Boston College Athletics
WHEA Media Day
September 20, 2011 | Women's Hockey
Sept. 20, 2011
Chestnut Hill, Mass. -Boston College women's ice hockey Head Coach Katie King Crowley met with members of the media on Tuesday morning for the 2011 Women's Hockey East Media Day. Below are a few statements from the press conference.
Opening Statement:
"Obviously we lost two great players in Molly Schaus and Kelli Stack, but we're really excited to see what the season has [in store for us]. We have a great core group of players coming back, who played a lot of minutes last year. With the addition of seven new players to our team, I just really like our team. They're good kids, hard workers and I am excited to see what the season holds."
Could you address your goaltending situation, as it stands now, heading into the season?
"We have Kiera Kingston coming back for her senior season. She was a back up to Molly last year. We also have Corinne Boyles back, after having a redshirt season last year. Obviously, she didn't have any games last year, but she was able get a lot stronger physically and work behind Molly. I'm really excited to see what the two of them, in combination, can bring to the team. We also have a freshman who ended up having to have surgery, so we don't know where Megan Miller is at and if she'll be back this year at all. Kiera and Corinne split time two years ago and this year we'll see what happens. I know Boyles really worked hard behind Molly last year, even though she wasn't getting in the games, and was able to use her as a tool to help improve her game."
Would you talk about your local recruit Alex Carpenter?
"Alex is a great kid and comes from a great hockey family. We're really excited to have her here at Boston College. The way she sees the ice and thinks about the game is impressive. She's been involved with the U18 Team a little and the National Team here and there with different practices. To see the way she sees the game at this level is going to be really exciting. We're happy she's a local kid as well. She's a really good kid, who works extremely hard day in and day out. She's a player we're looking forward to seeing on the ice everyday and finding out what she can do at this level."
Who do you expect to raise their game and possibly have a breakout year?
"Our defense is extremely deep this year. We lost Katelyn Kurth, but we return five players who have logged a lot of minutes for us. That includes Blake Bolden, who continues to get better and better. It's amazing for me to see her talent come out on the defensive side of college hockey. With her are Dru Burns and Meagan Mangene, who will be solid performers for us. I don't think defenses get recognized as much the offense, unless they have a lot of points, but I think we have some solid defensemen who are going to play the game right. We also return seniors Mary Restuccia and Danielle Welch. They've been through three years of college hockey and really stepped up their game last year, so we're really excited to see them continue that. Both of them, along with Andrea Green, are captains for us this year. They are all great leaders on and off the ice. Taylor Wasylk is looking pretty strong for us in her sophomore season. She's a big, strong power forward, which I don't think you see too often anymore in college hockey, so to see how she does will be pretty exciting. I think junior Ashley Motherwell will have a really good year."
Will starting the season at Minnesota-Duluth be a measuring stick for the team this year?
"Our kids are excited to fly out there. We have two kids from Minnesota, so I know they are excited to get out there and play in front of their friends and family that may not be able to get out to Boston. We're going out to face a tough team, so already the team is excited to play. We don't get out to play the WCHA very much, so this will be an exciting series for us and a good bench mark for where we are at."
On the Women's Hockey East Tournament moving to Hyannis, Mass.:
"I think it's exciting for our kids to get involved in the tournament atmosphere we'll have down there. With so much going in Boston and touch a fan base that may not be able to get up to a lot of our games is exciting for our kids and good for the league. Women's hockey has continued to grow in the last 15-20 years, so when we as a league reach out to communities and get in touch with them, it's exciting for everyone involved. We're excited to get to Hyannis and make a run for a Hockey East Championship."
