For most, the Winter Olympics are an exciting event. However, for fans of the Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team, the iconic global sporting event may leave them with mixed feelings.
That’s because up to six of Wisconsin’s players, including Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards and Kirsten Simms will miss time with national team duty. While Wisconsin returns 84% of its goal production from last year, when several of their players are out for the Olympics, that number will plummet to just 38%.
With such production missing, head coach Mark Johnson will need other players to step up. In comes sophomore forward Maggie Scannell, a talented forward from Wynantskill, New York, who captained the United States U-18 team to victory at the 2024 Women’s World Juniors in Switzerland before enrolling at Wisconsin.
Scannell scored 13 goals in her freshman season en route to being named to the WCHA’s All-Rookie team.
Already this season, she’s stepped up her game. In Wisconsin’s opening night victory over Bemidji State, Scannell scored three goals, her first collegiate hat trick.
“My big thing was hopefully she gets off to a good start.” Johnson said Tuesday. “Sure enough, game one.”
While the blistering 80-goal pace she’s on is unlikely to hold, a 25 goal season seems to be well within reach after Scannell scored as many goals in the second period of game one as the Beavers managed to score all weekend.
“She’s a little quicker, she’s faster, and so all that stuff together, if she continues to work hard, which she will, she’ll continue to play well for us,” Johnson said.
Scannell had a much quieter second series against Maine, but she still made her presence felt generating chances and adding an assist to her early season point total.
Scannell likely won’t be the best player on the ice for the Badgers this year, but in a transition year for the program, Scannell’s talents will have to shine through for the Badgers to replicate their recent success.
Next up, Scannell and the Badgers welcome the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs at 11:00 Saturday, October 11th.
