THE STATE OF HOCKEY AND COLLEGE HOCKEY
Minnesota and its unique community-based hockey model produce more NCAA Division I hockey players than any other state. A look at the numbers for the 2019-20 season:
Division I Men’s Players
Minnesota 205
Michigan 150
Massachusetts 107
New York 82
Illinois 76
Division I Women’s Players
Minnesota 176
Massachusetts 98
New York 58
Illinois 42
Michigan 40
- Minnesota produces 12% of all Division I men’s hockey players and 17% of all Division I women’s players. Minnesotans make up 18% of Americans playing Division I men’s hockey and 27% of Americans playing Division I women’s hockey.
- 49 of the 60 Division I men’s teams (82%) feature at least one Minnesotan, including 18 of 20 teams in the current USCHO.com top 20 (Massachusetts and Northeastern are the exceptions).
- 33 of 41 Division I women’s teams (80%) feature at least one Minnesotan, including all 10 teams in the current USCHO.com top 10.
- 14 Division I men’s captains and eight Division I women’s captains hail from Minnesota.
- Providence (2015) is the only team this century to win a men’s national title without a Minnesotan on its roster (Maine, 1999, was the last).
- Of elite men’s players in Minnesota (those good enough to be playing NCAA Division I or CHL), 96% are currently on the NCAA path (201 of 210).
- Of the 48 Minnesota players to appear in the NHL this season (most of any state), 47 played NCAA hockey (98%).
8 Division I men’s coaches hail from Minnesota:
Mike Hastings, Minnesota State
Brett Larson, St. Cloud State
Bob Motzko, Minnesota
Mel Pearson, Michigan
Steve Rohlik, Ohio State
Scott Sandelin, Minnesota Duluth
Frank Serratore, Air Force
Tom Serratore, Bemidji State
Top Minnesota-born point scorers in men’s Division I this season:
Scott Perunovich, UMD Hibbing 3-22—25
Odeen Tufto, QU Chaska 3-20—23
Sam Hentges, SCSU New Brighton 7-15—22
Casey Dornbach, Harv. Edina 9-12—21
Zach Risteau, SLU Lakeville 7-14—21
Noah Cates, UMD Stillwater 11-9—20
Cole Koepke, UMD Hermantown 8-11—19
Philip Beaulieu, NMU Duluth 3-16—19
Top Minnesota-born goaltenders in men’s Division I this season (by save pct.):
Zach Driscoll, Bemidji St. Apple Valley .928, 11-5-2, 1.77 GAA
Josh Benson, SHU Stillwater .920, 14-7-1, 2.17 GAA
Darion Hanson, Union East Bethel .911, 6-15-2, 2.65 GAA
Jared Moe, Minn. New Prague .909, 4-4-1, 2.62 GAA
Hunter Shepard, UMD Cohasset .909, 12-6-2, 2.35 GAA -continued-
Top Minnesota-born point scorers in women’s Division I this season:
Liz Schepers, OSU Mound 17-14—31
Grace Zumwinkle, Minn. Excelsior 16-14—30
Taylor Heise, Minn. Lake City 13-15—28
Carly Bullock, Princeton Eden Prairie 14-13—27
Gabbie Hughes, UMD Lino Lakes 11-16—27
Mekenzie Steffen, UW Centerville 5-19—24
Top Minnesota-born goaltenders in women’s Division I this season (by save pct.):
Sydney Scobee, Minn. Minnetrista .942, 18-1-3, 1.37 GAA
Maddie Rooney, UMD Andover .927, 8-8-3, 2.04 GAA
Lauren Bench, BSU Eagan .918, 10-8-0, 2.16 GAA
Emma Polusny, SCSU Mound .916, 3-14-3, 2.93 GAA
Clare Minnerath, Prov. Sartell .902, 8-5-2, 2.22 GAA
Formed in 2009 in partnership with USA Hockey, College Hockey Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Division I men’s college hockey to prospective players and fans. College Hockey Inc. serves as a resource to young aspiring players and their families deciding whether to pursue NCAA hockey or major junior hockey.