Women’s Ice Hockey Pair Invited To Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Development Team Camp

“We are thrilled for both Kelly Babstock and Nicole Kosta,” head coach Rick Seeley said. “This is a great honor for both of them. Kelly has worked hard at all aspects of her game to put herself in this position, and we are very proud of her. Nicole, an incoming freshman, is one of only three players that made the jump from Team Canada’s U18 program last year to Canada’s U22 team this year. We are very excited about her growth and look forward to seeing her in Blue-and-Gold this fall. This is also a great sign of our program’s development, as we continue to attract world-class players.”

Of the 40 players invited to the camp, 18 were from ECAC Hockey. The honor is the latest for Babstock, who had an incredible first year in Hamden. The freshman forward Led the team in points (59), goals (30) assists (29), points per game (1.59), and plus/minus (+30). She broke the program-record for most goals, assists, and points in a season, as well as breaking the single-game point record when she tallied six points in a game against Sacred Heart. The freshman from Ontario was named ECAC Hockey Rookie and Player of the Year after leading the league in goals, points and game-winning goals. She became the first player in program-history to be named Player of the Year and is only the second skater to ever be awarded Rookie of the Year honors. Among all NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey freshmen skaters, she finished first in goals, points, and points per game, while finishing second in assists. A two-time ECAC Hockey/MLX Skates Player of the Week and a five-time Rookie of the Week recipient, Babstock earned First-Team All-League and All-Rookie Team honores at season’s end. She also became just the second athlete in Quinnipiac history to receive mention in Sports Illustrated's Weekly publication of its "Faces In The Crowd" section, when she was highlighted in the January 17, 2010 edition. She was also honored as Quinnipiac Female Athlete of the Year, as well as the team Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player at the team’s annual banquet.

Kosta will begin her college career with Quinnipiac this season after playing for Mississauga in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League for the past two seasons. Last season, Kosta led the team with 25 goals, while also adding 35 assists, as she was one of two players on the roster to tally 60 points for the year. In two seasons with Mississauga, Kosta totaled 41 goals and 51 assists for 92 points. Last season, Kosta also played for Canada at the World Women’s Under-18 Championship and the Canada Winter Games. In four games at the Under-18 Championship, Kosta scored five goals and assisted on two more. At the Winter Games, she also scored five and added two assists in seven games.

By position, invitations have been sent to four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 24 forwards. Invitations have been based on fitness testing conducted this spring and evaluations by Hockey Canada scouts during the 2010-11 season, including past performances within Canada’s National Women’s Program, with their club teams and at provincial and national championships for leagues such as Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Hockey Canada also announced Thursday that former St. Lawrence standout Rebecca Russell will serve as an assistant coach during Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team camp. Russell will be joined by National Women’s Team alumna Laura Schuler, who will serve as head coach, and assistant coach Rachel Flanagan. 

Following the camp, Hockey Canada scouts, along with the team’s coaching staff, will continue to evaluate players with their club teams during the 2011-12 season, in preparation for selecting the Canadian team that will compete at the 2012 MLP Cup next January in Füssen, Germany. Canada has won this international tournament eight times in nine years, losing just two games.

 

Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team camp will see the 40 players split into two teams, Blue and Yellow, that will participate in several practices and intersquad games over the course of the week. It will be held in conjunction with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, which will split another 40 players into two teams, Red and White, for practices and intersquad games.