For three years, the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes have dominated NCAA Division 1 hockey, but the Minnesota Golden Gophers are shaking things up. Their primary strategy? The NCAA transfer portal. Though the offseason continues, Minnesota has already secured Sarah Paul from Princeton, Jamie Nelson from Minnesota State, and Molly Jordan from Boston College.
Paul, who ranked 29th in NCAA scoring last season, tallied 28 goals and 36 points in 31 games at Princeton. With at least 11 higher-scoring players turning pro, she’ll be among the top returners next season and brings experience from Canada’s national development team.
Nelson, a sixth-year veteran, posted consecutive 30-point seasons at Minnesota State. Playing alongside Minnesota’s skilled roster, her scoring could surge.
Jordan, a two-time USA U-18 national team member, wrapped her second season at Boston College, ranking 13th among defenders with 24 points in 36 games.
Minnesota’s Blueline Looks Stacked
With Molly Jordan joining the roster, the Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s hockey team boasts one of the strongest, if not the premier, defensive units in NCAA women’s hockey. Alongside Jordan, the team welcomes back standout defenders Nelli Laitinen, Sydney Morrow, Chloe Primerano, Gracie Graham, and Krista Parkonnen, among others, solidifying their formidable blueline.
Murphy Is The Wildcard
Minnesota’s women’s hockey team faces a challenge with the departure of key forwards Peyton Hemp, Natalie Mlynkova, and Ella Huber to the PWHL. The gap between Minnesota and top teams Wisconsin and Ohio State may hinge on whether star forward Abbey Murphy, the team’s leading scorer, declares for the PWHL draft. Her exit would leave Minnesota without its top four scorers from last season.
Josefin Bouveng would step up as the leading returning scorer. While Minnesota’s incoming recruits are promising, only Tereza Plosova is likely to make an immediate impact. Bella Fanale and Sienna D’Alessandro are expected to emerge as vital offensive contributors soon.
Net Remains Solid
Hannah Clark, who played in 36 of Minnesota’s 42 games this season, returns as the Golden Gophers’ undisputed starting goaltender. Replacing veteran backup Skylar Vetter is Layla Hemp, a standout from Minnetonka High School, where she started for three seasons.
Hemp brings international experience, having won two medals with USA’s U-18 national team, including gold at the 2024 World Championships. She was also recently honored as the 2025 Jori Jones Award winner, recognizing her as Minnesota high school hockey’s top goaltender.
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