# 2015–16 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

The 2015–16 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season represented the University of Minnesota during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. They were coached by Brad Frost in his ninth season. The Golden Gophers advanced to the Frozen Four championship game for the fifth consecutive year and defeated Boston College 3–1 in the title game.

## Offseason
### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Anna Barlow | Defense | United States | Competed at South St. Paul Secondary |
| Tianna Gunderson | Forward | United States | From Roseau High School |
| Emma May | Goaltender | United States | Hails from Eagan, Minnesota |
| Sarah Potomak | Forward | Canada | Competed with Canada at IIHF U18 Women's Worlds |
| Sophie Skarzynski | Defense | United States | Hails from Lake Forest, Illinois |
| Sierra Smith | Forward | United States | Competed with Stillwater Area High School |
| Taylor Williamson | Forward | United States | Played with Edina High School |

### Exhibition

* Sarah Potomak made her debut for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a September 25, 2015 exhibition match against the Minnesota Whitecaps logging two assists on goals scored by Hannah Brandt as the squad prevailed by a 5–4 tally.

## Regular season
### News and notes

* Sarah Potomak's regular season debut took place on October 1, 2015 in a 2–0 win against Penn State. Potomak scored an empty net goal, for the first goal of her NCAA career. In a two-game sweep of St. Cloud State on October 9–10, 2015, Potomak accumulated two goals and four assists. In the second game against St. Cloud, she logged the first multi-goal game of her NCAA career.
* An 11–1 win against the MSU-Mankato Mavericks in November 2015 saw Sarah Potomak tie the program record for most points in one game. She would register a seven-point output consisting two goals and five assists. Potomak was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd segment for the week of December 14, 2015.

### Standings

2015–16 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| #3 Wisconsin*† | 28 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 74 | 100 | 22 | 40 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 154 | 29 |
| #1 Minnesota | 28 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 139 | 39 | 40 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 187 | 51 |
| #10 Bemidji State | 28 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 54 | 56 | 51 | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 77 | 68 |
| #8 North Dakota | 28 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 46 | 54 | 49 | 35 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 79 | 62 |
| St. Cloud State | 28 | 9 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 34 | 44 | 88 | 35 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 63 | 115 |
| Minnesota Duluth | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 67 | 84 | 37 | 15 | 21 | 1 | 90 | 109 |
| Ohio State | 28 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 58 | 110 | 36 | 10 | 25 | 1 | 80 | 134 |
| Minnesota State | 28 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 116 | 36 | 3 | 29 | 4 | 55 | 137 |
| Championship: Wisconsin † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Current rankings: USCHO.com Division I women's poll ||||||||||||||||

