Video: Badger Women's season outlook

Similar to the Men's season outlook videos, uwbadgers now has an outlook video for the Badger Women. Here are the questions asked to Mark Johnson, as well as a brief synopsis of his answers.

Describe the 2009-10 coaching staff.
MJ has lots of nice things to say about Tracey DeKeyser, Peter Johnson, and Jackie Friesen -- he's very comfortable with and excited for his staff. DeKeyser has been with the program since it's inception is very qualified and he's excited for her to get the chance to run the program. Johnson was an assistant for the Badgers Men, as well as at Cornell and BG. He's won NCAA championships as a player and a coach, and Mark is very comfortable with him as an addition to the staff and helping DeKeyser. As a student assistant coach in her 5th year, Friesen got to see how practice plans were put together and see decision-making. He's really excited about her, and she's excited to be on board as well.

How will you be involved with the Badgers while you are coaching Team USA?
He says starting in September he'll basically be a fan. But that he will keep in touch with the 3 coaches on a regular basis to help them out in any way he can.

What does it mean to you to be coaching the 2010 Olympics?
He talks about the enjoyment, excitement, and challenges that come with representing one's country as a player and as a coach in international play. He calls the Olympics the biggest venue that sports provides, and he's looking forward to working with and challenging his players and making them the best team they're capable of becoming.

What does it mean for the UW to be hosting the Camp Randall Hockey Classic?
He says he always tries to make each year special for the seniors and mix in an event that's special that they can carry with them, and that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the players.


* In other W-WCHA news, the Duluth Foreign Legion has given Shannon Miller a 2-year extension, extending her contract through the 2012-13 season.

Johnson, Friesen announced as Badger Women's assistants

The UW has officially announced Peter Johnson and Jackie Friesen as this year's Badger Women's Hockey assistant coaches.

The announcement indicates that these are interim positions; no word on who will more permanently fill Dan Koch's former position next season when Mark Johnson resumes his head coaching duties and interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser returns to her assistant coaching position. I'm wondering if keeping Friesen on will be an option that will be considered at that point.

Peter Johnson is new Badger Women's assistant

Andy Baggot is reporting that Peter Johnson has been tabbed as the new assistant coach for the Badger Women.

Being who I am, I must point out that Peter was an assistant on the 1990 Men's National Championship team. Sixty minutes, no alibis, no regrets, and all that. And he played for the Badgers for 4 years. And since I'm stating the obvious, I might as well also mention that he's Mark Johnson's brother.

In addition to his 4-yrs as a Badger Men's assistant, he also spent 2 years each as an assistant for the Cornell Men and the Bowling Green Men. He then spent 9 years as a scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Baggot says we can expect an official announcement from the university later this week.

WHKY Blogger tells us that Jackie Friesen will also be an assistant. I haven't seen anything official about this, but WHKY Blogger's info is typically good and so I have no reason to doubt this.

Oh, and regarding the women's schedule, it doesn't look like it's posted yet on uwbadgers. However, the WCHA has released the composite women's schedule.