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Undefeated UW-River Falls women’s hockey team wins national title
It’s the Falcons’ first NCAA Division III National Championship in the team’s 25-year history.
RIVER FALLS, Wis. — It’s the first day of spring break at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, so there are fewer students around. Just a day prior, Hunt Arena on campus was packed.
Maddie McCollins, Braelyn Sathers and Aubrey Nelvin play center, defense and right wing, respectively, for the Falcons women’s hockey team.
“Everybody was on their feet,” Sathers said.
“Yeah I think they started turning people away from the door,” McCollins added.
Sunday, they defeated Elmira College 4-1, earning the Falcons the NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey National Championship trophy for the first time in team history.
“We won a freaking national championship,” Nelvin said. “Does not feel real, still.”
Not only are they national champs, but they played a perfect season by winning all 31 of their games. The team was undefeated only one other time, but that included some ties. That’s not the case this time.
“As seniors, ending our hockey career on our own ice, winning a national championship, like there’s no better feeling than that,” McCollins said.
The season was already special. It’s the 50th anniversary of NCAA Division III. It’s also the 25th anniversary of the women’s hockey program at UW-River Falls.
Coach Joe Cranston has been the coach all 25 years and says this year’s seniors made the difference.
“Going into the season you could never imagine this, but as the season progressed, and we remained undefeated, it was, you know, you started to think about it,” he said. “Six seniors who are so awesome and dedicated and grounded and focused, and just the discipline that they showed and leadership really put this team over the top.”
McCollins, Sathers and Nelvin, who are from Minnesota, say they don’t plan to go pro. Instead they plan to pursue jobs in dining, physical therapy and real estate. First, though, they plan to relax in Florida over spring break.
“Our bodies are shot,” Sathers said. “You want to look back looking at that ice like, ‘I gave it everything that I have.'”
But their legacy lives on.
“It’s fun getting to see all those little girls come to our games, and hopefully we can instill some hockey into them and they’ll grow up keep wanting to play and grow the sport,” McCollins said.
A UW-River Falls spokesperson says the university and city are planning a parade for the women’s hockey team this Friday along Main Street. A start time hasn’t been set yet.
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Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
MINNEAPOLIS — Making pasta at home is relatively simple, as long as you have the right tools.
October is National Pasta Month and Red Rabbit‘s Corporate Chef, Adam Lerner, joined KARE 11 Saturday to show us how to make homemade noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
