Sarah Parsons Makes 2009 Women's National Festival Roster

USA Hockey Release

HANOVER, N.H. - Dartmouth forward Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass.) has been named one of 41 skaters to participate in the 2009 USA Hockey Women's National Festival, which will serve as the selection camp for the 2009-10 U.S. National Team.

All 21 members of the U.S. Women's National Team that captured the gold medal at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship will participate in the Festival, as well as seven additional players who were part of either the gold-medal winning 2008 U.S. Women's National Team or the U.S. Women's Select Team that garnered the 2008 Four Nations Cup championship. Further, six of the attendees earned a gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Women's U18 Championship in either 2008 or 2009.

“The selection process for this camp has been ongoing for years,” said Michele Amidon, director of women's hockey for USA Hockey, as well as the general manager of the 2010 Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team. “Our staff has thoroughly evaluated the talent pool in the U.S. and has put together the absolute top crop of candidates to represent our country for the upcoming season.”

The Festival will take place August 18-24 in Blaine, Minn. It will serve as the selection camp for the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team that will compete in the Qwest Tour, a 10-game domestic tour that begins Sept. 25 and ends just prior to the start of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.

The Festival participants will be divided into two teams for daily practices and games at the Schwan Super Rink, part of the National Sports Center. The Super Rink, which served as the home for the women's residency program set up by USA Hockey for post-collegiate members of its U.S. Women's National Program last season, will be the base for the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team from September until the Olympic Games.

On Aug. 24, USA Hockey will announce the roster for the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team. In mid-December, the 21 players who will compete in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be announced.

Parsons is one of nine Olympians on the roster and one of only four that are currently playing in ECAC Hockey. Parsons enters the Festival after a great season with the Big Green, especially down the stretch when the team needed it the most. She posted 12 points in the five ECAC Hockey Tournament games and earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the champions. Parsons became the second member of this year's squad to reach 100 points in a career with a goal against Union on Jan. 31. Eight of her 17 goals came on the power play, which puts her tied for second on the team in the category. She finished the season with a career-high 17 goals and posted 15 assists for 32 points.

She has also been voted in by her teammates along with classmate Jenna Cunningham (Medicine Hat, Alta.) as team captains for the 2009-10 season.

Schedules