# St. Cloud State Huskies women's ice hockey

The St. Cloud State Huskies women's ice hockey team is a college ice hockey program representing St. Cloud State University in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) conference of NCAA Division I competition. They play at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Brian Idalski has been the program's head coach since the 2022–23 season.

## History

In 2010, Felicia Nelson became the first Huskies player to be a Top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award. The club had a 15–14–8 overall record in 2009–10 and an 11–11–6 mark in the WCHA. The team finished the season in third place. This was the first time in school and league history that St. Cloud State was one of the top three schools in the standings.
In the 2015–16 NCAA season, Katie Fitzgerald was the starting goaltender for the St. Cloud State University Huskies. She would lead all goaltenders in the WCHA conference in shots faced, appearing in 34 games played. Her final win on home ice at St. Cloud took place on February 12, as she made 39 saves in a win against North Dakota, besting All-America goaltender Shelby Amsley-Benzie.

## Season-by-season results

| Won Championship | Lost Championship | Conference Champions | League Leader |
| Year | Coach | W | L | T | Conference | Conf. W | Conf. L | Conf. T | Finish | Conference Tournament | NCAA Tournament |
| 2023–24 | Brian Idalski | 17 | 17 | 2 | WCHA | 12 | 14 | 2 | 5th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Duluth (0–5, 0–2) | Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | Brian Idalski | 18 | 18 | 1 | WCHA | 11 | 16 | 1 | 5th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Duluth (0–1, 1–5) | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | Steve Macdonald | 9 | 23 | 3 | WCHA | 4 | 20 | 3 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State (0–6, 0–3) | Did not qualify |
| 2020–21 | Steve Macdonald | 6 | 12 | 1 | WCHA | 6 | 12 | 1 | 6th WCHA | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019–20 | Steve Macdonald | 6 | 25 | 4 | WCHA | 2 | 21 | 1 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota (2–4, 3–7) | Did not qualify |
| 2018–19 | Eric Rud | 10 | 25 | 2 | WCHA | 5 | 19 | 0 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin (0–5, 0–8) | Did not qualify |
| 2017–18 | Eric Rud | 8 | 20 | 5 | WCHA | 6 | 14 | 4 | 6th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota (1–5, 1–4) | Did not qualify |
| 2016–17 | Eric Rud | 9 | 23 | 4 | WCHA | 7 | 18 | 3 | 6th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Duluth (1–6, 1–6) | Did not qualify |
| 2015–16 | Eric Rud | 14 | 18 | 2 | WCHA | 10 | 16 | 2 | 5th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. North Dakota (1–6, 1–6) | Did not qualify |
| 2014–15 | Eric Rud | 8 | 28 | 1 | WCHA | 5 | 22 | 1 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin (1–5, 1–4) | Did not qualify |
| 2013–14 | Jeff Giesen | 4 | 27 | 5 | WCHA | 3 | 21 | 4 | 8th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota (1–4, 1–7) | Did not qualify |
| 2012–13 | Jeff Giesen | 9 | 24 | 3 | WCHA | 5 | 21 | 2 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin (0–5, 1–4) | Did not qualify |
| 2011–12 | Jeff Giesen | 5 | 29 | 2 | WCHA | 4 | 24 | 0 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota (1–6, 0–6) | Did not qualify |
| 2010–11 | Jeff Giesen | 1 | 33 | 1 | WCHA | 1 | 26 | 1 | 8th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin (3–9, 1–5) | Did not qualify |
| 2009–10 | Jeff Giesen | 15 | 14 | 8 | WCHA | 11 | 11 | 6 | 3rd WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Bemidji State (3–0, 1–2, 1–4) | Did not qualify |
| 2008–09 | Jeff Giesen | 15 | 18 | 4 | WCHA | 11 | 14 | 3 | 4th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota State (2–1, 1–2, 0–1) | Did not qualify |
| 2007–08 | Jeff Giesen | 18 | 15 | 5 | WCHA | 11 | 13 | 4 | 4th WCHA | Won Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State (4–2, 0–3, 5–3) Lost Semifinals vs. Minnesota Duluth (0–9) | Did not qualify |
| 2006–07 | Jeff Giesen | 12 | 18 | 7 | WCHA | 7 | 16 | 5 | 7th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Minnesota Duluth (3–4, 3–1, 1–5) | Did not qualify |
| 2005–06 | Jason Lesteberg | 18 | 18 | 1 | WCHA | 13 | 14 | 1 | 4th WCHA | Won Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State (2–1 OT) Lost Semifinals vs. Wisconsin (0–9) | Did not qualify |
| 2004–05 | Jason Lesteberg | 9 | 22 | 4 | WCHA | 7 | 18 | 3 | 6th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin (1–3) | Did not qualify |
| 2003–04 | Jason Lesteberg | 7 | 24 | 1 | WCHA | 4 | 19 | 1 | 6th WCHA | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2002–03 | Jason Lesteberg | 11 | 23 | 0 | WCHA | 5 | 19 | 4 | 6th WCHA | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2001–02 | Kerry Brodt Wethington | 7 | 26 | 1 | WCHA | 6 | 17 | 1 | 6th WCHA | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2000–01 | Kerry Brodt Wethington | 17 | 16 | 2 | WCHA | 12 | 10 | 2 | 4th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State (0–5) | Did not qualify |
| 1999–2000 | Kerry Brodt Wethington | 13 | 19 | 3 | WCHA | 6 | 15 | 4 | 4th WCHA | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Ohio State (2–3) | Did not qualify |
| 1998–99 | Kerry Brodt Wethington | 8 | 10 | 2 | WCHA | | | | | | |

