Former Gopher women’s hockey greats Erica Killewald and Nadine Muzerall (Class of 2001) will be inducted into the University of Minnesota’s ‘M’ Club Hall of Fame on Thursday Sept. 27, and will be recognized at various events throughout the weekend. Killewald and Muzerall are two of 13 Gopher greats to be inducted at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet, which will be held at the Ted Mann Theatre on the Minneapolis campus. Inductees will also be honored at the women’s soccer match on Friday, Sept. 28, and on Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Gophers’ football game with Ohio State University. The duo are the first women’s hockey players to be inducted into the hall of fame and the youngest in the group of 13.
Erica Killewald
A record-setting member of the inaugural edition of University of Minnesota women’s hockey, Erica Killewald was the goaltender for the Golden Gophers for the first four years of the program. Killewald’s name litters the Maroon and Gold record book as the netminder helped Minnesota hang a pair of banners to the rafters of Ridder Arena.
A native of Troy, Mich., Killewald ranks first in the school career record book in saves (2,385) and shutouts (21), second in wins (73) and sixth in goals-against average (1.88). She also owns four of the top seven winningest seasons for a goaltender.
Killewald will go down in Golden Gopher history as the winning goaltender for the first ever women’s hockey game at the U of M. The netminder backstopped Minnesota to an 8-0 win over Augsburg in front of a record crowd at Mariucci Arena on Nov. 2, 1997. From there, Killewald help Minnesota grow from its infancy into the AWCHA Champions in 1999-2000.
After an 18-win freshman season that saw her finish tied for second in the nation with five shutouts, Killewald led the Golden Gophers to a third-place finish at the 1999 AWCHA National Championship, earning all-tournament honors in the process. During that sophomore season, Killewald held opponents to two or fewer goals in 23 of 26 starts and led nation in goals against average (1.24) and save percentage (.947). For her efforts, she was named the team’s most improved and most valuable player.
The 1999-2000 season saw Killewald and the Maroon and Gold make history as Minnesota won its first women’s national team title at the AWCHA National Championship. Killewald stopped 74 of 78 shots in the national tournament, earning most valuable player honors. On the season, she posted a 17-6-1 record, including an 8-0-1 mark in 10 games during the tram’s 21-game unbeaten streak. In a 2-2 tie at archrival Minnesota Duluth, Killewald made 51 saves to set a school record that stands to this day.
Killewald wrapped up her collegiate career in 2000-01 by leading the Golden Gophers to their first ever WCHA Regular Season Championship. On the season, she posted a 19-8-2 record, leading the WCHA in goals-against average (2.12) and save percentage (.914) to earn First Team All-WCHA honors.
During her career at Minnesota, Killewald compiled a 73-23-9 career record and helped the Maroon and Gold compile a 105-26-9 (.782) overall record and raise the first two banners in school history. A two-time member of the WCHA All-Academic Team, Killewald graduated with a degree in kinesiology and is currently a radiologic technologist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Nadine Muzerall
One of the most accomplished Golden Gopher women’s hockey players, Nadine Muzerall stands atop the Minnesota record book with 139 career goals, including a record 40 power-play markers. A member of the inaugural edition of University of Minnesota women’s hockey, Muzerall put her stamp on the early years of the program, helping the Golden Gophers hang a pair of banners to the rafters of Ridder Arena along the way.
Hailing from Mississauga, Ont., and the Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H., Muzerall opened her Maroon and Gold career with a 32-goal, 32-assist freshman season to earn Women’s Hockey News Second Team All-American, Patty Kazmaier Award Finalist and team most valuable player accolades. Her 64-point season currently ranks 10th in the Minnesota record book.
During her 1998-99 sophomore season, Muzerall was named a Second Team AWCHA All-American, helping the Golden Gophers to a third-place finish at the 1999 AWCHA National Championship. She compiled totals of 30-18--48 and ranked in the top 20 nationally in seven offensive categories.
The 1999-2000 campaign saw Muzerall and the Maroon and Gold make history as Minnesota won its first women’s national team title at the AWCHA National Championship. Muzerall scored the game-winning goal in the 4-2 national championship win over Brown and earned all-tournament honors with three goals and an assist in two games. For the season, Muzerall owned totals of 49-28--77 and led the nation in goals (49), power-play goals (16), power-play points (27) and game-winning goals (9). Her 49 goals, 16 power-play goals and 1.29 goals-per-game currently sit atop the Minnesota season record book.
In a 10-0 win over Bemidji State, she set school records that stand to this day with five goals and seven points. During a season which saw her go on a 20-game point streak, Muzerall was earned First Team All-WCHA and Minnesota team most valuable player honors.
Muzerall wrapped up her collegiate career in 2000-01 by helping the Golden Gophers to their first ever WCHA Regular Season Championship. On the season, she notched 28 goals and 18 assists, and was named a Patty Kazmaier Award Finalist for the second time in her career.
In the Minnesota career record book, Muzerall now sits first in goals (139), goals-per-game (1.08), power-play goals (40) and shots (726), third in points (235), fourth in plus/minus (+149), fifth in shorthanded goals (4) and sixth in assists (96).
A University of Minnesota graduate with a degree in family social science, Muzerall recently completed her fourth season as head coach of the Northfield Mount Hermon School girls’ hockey team in Gill, Mass.
Courtesy: University of Minnesota
