The Penalty Box Post
Friday, July 30th
Darwitz, Bobrowski named as new Gopher assistant coaches
We send warmest welcomes to new Gopher Women's Hockey assistant coaches Natalie Darwitz and Jake Bobrowski, following yesterday's announcement that they are joining Brad Frost's staff on the Minnesota bench.
Darwitz returns to the U. following six seasons as the head coach at Hamline University, taking the Pipers to the NCAA Division III Frozen Four in 2018 and NCAA Division III Final in 2019. She was also named both MIAC and USCHO D-III Coach of the Year for the 2017-2018 season. She previously served as a GWH assistant coach in 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 (taking a year off in between to train for the Olympics), and head coach of Lakeville South High School's girls hockey team from 2011 to 2015.
As a player, Darwitz still ranks third in Gopher program history in points (246), first in points per game (2.48), fifth in goals (102), second in assists (144), and first in assists per game (1.45). On the international stage, she's a three-time Olympic medalist (silver in 2002 & 2010 and bronze in 2006) and three-time IIHF World gold medalist with Team USA. She's also inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame, Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame, and 'M' Club Hall of Fame.
Bobrowski comes to the U. after serving on Darwitz's staff at Hamline as an assistant coach the past six seasons. Prior to his time at Hamline, he was the head coach of Hill-Murray's junior varsity girls hockey team and assistant coach of the Pioneers' varsity team for seven years.
Johnson officially named as head coach of U.S. Olympic Team
USA Hockey named its three head coaches for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on Wednesday, selecting former GWH associate head coach and current St. Thomas University head coach Joel Johnson to lead the U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey Team in Beijing, China.
Johnson has been involved with USA Hockey for many years, most notably leading the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team to four straight gold medals (2015-18) in the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship and serving as head coach of the U.S. Under-22 Women’s Select Team on two occasions for the U22 Series against Canada. He will serve as head coach of the 2021 U.S. Women’s National Team at the upcoming IIHF Women’s World Championship next month in Calgary, after making his debut with the team as an assistant coach in 2018-2019.
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will serve as head coach of the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team, and David Hoff, the head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team for the last three seasons – leading Team USA to back-to-back gold medals at the IPC Para Ice Hockey World Championship – will make his first appearance as head coach of a U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team.
We send congratulations and wishes of good luck to all three coaches!
2021 IIHF Women's World Championship game schedule set
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) released the game schedule for the 2021 Women's World Championship, being played August 20 through 31 in Calgary, with 20 preliminary round games and 8 playoff round contests. The full schedule can be found here.
Team USA – with GWH representatives Megan Bozek, Dani Cameranesi, Amanda Kessel, Abbey Murphy, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle – will play in the third game of the tournament against Switzerland on Friday, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. CT. The Americans' other preliminary round games include...
Sunday, August 22 at 7:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. CT vs. Finland;
Tuesday, August 24 at Noon MT / 1:00 p.m. CT vs. Russia;
Thursday, August 26 at 4:00 p.m. MT / 5:00 p.m. CT vs. Canada.
All Team USA games will be broadcast live on NHL Network.
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Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at www.gophersports.com. You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on Twitter at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.