TORONTO, ON — Though their time on ice is now done, two Minnesotans aren't through when it comes to making hockey history.
On Tuesday, the University of Minnesota announced former Gophers Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl will become the first women inducted into Toronto's Hockey Hall of Fame, joining five former NHL stars in this year's class.
Darwitz, a native of St. Paul and Gopher hockey standout from 2002-2005, was a back-to-back national champion at the U, and named Most Outstanding Player for the 2005 Frozen Four Tournament. That same year, Darwitz broke the league's record for points in a single season, earning her Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year honors.
Still sitting atop Gopher women's hockey ranks, the three-time All-American remains first in points per game (2.48) and assists per game (1.45), spanning just 99 games played over her college career.
Darwitz then went on to help pioneer the country's first Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), in which she coached PWHL Minnesota to the championship before taking home the first-ever Walter Cup.
Shortly following the historic season, Darwitz left the organization.
Wendell-Pohl, a Brooklyn Park native and teammate of Darwitz's at the U, also became a two-time, back-to-back national champion with the 2004 and 2005 Gophers, and was the recipient of the 2005 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Wendell-Pohl ranks second in program history for points per game (2.35), goals per game (1.05) and assists per game (1.30).
She too, is a three-time All-American, in addition to a two-time WCHA Player of the Year and 2001 Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year.
Together, the former Golden Gophers have a combined five Olympic medals and 14 IIHF women's world championship medals as part of Team USA.
The Hall of Fame selection comes after both women were enshrined as members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the University of Minnesota's "M" Club Hall of Fame.
Darwitz and Wendell-Pohl will join former NHLers Colin Campbell, Pavel Datsyuk, David Poile, Jeremy Roenick and Shea Weber at the induction ceremony this November in Toronto.
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