Women's Ice Hockey Announces 10 Commitments
6/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
ORONO, Maine-- University of Maine women's ice hockey head coach Maria Lewis has announced that her program has received 10 commitments for the 2012-2013 season. One of the largest recruiting classes in recent memory, the group consists of six forwards, three defenders and a goalie. Rachel Bellio (Denver, Colo./Shattuck-St. Mary's), Hailey Browne (Oakville, Ontario/Mercyhurst), Abigail Cook (Fairpoint, N.Y./Rochester Edge), Rebecca Dow (Ottawa, Ontario/Ontario Hockey Academy), Brooklyn Langlois (Steinbach, Manitoba/Pursuit of Excellence), Jillian Langtry (Fort Frances, Ontario/Thunder Bay Queens), Shawna Lesperance (Belle River, Ontario/Culver Academy), Kelsey MacSorley (Stratford, Ontario/Kitchener-Waterloo Rangers), Audra Richards (Maplewood, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds), and Natalie Robinson (Huntsville, Ontario/Kitchener-Waterloo Rangers).
"Richard Reichenbach and Tyler Bilton did an amazing job recruiting this incoming class," said Maine head coach Maria Lewis. "In order for our program to take the next step towards accomplishing our goals within Hockey East and nationally, we must bring in quality people with strong character and a desire to be a part of what we are doing here at UMaine. Collectively, our new players bring some great pieces to the puzzle that will help us improve in all areas. It is a smart and mentally tough group that possesses the tools to advance our overall speed, skill, scoring ability, and defensive play."
"We will have a young team this season but we believe this class, along with our returners, are up to the challenge of filling the shoes of the large senior class we just lost to graduation. Our outgoing seniors had incredible careers and have paved the way for the future of this program. So, it is exciting to bring in a class that embraces what has come before them and yet wants to make their own impact moving forward. These players compliment our current roster very well and will be expected to contribute from day one."
Rachel Bellio, a 5'7" forward, played at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, MN. This past season, she scored 20 points on six goals and 14 assists and tallied two goals and nine assists for 11 points as a junior. She scored a career-best 27 points as a sophomore with 12 goals and 15 assists. Bellio comes to the Black Bears with a winning resume as her team finished third at Nationals this past season, after winning the national championship in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, the team was NIT Champions.
Hailey Browne is a 5'4" forward transfer from Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. She played in 34 games for the Lakers her freshman season with three goals and two assists for five points. The team finished as CHA Regular Season Champions and were NCAA quarterfinalists. She earned College Hockey America Rookie of the Week honors in January. During 2010-11, she earned a Silver Medal with Team Canada's U18 Team at the Women's World U18 Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. Prior to Mercyhurst, she played for the Mississauga Jr. Chiefs and won gold at Provincials and won silver with Team Ontario Red at the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
Abbey Cook, a 5'5" forward, played for the Rochester Edge and was a two-year captain. The Edge placed second at Nationals in 2010. Her father, Geoff Cook, graduated from the University of Maine.
Rebecca Dow is a 5'6" defenseman and was a captain for the Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall, Ontario. She scored eight goals and added 15 assists for 23 points in 33 games from the blueline.
Brooklyn Langlois, a 5'6" defenseman, was a two-year captain for the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy in Kelowna, British Columbia. Her team finished as Provincial Champions three years in a row and finished as JWHL Challenge Cup Champions in 2010. She has competed with her team against the Swedish National Team. In addition, she played for Team Manitoba in 2010 and was invited to the Team Canada National Strength and Conditioning Camp.
Jillian Langtry, 5'2", played forward for the Thunder Bay Queens in Ontario. This past season, she scored 15 goals and 14 assists for 29 points in 33 games. During the 2010-2011 season, she played her hockey at Fort Frances High School where she put up 112 points on 71 goals and 41 assists. In 2012, her team won gold at the Ontario Provincial Championships and she earned a silver medal at the Canadian Nationals.
Shawna Lesperance is a 5'5" forward and captain at Culver Academy. She played in 41 games scoring 26 goals and dishing out 21 assists for 47 points. She was named the team's leading scorer as a junior and named most valuable player as a sophomore.
Kelsey MacSorley, 5'6", played defense for the KW Rangers in the PWHL. Last season, she tallied three goals and nine assists for 12 points as well as another 12 points the previous season on five goals and seven assists. Her sister, Katie, currently plays women's ice hockey at Northeastern University.
Audra Richards, a 5'8" forward, was a captain for the Minnesota Thoroughbreds. A prolific goal scorer, she notched 44 goals last year and tallied 11 assists for 55 points. She was named to the Junior Women's Hockey League All-Star Team in 2012. In addition, she led her team in scoring last season.
Natalie Robinson is a 5'8" goaltender for the KW Rangers. She finished with a 2.12 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. Her team finished as semifinalists in 2011 at the Polar Bear Tournament. Natalie will redshirt her freshman season as the Black Bears already have three active goaltenders this year.
The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to the University of Maine and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA Clearinghouse.