## Current roster

    As of October 31, 2024

### Coaching staff

* Head coach: Brian Idalski
* Associate head coach: Jinelle Siergiej
* Assistant coach: Noora Räty
* Assistant coach: Emily Ach

## Awards and honors
### NCAA Division I
#### Patty Kazmaier Award

The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is awarded annually to the national player of the year in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.

#### All-Americans

All-American selections are made by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA).

#### National Players of the Month

National Player of the Month honors are awarded by the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA).
Goaltender
* October 2023: Sanni Ahola
* December 2023: Sanni Ahola

### WCHA
#### Player of the Year

    2009–10: Felicia Nelson (co-winner with Zuzana Tomčíková of Bemidji State)

#### Student-Athlete of the Year

    2009–10: Caitlin Hogan

#### Goaltender of the Year

The WCHA Goaltender of the Year has been awarded since the 2017–18 season. It should not be confused with the Goaltending Champion, which is awarded to the goaltender with the best goals against average (GAA) in WCHA play (only in-conference statistics are included) and has been awarded since the 1999–2000 season.
    2021–22: Emma Polusny
    2023–24: Sanni Ahola

#### Coach of the Year

    2000–01: Kerry Wethington (co-winner with Laura Halldorson of Minnesota)
    2022–23: Brian Idalski (co-winner with Nadine Muzerall of Ohio State)

#### Weekly honors
### Statistical leaders

* Felicia Nelson, NCAA leader, 2009–10 season, Goals per game, 0.91

## Huskies in professional hockey

| Player | Position | Team(s) | League(s) | Years | Championships |
| Hannah Bates | Defence | Connecticut Whale | PHF | 2021–2023 | |
| Katie Fitzgerald | Goaltender | Metropolitan Riveters | PHF, PWHPA | 2016–2020 | 1 (2018) |
| Linnea Melotindos | Forward | Ilves | Naisten Liiga | 2022–present | |
| Jenniina Nylund | Centre | Brynäs IF | SDHL | 2023–present | |
| Meaghan Pezon | Forward | Minnesota Whitecaps | PHF | 2018–2023 | 1 (2019) |
| Emma Polusny | Goaltender | Leksands IF | SDHL | 2022–present | |
| Kelsey Russell | Forward | Linköping HC | SDHL | 2022–present | |