### Schedule

Source:
| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| October 1 | 6:00 | at Penn State* | #1 | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, PA | Amanda Leveille | W 2–0 | 485 | 1–0–0 |
| October 2 | 6:00 | at Penn State* | #1 | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, PA | Sidney Peters | W 5–0 | 507 | 2–0–0 |
| October 9 | 7:07 | St. Cloud State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 7–0 | 1,851 | 3–0–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 10 | 4:07 | St. Cloud State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 11–0 | 2,335 | 4–0–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 16 | 5:07 | at Ohio State | #1 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Leveille | W 7–2 | 465 | 5–0–0 (3–0–0) |
| October 17 | 1:07 | at Ohio State | #1 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Leveille | W 11–2 | 575 | 6–0–0 (4–0–0) |
| October 23 | 6:07 | Minnesota Duluth | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 5–2 | 1,685 | 7–0–0 (5–0–0) |
| October 24 | 4:07 | Minnesota Duluth | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 6–1 | 1,965 | 8–0–0 (6–0–0) |
| October 29 | 7:07 | at #7 North Dakota | #1 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Leveille | W 5–1 | 1,066 | 9–0–0 (7–0–0) |
| October 30 | 7:07 | at #7 North Dakota | #1 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Leveille | L 3–4 | 3,361 | 9–1–0 (7–1–0) |
| November 13 | 7:07 | #5 Bemidji State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 4–0 | 1,957 | 10–1–0 (8–1–0) |
| November 14 | 4:07 | #5 Bemidji State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 8–3 | 2,148 | 11–1–0 (9–1–0) |
| November 20 | 7:07 | Yale* | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 6–3 | 1,932 | 12–1–0 |
| November 21 | 7:07 | Yale* | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 4–1 | 1,682 | 13–1–0 |
| November 27 | 2:07 | at Minnesota State | #3 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Leveille | W 11–1 | 313 | 14–1–0 (10–1–0) |
| November 28 | 2:07 | at Minnesota State | #3 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Peters | W 2–1 | 152 | 15–1–0 (11–1–0) |
| December 4 | 7:07 | at #1 Wisconsin | #3 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Leveille | L 2–3 $^{OT}$ | 2,273 | 15–2–0 (11–2–0) |
| December 5 | 3:07 | at #1 Wisconsin | #3 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Leveille | L 1–3 | 2,273 | 15–3–0 (11–3–0) |
| December 11 | 6:37 | vs. St. Cloud State* | #3 | John Rose Oval • Roseville, MN (Hall of Fame Game) | Leveille | W 7–0 | 1,078 | 16–3–0 |
| January 9, 2016 | 2:07 | Ohio State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 3–1 | 2,431 | 17–3–0 (12–3–0) |
| January 10 | 2:07 | Ohio State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 9–0 | 1,677 | 18–3–0 (13–3–0) |
| January 16 | 2:07 | Minnesota State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 3–2 | 1,927 | 19–3–0 (14–3–0) |
| January 17 | 2:07 | Minnesota State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 2–1 | 1,740 | 20–3–0 (15–3–0) |
| January 22 | 3:07 | at St. Cloud State | #3 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Leveille | W 7–0 | 212 | 21–3–0 (16–3–0) |
| January 23 | 3:07 | at St. Cloud State | #3 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Peters | W 4–2 | 243 | 22–3–0 (17–3–0) |
| January 29 | 7:07 | at #7 Bemidji State | #3 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Leveille | W 2–1 | 672 | 23–3–0 (18–3–0) |
| January 30 | 4:07 | at #7 Bemidji State | #3 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Leveille | W 2–1 $^{OT}$ | 715 | 24–3–0 (19–3–0) |
| February 5 | 6:07 | #8 North Dakota | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 3–0 | 2,635 | 25–3–0 (20–3–0) |
| February 6 | 4:07 | #8 North Dakota | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | T 0–0 $^{OT}$ | 2,678 | 25–3–1 (20–3–1) |
| February 12 | 7:07 | at Minnesota Duluth | #3 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Leveille | W 7–3 | 1,301 | 26–3–1 (21–3–1) |
| February 13 | 4:07 | at Minnesota Duluth | #3 | Amsoil Arena • Duluth, MN | Leveille | W 6–2 | 1,242 | 27–3–1 (22–3–1) |
| February 19 | 7:07 | #2 Wisconsin | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 4–0 | 3,288 | 28–3–1 (23–3–1) |
| February 20 | 3:03 | #2 Wisconsin | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Leveille | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 3,091 | 29–3–1 (24–3–1) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||||
| February 26 | 7:07 | Ohio State* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinals, Game 1) | Leveille | W 5–2 | 1,335 | 30–3–1 |
| February 27 | 4:07 | Ohio State* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinals, Game 2) | Leveille | W 5–0 | 1,443 | 31–3–1 |
| March 5 | 5:07 | #8 North Dakota* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Semifinal Game) | Leveille | W 2–0 | 2,233 | 32–3–1 |
| March 6 | 2:07 | #3 Wisconsin* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA Championship Game) | Leveille | L 0–1 | 1,855 | 32–4–1 |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| March 12 | 4:00 | #7 Princeton* | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinal Game) | Leveille | W 6–2 | 2,468 | 33–4–1 |
| March 18 | 6:00 | vs. #2 Wisconsin* | #3 | Whittemore Center • Durham, NH (Frozen Four Semifinal Game) | Leveille | W 3–2 $^{OT}$ | 2,167 | 34–4–1 |
| March 20 | 1:00 | vs. #1 Boston College* | #3 | Whittemore Center • Durham, NH (National Championship Game) | Leveille | W 3–1 | 3,211 | 35–4–1 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||||

### Roster

Source:

### NCAA

* Sarah Potomak, 2015–16 WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year
* Sarah Potomak, WCHA Rookie of the Week (Week of October 13, 2015)
* Sarah Potomak, WCHA Player of the Week (Recognized for games of October 14–15, 2016)
* Sarah Potomak, WCHA Player of the Month (October 2016)
* Sarah Potomak, 2016 Women's Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Year Award
* Sarah Potomak, 2016 WCHA Rookie of the Year honors
* Sarah Potomak, Most Outstanding Player Award, 2016 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament
* Hannah Brandt, Forward, Patty Kazmaier Award Top 10 Finalist
* Dani Cameranesi, Forward, Patty Kazmaier Award Top 10 Finalist
* Dani Cameranesi, Forward, WCHA Scoring Leader
* Lee Stecklein, Defense, WCHA First Team All-Star
* Hannah Brandt, Forward, WCHA First Team All-Star
* Dani Cameranesi, Forward, WCHA First Team All-Star
* Milica McMillen, Defense, WCHA Second Team All-Star
* Sarah Potomak, Forward, WCHA Third Team All-Star
* Sarah Potomak, Forward, WCHA All-Rookie Team