Minnesota Women’s Hockey: Cara Piazza and Sydney Baldwin named 2017-18 Co-Captains

The Gopher Women’s Hockey team announced on Monday that senior forward Cara Piazza and senior defenseman Sydney Baldwin would be the Co-Captains for the 2017-18 season. They replace Lee Stecklein who graduated and is off to play for the US National team in the 2018 Olympics.

Piazza had recorded 65 career points with 28 goals in 114 games through her junior season. The Darien, Illinois native’s best year was her sophomore season when she scored 34 points with 11 goals. She leads off the ice as well as Piazza is a two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete, and a WCHA All-Academic Team, and Academic All-Big Ten Team honoree.

Baldwin has scored 49 points in 120 career games. She has 12 goals through her junior season. She was named to the WCHA All-Rookie team after her freshman season, and recorded a career high 22 points her sophomore season. Despite only scoring 16 points a year ago, she is the Gophers leading returning scorer for 2017-18. The Minnetonka native also excells in the classroom and is a two-time WCHA All-Academic Team and Academic All-Big Ten team honoree. She also earned WCHA Scholar Athlete this past season.

Both players will be expected to step up their offensive games this season to make up for the loss of Kelly Pannek, Sarah Potomak, and incoming freshman Amy Potomak to their respective national teams this season. All three players will compete to attempt to make the US or Canada squads for the 2018 Olympics.

The Gophers will begin the 2017-18 season against Merrimack College the weekend of September 29-October 1 at Ridder Arena.