Women's hockey looks for win and attendance record
Jan. 28, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- The women's club hockey team at WMU is going after the league attendance record again, but this year, the record they're trying to top is their own.
The Mustangs host the Michigan Wolverines Friday, Jan. 31, in a 7 p.m. contest at Lawson Ice Arena. With help from the local Girl Scouts council and other groups, the Mustangs hope to defeat Michigan in front of a league-record crowd. The match is free and open to the public, and there is ample free parking around the arena.
One year ago, Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, the Mustangs shattered the conference single-game attendance record, drawing 1,810 fans to Lawson for a contest versus Michigan State. Prior to that contest, the single-game record was 1,200 fans set by the University of Michigan. Michigan State won the contest of a year ago, 2-0. This year, the Mustangs hope to surpass their own attendance record and reward the fans with a win over Michigan.
WMU skated to a 2-1 victory over Michigan at Lawson Jan. 10, and coach Brad Johnson says his team could be a contender for a national title by the end of the season. WMU will be the host school for this year's American Collegiate Hockey Association national championships in Muskegon, Mich., March 6-8.
"We struggled the first half of the season with many injuries," says Johnson. "At one point, we had three of our top players out with major injuries--herniated disk, concussion, separated shoulder--but we used December to rest and recuperate, and the team has really turned it on this semester.
"If we continue to play the way we have, we will be legitimate contenders for our league championship. We are aiming for a national championship as well," says Johnson.
Girl Scouts of Glowing Embers Council is sponsoring a program at the Jan. 31 Mustang hockey match as part of this year's celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The Glowing Embers Council serves Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties and more than 400 girls and family members are expected to attend.
All WMU women's hockey home matches are at Lawson Ice Arena, are free and open to the public.
The remaining WMU Mustang home schedule includes:
- vs. Northern Michigan, three matches, Feb. 7-9
- vs. Wisconsin, two matches, Feb. 15-16
- vs. Oakland, two matches, Feb. 21-22
- vs. Notre Dame, two matches, March 14-15
The Mustangs were formed in 1995 and are members of the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association. Other schools with teams in the CCWHA are Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Michigan, Notre Dame and Oakland University. WMU won the league and national championships in 1996 and finished second in the CCWHA three of the past four seasons.
For more information, visit the team's Web site at <www.geocities.com/wmu_mustangs>.
Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thomas.myers@wmich.edu