Arguably one of the best women’s hockey players ever to hail from Finland, Hanne Sikiö has been named the first selection to the University of Minnesota Duluth Women’s Hockey 25th Anniversary Team.
Sikiö was a Bulldog from 1999-2003, and was an integral part of the program’s historic NCAA title run of three-straight championships in 2001, 2002 and 2003. The Lempäälä, Finland native had eight points, including five goals in six NCAA Frozen Four games — two of which came in UMD’s 2003 title tilt thriller against Harvard in the sold out Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The two championship game tallies undoubtedly helped secure a 2003 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament selection for Sikiö.
With 220 career points in 123 games, Sikiö still ranks as the program’s fourth all-time scorer. Sikiö also ranks third all-time for goals (100), and fifth for assists (120), while her 34 goal season in 2000-01 ranks as the fifth most goals in a single season in program history. An Olympian who helped Finland to a fourth place finish in 2002, Sikiö was a two-time All-WCHA Second Team selection in 1999-00 and 2000-01, as well as a 2001 WCHA All-Academic Team member.
Sikiö also played in three IIHF Women’s World Championship tournaments, helping Finland capture bronze in both 1999 and 2003.
About the 25th Anniversary Team
The 25th Anniversary Team was selected by longtime local media members and local hockey historians. Each member of the selection committee privately selected a total of 25 players, which included a starting six players that will represent the six best players so far in Bulldog history. The only requirements for the other 19 players selected by committee members was that at least three of them were positionally defenseman and at least two goaltenders.
A list of greatness, the 25th Anniversary Team will span the more than two decades of players that have skated for one of the most successful NCAA Division I women’s hockey programs in all of women’s college hockey. UMD women’s hockey will unveil one player every Thursday in no particular order over the regular season, and then the last week of the regular season, will announce its 25th Anniversary starting lineup.
Source : UMD Bulldogs