Rachael Graves will lead the Red Panthers this season after the retirement of six-year coach Hayli Hupp. Nicole Busse will assist on the bench for the Point-Rapids co-op.

The Red Panthers lose four players from last year’s squad. Four-year letter-winning forwards Makayla Lee (11g-10a) and Nicole Hassig (15g-21a) will be huge losses, as will freshman forward Brianne Huettner (13g-13a), who was lost in a school transfer. Defenseman Blake Weinfurter was a locker room leader as a three-year player.

The Red Panthers (13-12 last season) return some scoring punch at forward. Junior Rachel Metz (21g-13a) was the leading goal scorer and is a hard-nosed player. Senior Sarah Peplinski (15g-11a) is an aggressive player, backing down from no one. Classmate Molly Kuckkahn (7g-6a) is a top returning front-liner.

Junior Kiana Coombs (1g-1a) and sophomore Taylor Grimm (0g-2a) will be joined by incoming freshman Katrina Hassig.

On the blueline, senior Rachel (R-Mac) McNamara (3g-3a) is a solid player. Juniors Amanda Milanowski (1g-7a) and Rachel Nolan (0g-8a) will play key roles. Expect talented freshman Hailey Ehr to get major ice time.

In net, sophomore Emily Bubla (2.71 gaa, .891 sv%) will return but has a challenger in freshman Taylor Stuettgen.

The Red Panthers won their first Great Northern Conference title last year and are expected to be contenders again this year.