Six former U of M women’s hockey players and present Gopher, Anne Schleper, a sophomore defenseman, are among the 41 players who have been invited to the 2009 USA Hocky Women’s National Festival from Aug. 18-24 at the Super Rink in Blaine.

That’s an important invite. Twenty-three of those players will make the U.S. national team wich will compete in a 10-game Qwest Tour before the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.

Among the ex-Gophers at the camp are forward Natalie Darwitz, a two-time Olympian who was an assistant coach at the U this past season; forwards Gigi Marvin and Erica McKenzie, and defenseman Rachel Drazan.

Also there will be forwards Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux, who played for the Gophers as freshmen this past season, but decided to transfer to North Dakota after the season ended.

One more camp invitee with a Gopher tie is goalie Megan Van Beusekom of Loretto, Minn. She was the Gophers’ goalie coach this past season while training with the same select team as Darwitz  at the Super Rink.

Jenny Potter of Edina and Angela Ruggiero will try to make their fourth Olympic team. Darwitz and Julie Chu are trying for their third.

After the Qwest tour, the final two players will be cut.

Coach Mark Johnson of 2009 NCAA champion Wisconsin will be the coach of Olympic team.

One other Minnesotan invited is forward Allie Thunstrom of Maplewood who played for Boston College. Â

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