Addison Gruhlke scored a first period powerplay goal and Sydney Magnuson pitched a 23 save shutout leading the Wisconsin Selects to a 1-0 victory over Glenview Stars securing a bid to the Chipotle Girls Tier II USA Hockey National Championships as Central District champions. Wisconsin dispatched the St. Louis Lady Cyclones 12-1, in the first game, with nine different players scoring including a pair of goals from Addy Milota and Gabi Heuser.

The Selects, national runners-up in 2022, will make their sixth appearance in the last seven years.

The Selects, who ended Glenview’s eleven game unbeaten streak and are ranked 3rd nationally, will take a 19-4-1 record to East Lansing, Michigan. They will open pool play on Wednesday, April 3rd in a marque clash against the nation’s second-ranked Boston Junior Eagles. Thursday and Friday the Selects will play 10th ranked Farmington Hills Little Caesars (40-13-4) and Adirondak North Stars (21-5-4) respectively. Championship bracket play will begin on Saturday.

Wisconsin is led by a stingy defense that has allowed just 32 goals in 24 games. Goaltenders Sydney Magnuson (1.00 GAA, 93.9 Sv%), who will attend Marian University and Greta Woelber (1.16 GAA, 88.1 Sv%) will take the crease and look to continue that trend. Makenna Hutchison (1.14 GAA, 93.8 Sv%) was injured after logging seven games and lost for the remainder of the season.

Offensively Wisconsin is averaging 4.2 goals a game. Addy Milota (15G – 11A), who will play for Augsburg College next fall and Zowie Hunter (16G – 10A), who will play for Marian University, lead the team with 26 points each. Forwards Reese Sheehan, 9 goals and Addison Gruhlke and Addy Buesgen, 7 goals have provided key offense. From the blueline, defensemen Rhylee Buesgen (6G – 6A) and Tiana Stindt (4G – 8A) are the top offensive contributors. Ashley Slupe notched 5 goals from the blueline. Defense and timely scoring have been the winning formula for the team’s success.

Wisconsin Selects is a pre-post high school team comprised of players from across the state. Mike Cowan is the team’s general manager and they are coached by Emily Bauer, Dan Bauer, Steve Kirley and Greg Slupe. Many of the teams they will face at nationals are year-round teams that practice and play together all season. Some teams will have played sixty or more games prior to the tournament. Wisconsin finished as runners-up in 2022, losing 2-1 to the East Coast Wizards. They will be looking to improve on last years disappointing tournament in Anaheim in which they lost all three games.

Dan Bauer is a free-lance writer, retired teacher & hockey coach in Wausau, WI. You can contact him at drbauer13@gmail.com.