Women's hockey adds four
November 19, 2008 | Women's Hockey
Wisconsin women's hockey coach Mark Johnson announced Wednesday the addition of four members to the women's hockey team. Saige Pacholok, Brianna Decker, Breann Frykas and Becca Ruegsegger all signed National Letters of Intent to attend Wisconsin in the Fall of 2009.
The Badgers have added a defenseman a goaltender and two forwards to the roster. All of the newcomers will join the Badgers with impressive resumes.
'All of them have played at an international level whether it was with Canada or the United States, so I think that goes well with the transition to college,' Coach Johnson said. 'They are all very good players with sound academics. They will all fit in well and will be counted on to play.'
Decker a Wisconsin native out of Dousman, will join the Badgers with plenty of experience at the forward position. Decker a senior at Shattuck-St. Mary's has contributed 46 goals and 28 assists for 74 points in just 20 games this season. Decker has also been seen on the national level for Team USA. Under head coach Mark Johnson, Decker led the U.S. women's U18 team with six points (4-2) in a three game series against Canada back in August. Most recently she was a member on the 2008 U.S. Select Team that beat Canada at the Four Nations Cup.
'Brianna is very competitive and has unbelievable potential that will fit right into our program very nicely,' said Coach Johnson. 'She was one of the leaders for the team last year that won a gold medal and she is just coming off playing with our national senior team at the Four Nations which also won a gold medal. She is very gifted as a scorer.'
Pacholok (pronounced Pa-HO-lick) a defenseman from Edmonton, Alberta is currently playing on the Edmonton Chimos but has significant experience on the Canadian national scene. Most notably, Pacholok was a member of Team Alberta at the 2007 National Women 's Under-18 Championship in Kitchener, Ontario, finishing seventh. She was also a member of Team Alberta at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon, finishing ninth. In eight games with the Canadian U18 team she netted three goals and had an assist for four points. Most recently Pacholok scored on a power-play for the Edmonton Chimos in a win against B.C. Breakers last month.
'Saige is gifted in a lot of areas with skating and skill parts of the game, ' Coach Johnson said. 'She brings a lot of energy with her game and we are real excited for her growth as a player.'
Decker will not come to Wisconsin alone; teammate Ruegsegger (pronounced ROOG-say-GER) will also join the Badgers. Ruegsegger, a goaltender from Fairbault, Minn., also played at Shattuck-St .Mary's prep where she owns a 13-3-1 record in the net. Ruegsegger has 391 saves and goals-against average of 2.65 in 15.5 games this season. She played for the U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team at the 2007 Under-18 Series (three games against Canada), then was a member of the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team for the first-ever International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's U18 Championship that won gold.
'We are excited with Rebecca coming into Madison and playing for us,' said Coach Johnson. 'She has been at Shattuck throughout her career and had an opportunity to play for the Under-18 team last year. She has great work habits and is a wonderful person who is very academically sound.'
Frykas a forward from East St. Paul, Manitoba is currently a member of the Detroit Little Caesars. Prior to the Little Caesars Frykas won the Balmoral Hall, Hartney and Saskatoon tournaments with the Balmoral Hall Blazers in 2007-08.
More recently Frykas netted two goals for Canada in a three game series against Team USA in Lake Placid N.Y. back in August. Frykas scored the game-winning goal in overtime to beat Johnson's U.S. U18 women's team in the final game of the series. She has been a member on Team Manitoba since 2007. In 13 games in Canadian selection camps she has netted six goals and two assists for eight points. She won a bronze medal with Team Manitoba at the 2007 National Women's Under-18 Championship in Kitchener, Ontario and was a member of Canada's National Women's Team for a three-game series vs. the USA in Ottawa, Ontario in August 2007. She won a silver medal with Team Manitoba at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon.
'Breann is a very intelligent player with great hockey sense,' said Coach Johnson. 'She is also very gifted in the offensive part of the game. '
