Sioux add six during early signing period for 2012-13

GRAND FORKS, N.D. –University of North Dakota women’s hockey head coach Brian Idalski announced today the addition of Meghan Dufault, Tanja Eisenschmid, Samantha Hanson, Rebecca Kohler, Samantha LaShomb and Marissa Salo to play for the Sioux beginning in 2012-13.

“We were able to acquire some quality kids up front, Idalski said although we feel like we are pretty deep at forward.” They were some of the best players to come out in this recruiting class and couldn’t pass them up” Idalski said. “We also wanted to shore up our team defensively and get a little more offense from our blue line. We feel we brought in some solid offensive D that can shoot the puck and create offense in transition.” Overall we feel this is an outstanding recruiting class character, skill and work ethic wise”

“Our last two classes have been tremendous. These kids are going to be players for years to come and keep us up where we want to be and that is in national contention and playing for championships.”

Meghan Dufault – Winnipeg, Manitoba (Do-FOE)

A dynamic offensive threat from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Dufault was named Canada’s Best Forward in the 2011 World U18 Championship held in Stockholm, Sweden, where she had eight points (2-6-8) in five games played to lead Canada to a silver medal. A 2-time Hockey Canada U18 Selection Camp invitee, she also played in the USA/Canada Mini Series assisting Canada to a 2-1 victory.

In the 2011 (Canadian) National Women’s Under-18 Championships in Saguenay, Quebec Meghan lead Team Manitoba to a bronze medal.

The 5-foot 6-inch right-handed forward is currently in the Junior Women’s Hockey League with the Balmoral Hall Blazers, where she has 24 goals and 11 assists in 15 games and has won the league’s West Division Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks.

Competing for the Pursuit of Exellence’s Midget AAA team last season, Dufault was nominated for Sport Manitoba Female Athlete of the Year after leading her team in scoring and to a 51-3 record. She was also awarded the Most Valuable Player at the 2009 National U-18 Championship in Surrey, British Columbia with 5 goals, 4assists in 7 games.

The daughter of Ken Dufault and Karen Dufault, she plans a career in medicine.

Idalski said: “Dufault is probably one of the most dynamic kids coming out in the 2012-13 class offensively. She sees the ice well, distributes the puck and can put the puck in the net. She is going to be a top forward for us and going to really give us another shot in the arm as far as scoring depth.”

Dufault on choosing UND: “During my visit I felt that I was at home. The coaches and players made me feel that I could be part of something very special. The strong academics and athletics program, along with a beautiful facility and campus, secured my decision to become a Fighting Sioux.”

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