SMU women's hockey team earns No. 1 national ranking

For the first time in the history of women's hockey at Saint Mary's University, the team is No. 1 in the country.

The Huskies were named this week to the top spot in the U Sports rankings. Women's university hockey became a U Sports sanctioned sport in 1997.

"It feels good and it's something we are very proud of," said Saint Mary's coach Chris Larade, who won his third Atlantic University Sport (AUS) coach of the year award last week. "Were very happy where we stand right now."

After moving up to No. 1, the Huskies won their AUS semi-final best-of-three series against the University of New Brunswick in two straight games. They'll now face St. Francis Xavier in the best-of-three league final starting next Tuesday in Halifax.

The two teams are archrivals and split their four regular season games. St. FX is also a nationally ranked team, coming in at No. 6 in the latest rankings. The winner earns a spot at the upcoming nationals in Charlottetown.

"I've been here now for five years and they've been our biggest rival, so it's kind of perfect that it worked out that we'll be playing them," said Saint Mary's captain Kiana Wilkinson. "Thankfully we'll have home ice advantage, which means a lot."

There are four Nova Scotians on the Huskies roster. Among them is Ellen Laurence of Kentville, who registered 17 points in the regular season and was named AUS rookie of the year.

The Huskies are a well-rounded team. Five of their players finished among the AUS's Top 10 scorers. Wilkinson, a defenceman, was one of them. She didn't score a goal all season but led the league with 23 assists.

"We're fast and aggressive and try to win all of our battles," said Wilkinson, a fifth-year biology student from Prince George, B.C., who is in her final university hockey season.

The Huskies were able to jump up the rankings because the Concordia Stingers, ranked No. 1 for most of the season, were upset in their league playoffs.

That leaves the upcoming nationals in Charlottetown wide open, and the Huskies are hoping they will make it into the national championship game on March 15.