The Rainy River Community College women’s hockey team is gearing up for another championship run in 2011-12.
The ACHA W2 National Tournament has become RRCC’s stomping ground. The Voyageurs have played in four-straight title games, winning three.
“The girls have the expectation and goal to go to Nationals and win,” RRCC head coach Evan Amdahl said. “For them to go out and do it was really icing on the cake for our season (in 2010-11).”
The Voyageurs face a difficult road on a year-to-year basis as a two-year school. The yearly rebuilding process is a revolving door, of sorts, according to Amdahl. Because of the constant turnover for his team, Amdahl faces the challenge of retooling his roster on a yearly basis.
In 2010-11, RRCC suffered a setback against West Chester University during pool play at Nationals, before winning the rematch in the finals. West Chester is one of the teams expected to challenge for the national title in 2011-12.
Amdahl also points to the University of Minnesota-Duluth as a team to watch. The Bulldogs have played in two national title games and are among the nation’s elite at the W2 level.
The Voyageurs have been skating in Fort Frances twice a week for the past month, Amdahl said, and will begin everyday practice next Monday in Kerry Park, prior to the first games taking place the weekend of Oct. 29-30.
A preview of the RRCC women’s hockey team will be published in an upcoming edition of The Journal.
