After a decade drought, the University of Minnesota knows "the pressure is real" to get their program back to a national final, and they'll make their first attempt this season without Abbey Murphy, and with a new head coach in Greg May.
It's been a decade since the University of Minnesota last won an NCAA national title. 2016 was the end of a stretch that saw the Gophers claim four national championships in five years, advancing to the NCAA title game five straight seasons. Each of those championships saw now former Minnesota head coach Brad Frost standing behind the bench.
After 19 seasons behind the bench, amassing a 556-131-43 record, Frost was replaced this offseason by his former assistant coach Greg May. The gap in national titles likely cost Frost his job. And Frost's departure cost Minnesota some of the program's best recruits. The result is a situation where Minnesota's performance this season will face greater scrutiny than ever.
According to May, the pressure to bring a national championship back to is palpable.
"The pressure is real here at Minnesota," said May. "We don't shy away from it. We don't hide from it. I would actually say we embrace it. The players that we recruit to come here, oare players that want it. The staff that that I've surrounded myself with are people who uh who want it as well. And trust me, we're dying to get a national championship back here as much as our fan base is and everyone else that that loves our program is as well."
Minnesota is welcoming a talented roster of players to the 2026-27 NCAA women's hockey season. Up front, despite the departure of Abbey Murphy, Josefin Bouveng, and Jamie Nelson, who all turned professional, scoring should not be an issue for Minnesota. They're welcoming back Ava Lindsay, Bella Fanale, Sarah Paul, Emma Kreisz, Madison Kaiser, Tereza Plosova, and Kendra Distad, among others. Minnesota also brought in Ashley Allard and Julia Schalin via the transfer portal, and will welcome rookie recruits in Adrianna Milani, touted as Canada's top U-18 forward last season, as well as fellow Canadian U-18 national team standouts Rachel Piggot and Maddie McCullough.
May acknowledges the departure of Murphy, who was the second overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft as significant, but feels that as a team, Minnesota has the pieces to score.
"It's going to be a lot more by committee this year," said May of Minnesota's scoring. "We don't have number 18 to look down the bench or to send over the ice. And at the end of the day, let's call it what it was. She's ssomeone that we knew could score a goal or two a game when we needed her to. So it's going to be a lot more by committee this year, which I know our team is hungry to do as well."
On the back end, the departure of Nelli Laitinen and Sydney Morrow to the PWHL is significant. But the Golden Gophers will also return Chloe Primerano, Gracie Graham, Molly Jordan, and added Lauren Goldsworthy as a transfer from Minnesota State, and USA U-18 national team members Sloane Hartmetz and Katya Sander as rookies. In net, Hannah Clark and Layla Hemp return as one of NCAA women's hockey's best tandems.
Overall, Minnesota is a team that following their coaching change, many saw as a program with internal issues, but also returns to the ice as a program with legitimate national championship hopes.
From a player perspective, they know there will be changes under new head coach Greg May, and they know the WCHA will remain challenging on a night-to-night basis. But similar to their new head coach, the players in Minnesota's locker room believe they have championship potential.
"Yeah, definitely just a fresh start. It feels like a whole new different group. Obviously, we have a lot of returners, but it's just a different vibe in the locker room. We're all super excited to get going and just a new voice in the locker room," said defender Chloe Primerano. "It's been a good change and you know we're really excited to get going."
"The WCHA is really tough and you have to come prepared every single night," Primerano continued. "These past few years we haven't had the most success and we know that. We know we haven't won anything in a really long time. So, we're trying to turn the page and get back in in the winning column."
