Then-senior-goaltender Raygan Kirk stands on the blue line before Ohio State’s game against Minnesota Duluth starts Jan. 19. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor
The Ohio State women’s ice hockey team officially begins its quest to secure a repeat national championship Saturday, as it will clash with the University of Minnesota Duluth.
The Buckeyes are not only seeking their second consecutive title, but also their third in four years.
“To defend the title is difficult, but we’re up for the challenge,” head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “We have a lot of returning players, and some new kids and some transfers, but we’re excited for the leadership that we have to continue to pursue another title in March.”
One key returning Buckeye is sophomore forward Joy Dunne, who was the Western Collegiate Hockey Association — or WCHA — Rookie of the Year and National Rookie of the Year in 2023.
The O’Fallon, Missouri native recorded 24 points and 18 assists throughout 39 games, which led all rookies in both categories nationwide.
Muzerall said she thinks Dunne will break more records than her Olympian sister, Jincy Roese.
“She’s just got the size and the power,” Muzerall said. “I want her to play a little bit more like Tarzan and less like Jane, and just go after people. She has it in her, and we’re excited for what she can and will look like over the next three years.”
Another returning player who’s set to take on a bigger role is graduate goaltender Amanda Thiele.
Muzerall said in previous seasons, each game was a toss-up between Theile and Raygan Kirk to decide who would start. As Kirk graduated, Muzerall said she’s looking forward to having Hailey MacLeod — a third-year transfer from Duluth — push Theile each day.
“When you have somebody with five years under their belt and [who knows] how we coach and how we train, it’s nice to have that,” Muzerall said. “[Thiele is] steady, she’s calm, mentally calm, and very reliable.”
Theile averaged a .905 save percentage in 15 games last season, with a goals-against average of 1.63.
The Buckeyes’ schedule features many major challenges, starting Saturday against the No. 4 team on the WCHA Preseason Coaches’ poll — the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.
Looking ahead, Ohio State will play an outdoor match at Chicago’s historic Wrigley Field against Wisconsin Jan. 4. Last season, Ohio State beat the Badgers in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey National Championship game.
“I think it says a lot when they had the opportunity to host a women’s [outdoor] hockey game and only invited two teams,” Muzerall said. “The fact that we were one of those two, when I look back like eight years ago of where we were, I don’t think we ever would have been considered.”
Muzerall said she’s excited to see the growth in all of her players, but especially graduate forward Jenna Buglioni, who she has spent four years with.
Buglioni said ending her collegiate career off with another National Championship would just be “the cherry on top”.
“As a team goal, we want to try to defend that National Championship, that’s a big one for us,” Buglioni said. “And just how we take care of the details every day.”
