Gone are the days when Concordia was a freewheeling, total offense, no defense team. In their place are players willing to play both ways and buy into a team-oriented philosophy as fourth-year head coach Kerry Norman tries to build the program into a consistent contender for the top spots in the MIAC.

Last year the Cobbers went 4-18-2 overall and were in the hunt for a conference playoff spot until the middle of February. In order for Concordia to see the chase all the way through to March, they will have to improve on their offensive production in pressure games and find a way to get a balanced scoring attack from three lines. In 2004-05, the Cobbers ranked in the middle of the pack in goals scored but only scored five goals in the six games against the top three teams in the league.

The biggest asset for the Cobbers this season will be the netminding of senior Jenna Johnson (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek HS). Johnson is a three-year starter who has posted three straight years of having a goals against average under 3.25. She always keeps the Cobbers in the game and rarely lets up a goal that is not earned. Look for her to be among the league leaders in every goaltending category in 2004-05.

Hoping to beef up their offense, Concordia will turn to a pair of junior forward who were among the team leaders in scoring in 2004-05. Hannah Impola (Brainerd, Minn.) is the top returning scorer on the team. She finished fourth on the team in scoring last year and will look to add to that total now that she is one of the “go-to” players on the ice. Joining Impola will be Paige Stone (San Dimas, Calif.). Stone was second on the team in goals scored in 2004-05 with seven.

Finding consistency on the blueline will be another key for Concordia in 2005-06. Sophomore captain Ceara Bergsrud (Devils Lake, N.D.) is a solid defenseman who can stop the opposing team’s attack and occasionally jump into the offense to help the attack. Joanna Berringer (Kenora, Ont./Beaver Brae HS) is another defenseman who is not about flash and hype and is just about making sure she does her job well and doesn’t allow the other team to score.

There are several freshman players who could make an impact right away. Forwards Bre Brian (Cadarsburg, Wis.), Mandy Samuelson (Willmar, Minn.), Alyssa Dahl (Willmar, Minn.) and Kelsey Puffe (Moorhead, Minn.) will all have a chance to make an immediate impact on the Cobber offensive output. A pair of incoming defensemen will also help the squad. Brit Vander Kooy (Redlands, Calif.) and Stacy Hill (Cohasset, Minn.) both bring outstanding credentials to the team in hopes of shoring up the blueline.

With all the new talent and the solid core of returning players, Concordia is hoping to get through the early-season growing stages and then make a run at the playoffs as they continue to show that the team is more important than the individual.