by The first-ever Ojibwe/Anishinaabe player in University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey history, Brigette Lacquette is the 19th selection to the UMD Women’s Hockey 25th Anniversary Team.
A native of Mallard, Manitoba, Lacquette was raised on a reservation in Saskatchewan called the Cote First Nation. After transferring from the University of Manitoba after her freshman season there, the defenseman was named to the 2012 All-WCHA Rookie Team and was also named to the 2012 WCHA All-Tournament Team. Lacquette was named All-WCHA Second Team in both her junior and senior seasons in 2012-13 and 2014-15, and was named to the 2013 All-USCHO Third Team.
Lacquette still ranks as the 10th highest career scoring defenseman in program history, despite playing just three seasons and only in 105 games – the third fewest of any other blueliner on the top-10 list. Lacquette finished with 69 points on 20 goals and 49 assists, and still sits fourth all-time in career goals by a defenseman and eighth in assists.
One of four UMD players to centralize with Team Canada in the midst of their collegiate careers, Lacquette centralized with the Canadian Olympic Team for five months after a late call up by Team Canada in the spring of 2013. Lacquette took what amounted to over a year’s absence from the UMD program to accommodate the centralization, and extended her eligibility into the 2014-15 season. While Lacquette was one of the last players cut by Canada at the end of 2013, she did earn a spot on Canada roster for three IIHF World Championships (2015, 2016 and 2019).
Four years after her first centralization, Lacquette was named to Canada’s Olympic hockey team in 2018 at Pyeongchang Winter Games, and helped Canada capture a silver medal following a heartbreaking loss to the United States in the gold medal game.
Lacquette, who has achieved historic milestones repeatedly over her hockey career, was hired by the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of the 2021-22 season to their scouting staff, making her the first indigenous woman to scout for an NHL team. Lacquette is in her third year as a pro scout with the Blackhawks.
About the 25th Anniversary Team
The 25th Anniversary Team was selected by longtime local media members and local hockey historians. Each member of the selection committee privately selected a total of 25 players, which included a starting six players that will represent the six best players so far in Bulldog history. The only requirements for the other 19 players selected by committee members was that at least three of them were positionally defenseman and at least two goaltenders.
A list of greatness, the 25th Anniversary Team will span the more than two decades of players that have skated for one of the most successful NCAA Division I women’s hockey programs in all of women’s college hockey. UMD women’s hockey will unveil one player every Thursday in no particular order over the regular season, and then the last week of the regular season, will announce its 25th Anniversary starting lineup.
