plays the position of forward on the United States women's ice hockey team and the Montreal Stars. Chu's hometown is Fairfield, Connecticut, although she resided in Cambridge, Massachusetts during her college years while playing hockey for... |
| 2008 | Caitlin Cahow Caitlin Cahow Caitlin Cahow is an American ice hockey player. She attended the Foote School, where she graduated in 2000 and then attended the Hotchkiss School where she graduated in 2003 after playing soccer, field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse... |
| 2009 | Jessie Vetter |
| 2010 | Jenny Potter Jenny Potter Jenny Schmidgall-Potter is an American ice hockey player. She is a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. She won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, silver medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics... |
Other awards
- Krissy Wendell, 2005 Bob Johnson Award
- Natalie Darwitz, 2008 Bob Johnson Award
- 2009 U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team, 2009 Bob Johnson Award
- 2009 U.S. Women's National Team, 2009 Bob Johnson Award
International Tournaments
The following women's ice hockey tournaments (featuring teams from other nations) were contested in the United States.| Year | Tournament | Location | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 1994 IIHF Women's World Championship | Lake Placid, New York | Canada women's national ice hockey team |
| 1995 | 1995 Women's Pacific Rim Championship 1995 Women's Pacific Rim Championship The 1995 IIHF Women's Pacific Rim Championship was held between April 3–8, 1995. The tournament was held in San Jose, CA, USA.Canada won the first of these tournaments the hard way, after losing in the Group Stage 5-2 to the United States, they defeated China in a shootout before taking the US to a... |
San Jose, California | Canada women's national ice hockey team |
| 2001 | 2001 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships 2001 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2001 IIHF World Women's Championships was held April 2 – April 8, 2001 in six cities in the state of Minnesota. Team Canada won their seventh consecutive gold medal at the World Championships defeating the United States in a repeat of the previous six finals.-Teams:With the promotion and... |
Minneapolis, Minnesota | Canada women's national ice hockey team |
| 2002 | Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:... |
Salt Lake City, Utah | Canada women's national ice hockey team |
| 2010 | 2010 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship 2010 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship The 2010 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship is the third junior female world ice hockey championships. It was held held from March 27 through April 3, 2010, in Chicago, Illinois... |
Chicago, Illinois | Canada women's national ice hockey team |
Famous Firsts
- January 28, 2005: Angela RuggieroAngela RuggieroAngela Marie Ruggiero is an American ice hockey defenseman. She is a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. She is also the author of a memoir about her hockey experiences and a former contestant on the NBC reality show The Apprentice...
played for the Tulsa OilersTulsa Oilers (hockey team)The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. The Oilers played their home games at the Maxwell Center until 2008, when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tulsa Oilers name was shared with Tulsa's former minor-league baseball team that...
in a Central Hockey LeagueCentral Hockey LeagueThe Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
game against the Rio Grande Valley Killer BeesRio Grande Valley Killer BeesThe Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees are a professional ice hockey team based in Hidalgo, Texas, and play their home games at State Farm Arena. They are a member of the Central Hockey League, and two time Central Hockey League franchise of the year...
. She was the first woman to actively play in a regular season professional hockey game in the United States at a position other than goalie. In addition, since her brother Bill Ruggiero also played for the Oilers, they were the first brother-sister combination to play professionally at the same time. - 2009: Alex Rigsby becomes the first female to be drafted by the United States Hockey LeagueUnited States Hockey LeagueThe United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
. She is selected by the Chicago Steel. She would go on to play for the Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockeyWisconsin Badgers women's ice hockeyThe Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team is the hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.-History:On October 8, 1999, the Bulldogs played the Wisconsin Badgers in the first ever Women's WCHA conference game at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI...
program.
Number of registered players
- 1990–91: USA HockeyUSA HockeyUSA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
counts 2,700 women participating in ice hockey. - 1993–94: USA Hockey count reveals that the number of women participants has increased to 6,300
- 1997–98: Compared to four years ago, USA Hockey now reports 23,010 female players.
- 1998: Women's ice hockey becomes an Olympic medal sport at the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, with the U.S. women winning the gold medal.
- 2005: The number of U.S. female hockey players reaches 52,469.
See also
- Canadian women's ice hockey historyCanadian women's ice hockey historyThe first instances of organized women's ice hockey in Canada date back to the 1890s when it is played at the university level. The Women's Hockey Association claims that the city of Ottawa, Ontario hosted the first game in 1891. In February 1921 a women’s international championship series that was...
- Title IXTitle IXTitle IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
- Women's Ice Hockey in Great BritainWomen's Ice Hockey in Great BritainWomen's Ice Hockey in Great Britain is administered by the English and Scottish Ice Hockey Associations. It is one of the fastest growing areas of the game.The British Women's Leagues were formed with five teams in 1984...
- Women's Ice Hockey in FinlandWomen's ice hockey in FinlandWomen's Ice Hockey in Finland has 2 593 players in 2005 and 4 694 in 2011 .The Jääkiekon naisten SM-sarja is the league elite of Women's ice Hockey. This league is organized by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association....
- Women's Ice Hockey in SwedenWomen's ice hockey in SwedenWomen's Ice Hockey in Sweden has 3 425 players in 2011. The Riksserien is the league elite of Women's ice Hockey. This league is organized by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association...
- German women's ice hockey BundesligaGerman women's ice hockey BundesligaThe German women's ice hockey Bundesliga is Germany's top league in Women's ice Hockey. It is organized by the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund, which governs the sport in Germany, in which 2549 players competed in 2011.- History :The German Women's Ice Hockey Bundesliga was created in 1988-89...
- Austria women's ice hockey BundesligaAustria women's ice hockey BundesligaThe Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga is the upper league in Women's ice hockey in Austria. It is organized by the . Austria had 644 female players in 2011.- History :...