Minnesota-Duluth had a roller coaster season in 2025-26. With a fresh mix of veterans and exciting rookies, coach Laura Schuler believes her team is well positioned for a stronger NCAA women's hockey season.
Minnesota-Duluth ended their 2025-26 NCAA women's hockey season in a slump for the ages.
They entered the holiday break with a 10-6 record, with their losses coming against higher ranked Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Minnesota.
But travelling to the Friendship Series in Northern Ireland to kick off the New Year, the wheels came off of Minnesota-Duluth's season. They went 1-6-3 over their next ten games plummeting in the national rankings, before finishing the season with six straight wins, only to lose their opening round WCHA playoff series against Minnesota State.
This season, head coach Laura Schuler feels like the Bulldogs are in a good spot heading into the 2026-27 NCAA women's hockey season, with a mix of exciting young players and returning veterans.
"I think we got a a really good mix of returning players and newcomers," said Schuler. "A lot of newcomers, a lot of new faces. When I think of new, I think of new potential as well. UMD has always been a program that has recruited the top players from all over the world, wherever they're from. And I think our team reflects that."
That mix will be evident this season, not only with American born players like Rae Mayer, but Canadians including Caitlin Kreameer, Eve Gascon, and Renee Lapointe, and new recruits Edit Danielsson (Sweden), Pauliina Salonen (Finland), and Tuuli Taliinen (Finland).
With their mix of players, Schuler described her roster as "a gritty blue collar, well disciplined, structured team." She also however, encouraged the idea that Minnesota-Duluth's players are free to be, and encouraged to be creative and make mistakes on the ice, which Schuler says is how their team will develop and learn.
Leading the way for Minnesota-Duluth this season will be new Bulldogs captains Ida Karlsson and Caitlin Kraemer. Karlsson was an Olympian last season on Sweden's blueline, while Kraemer got her first taste with Canada's national team at the Rivalry Series.
Minnesota-Duluth opens their schedule September 25 and 26 against Mercyhurst.
