It might be early in the season, but the thought of returning to the Frozen Four has one member of the UW women's hockey team dreaming of a fairy tale ending.
Senior forward Erika Lawler, a native of Fitchburg, Mass., has spent the last three years doing just about everything a player can do in college hockey.
Lawler won back-to-back NCAA titles with the Badgers during her first two years at Wisconsin and brought back a gold medal for Team USA at the 2008 IHF World Women's Championship. Individually, her 38 points last season were tied for third-most on the team, and her 27 assists were 11th best in the nation.
She is also eighth on the UW's career points list with 110.
This spring however, as Boston University hosts the Frozen Four, Lawler hopes to do something she hasn't done yet: win one in her own backyard.
Obviously it's the fairy tale happy ending [to] play in Boston,"" Lawler said. ""It would be awesome.""
Although she acknowledges that winning a national championship in her home state would be a dream come true, Lawler is hesitant to look that far ahead.
""It would be unbelievable to end [in Boston], but it's more about getting there, regardless of the environment,"" she said. ""We have to get there first. It's not really a matter of where it's going to be, it's more a matter of getting it done.""
With as much success as they have had in the last three seasons, it would be easy for Lawler and the rest of the Badgers to get complacent. However, the 4-0 loss to Minnesota-Duluth in last year's national championship game not only serves as motivation, Lawler lists it as her proudest moment.
""Although we did not come out on top, that was huge for us,"" she said. ""If you would have asked anyone on the team where we thought we would end up, I don't think any of us would have said anywhere near the Frozen Four or anywhere near the championship game.
Despite losing to Duluth in the finals, it was unbelievable for us to even make it there.""
With both Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth returning strong teams this season, it is clear the Badgers will need a total team effort if they want to make another run deep into the NCAA tournament. Named team captain before the season by head coach Mark Johnson, Lawler believes Wisconsin has the focus and drive necessary to reach the postseason.
""As the captain, part of your responsibility is to make sure everyone's ready, focused and prepared for the game, but I don't even have to do that because everyone on the team is so serious about the sport,"" Lawler said. ""Everyone just makes my job really easy. It's a job that we all do collectively.""
That said, Lawler knows she's had plenty of talent to learn from during the past three seasons, playing under captains like Sharon Cole, Bobbi-Jo Slusar and Emily Morris.
""I definitely learned so much from the
previous captains,"" Lawler said. ""There's such a balance that you need to maintain throughout all aspects of the game, and that's what I've taken away from a lot of the past captains on our team. Everyone that I've ever learned from has been so much fun to work with.""
With the Badgers facing both Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth before the end of the month, Lawler will look to keep the locker room atmosphere as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.
""I think that as long as you have a good attitude and you're having a lot of fun out there, that's probably the most important thing to do,"" she said. ""Everyone's going to watch you on the ice, and when you're having fun and working hard, it carries over. Usually, in a fun, happy, hard-working environment, you're going to be a successful team.""
Playing in a league like the WCHA, Wisconsin's road back to the NCAA tournament will not be an easy one. If the first few weeks of the season are any indication though, Lawler's fairy tale ending isn't out of the question.
