2009 U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team Preliminary Roster Announced

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the preliminary roster for the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team that will defend its world title at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's U18 Championship from January 5-10 in Fussen, Germany. The current 21-player roster will be reduced by one defenseman following USA Hockey's Women's Holiday Camp, which will run from December 26-31 in Blaine, Minn.

Included on Team USA are seven members of the gold medal-winning U.S. contingent that competed in the first-ever IIHF World Women's U18 Championship last January in Calgary. Among the returnees is the team's top scorer, forward Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wis.), who ranked third at the tournament with 11 points (4-7). Another leading point-getter from 2008, forward Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.), returns to the squad after helping the U.S. Women's Select Team capture the 2008 Four Nations Cup title earlier this month.

All but two members of the 2009 team were part of the U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team for the 2008 Under-18 Series in August. There, Team USA nearly swept Canada in the three-game series, posting a pair of victories before being edged in overtime in the final game.

"We're excited about the selection of the team," said Mark Johnson, head coach for Team USA and also the head women's ice hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin. "It has a good mix of players who participated on last year's gold medal-winning team and a group of talented young players."

Other returnees up front include Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill.) and Madison Packer (Birmingham, Mich.). The pair accounted for six and nine points, respectively, at the last world championship. Also at forward are Brittany Ammerman (River Vale, N.J.), Jillian Dempsey (Winthrop, Mass.), Lyndsey Fry (Chandler, Ariz.), Jamie Kenyon (Sparta, Wis.), Alex Nelson (Andover, Minn.), Amanda Pelkey (Montpelier, Vt.) and Taylor Wasylk (Port Huron, Mich.).

Meanwhile, Blake Bolden (Stow, Ohio), Alev Kelter (Eagle River, Alaska) and Meagan Mangene (Manorville, N.Y.) return to the U.S. blue line. They join fellow defensemen Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill.), Kate Brock (Marblehead, Mass.), Caroline Campbell (Fordland, Mo.), Erika Magnusson (Fergus Falls, Minn.) and Jacqueline Young (Medford, Mass.) in looking to fill the seven roster spots at the world championship.

Corrine Boyles (Wheaton, Ill.) and Alex Rigsby (Delafield, Wis.) will share duties in net for Team USA.

NOTES:The 21 players, in addition to alternate forward Kristine Horn (Utica, Mich.), will take part in the USA Hockey Women's Holiday Camp. Lauren Slebodnick (Manchester, N.H.) is the alternate goaltender, but will not attend the Camp ... Team USA opens play on January 5 against Russia ... Erika Magnusson and Alex Nelson are the only members of the team who did not play in the 2008 Under-18 Series ... Brittany Ammerman is the younger sister of Brooke Ammerman, who was the second leading scorer of the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team in 2008 ... Amanda Kessel is the younger sister of Team USA veteran and Boston Bruins forward Phil Kessel... Jacqueline Young is the cousin of C.J. Young, a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice hockey Team ... Four members of Team USA play for Chicago Mission U19, while two each come from Assabet Valley U19 (Mass.), North American Hockey Academy (Vt.), Shattuck-St. Mary's (Minn.) and Little Caesars U19 (Mich.) ... The team includes representation from 12 U.S. states ... Joining Mark Johnson on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Katie King, head women's ice hockey coach at Boston College, and Jeff Giesen, head women's ice hockey coach at St. Cloud State University.

Team USA 2009 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Schedule
January 5-10 • Fussen, Germany